Corporate Counsel

About Us: Group 1 Automotive, Inc. (NYSE: GPI) is a Fortune 250leader in global automotive retail, operating more than 250 dealerships and collision centers across the United States and United Kingdom. As the 4th largest dealership group in the U.S., Group 1 delivers a fully integrated automotive experience, including vehicle sales, financing, aftersales service, and digital retail solutions. As the automotive industry continues to evolve, Group 1 is investing in the people, technology, and operational excellence needed to shape what comes next. Our work is grounded in a simple belief, that a better experience for customers starts with an exemplary experience for employees. At Group 1, our commitment is to keep finding smarter ways to serve our customers and support one another. We believe great careers are built in environments where people are trusted, challenged, and given room to grow. If you share our core values of integrity, transparency, professionalism, teamwork, and respect, you can get more with Group 1. More opportunity. More support. More ways to build a career that moves you forward. Overview:

The Corporate Counsel is responsible for providing appropriate and responsive legal support and advice to the Company on a variety of legal matters, with a particular focus on capital markets and securities, public company reporting and corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, and other strategic transactions. The Corporate Counsel will also draft, negotiate, and implement a broad range of contracts and provide compliance support across the enterprise. This position must have a solid business orientation and focus on practical problem solving, while upholding the Company's strong ethics, culture, and principles of integrity.

Responsibilities:

• Support the Company's capital markets activity, including registered offerings, debt issuances, credit facility amendments, and other financing transactions, working closely with senior attorneys, outside counsel, underwriters, and lenders;
• Assist with the preparation and review of the Company's periodic and current SEC filings, including Forms 10-K, 10-Q, and 8-K, and Section 16 filings (Forms 3, 4, and 5);
• Advise on Securities Act and Exchange Act matters, including Regulation FD, insider trading, Rule 144, and NYSE listing requirements, and assist in maintaining the Company's insider trading and related-person transaction programs;
• Provide transactional support on dealership acquisitions, divestitures, and other strategic transactions, including drafting and negotiating letters of intent, purchase agreements, real estate documents, manufacturer framework documents, and ancillary deal documentation;
• Coordinate and manage legal due diligence and post-closing integration matters, including regulatory and manufacturer approvals;
• Draft, review, edit, and negotiate a wide variety of commercial and transactional agreements;
• Coordinate with and seek feedback and input from subject matter experts across the Company to complete contract reviews and approvals;
• Support the Company's compliance program, including Code of Conduct administration, policy development and training, and anti-corruption, sanctions, and whistleblower matters;
• Provide responsive and effective legal support and counsel to all of the Company's departments as needed;
• Identify legal risks and recommend and implement risk mitigation strategies;
• Support business initiatives and acquisitions;
• Manage and direct outside counsel as appropriate;
• Perform special projects as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Admission and member in good standing of a State Bar and qualified to practice as in-house counsel in Texas;
• Minimum of 6–8 years' experience at a law firm and/or in an in-house position, with a meaningful combination of capital markets, securities and public company reporting, corporate governance, and transactional M&A experience;
• Core competencies must be in corporate law, with demonstrated working knowledge of the federal securities laws and SEC rules and regulations applicable to public companies (Securities Act of 1933, Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Sarbanes-Oxley, Dodd-Frank, and related SEC and stock exchange requirements);
• Some experience supporting corporate compliance programs and related advisory work;
• Significant experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating contracts and transaction documents;
• Excellent written and verbal communication, research, and presentation skills;
• Excellent analytical and creative problem-solving skills;
• Ability to communicate effectively with business leaders, sales personnel, and subject matter experts;
• Practical, logical, and efficient problem solver;
• Strong work ethic, team player, and positive attitude;
• Organized and keen attention to detail;
• Results oriented, self-motivated, and self-directed;
• High degree of professionalism, sound judgment, and ability to handle confidential and market-sensitive information;
• Able to handle multiple concurrent assignments, and assume personal responsibility for deliverables under tight deadlines, working well under pressure in a rapidly changing environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior in-house experience at a publicly traded company, including experience supporting a Board of Directors and standing committees;
• Experience, within or for the automotive industry, or in another multi-state, retail, or franchise-regulated business;
• Experience with a wide variety of contracts, including commercial and technology;
• Excellent project management skills and ability to work cross-functionally.

Education

• A Juris Doctorate from an ABA accredited law school with a strong academic record is required.

Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected status. Employment may be contingent upon successful completion of a background check and/or drug screening.