Legal Career Center

Job:

Associate General Counsel

Job Summary:

The Associate General Counsel reports to the Deputy General Counsel and Executive Vice President/General Counsel. This attorney assists with the handling of all legal issues affecting the College. At the assignment of the Deputy General Counsel and/or EVP/GC, this attorney will provide advice on a wide range of issues related to higher education, with a primary focus on matters relating to students, including student conduct, residential life, discrimination and harassment prevention and response, disability/accessibility, federal, state, and city regulatory compliance and more.

Job Description:

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

• Provide legal counsel and guidance on all matters relating to the college with a focus on student affairs, regulatory affairs and compliance, contract review, and policy development, implementation, and training.

• Formulate legal interpretations of and provide guidance on various bodies of laws and regulations affecting the College.

• Regularly negotiate, draft, review, and revise a wide variety of contracts including for service agreements, outside vendors, independent contractors, practicum and clinical site agreements, and research partnership agreements.

• Research legal issues and provide written recommendations and memoranda.

• Develop training materials and provide regular training to faculty and staff.

• Review and respond to correspondence and demands from regulatory and legislative bodies, courts and outside law firms and represent the College, or oversee representation of the College, during administrative or judicial proceedings.

• Work with various constituencies of the College in the development of College policies, procedures and programs in order to ensure that the College meets all legal and regulatory requirements.

• Develop, prepare and implement board policies, by-laws, administrative procedures and other guidelines and the develop and coordinate in-house training on legal topics for trustees, faculty, administrators and staff.

• Chair and otherwise staff various College committees.

• In consultation with the Deputy General Counsel and General Counsel/Chief of Staff, manage outside legal counsel and other business consultants as appropriate.

• Remain current on relevant laws and regulations.

• Provide general legal advice and drafting as needed with respect to legal issues arising within the day to day operations of the College.

• Remain competent and current through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contacts with colleagues, attending professional development courses, and attending training and/or courses.

• Perform other legal duties as assigned.

Skills, Qualifications & Requirements:

• Excellent verbal and written communications skills, including the ability to persuade and influence a broad spectrum of constituents at all levels.

• Strong communication skills, good professional comportment, and an ability to interact with high level executives and administrators.

• Ability to work on multiple projects independently and simultaneously.

• Ability to interpret statutes, policies and other legal documents, and effectively communicate the content of those documents to applicable constituents.

• Ability to prioritize a heavy and varied workload, be responsive and timely, and effectively serve clients and work in a collaborative, teamwork oriented, fast-paced environment.

• Strong skills in critical writing and analysis.

• Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality.

• Interpersonal and communication skills to deal effectively with multiple constituents and to earn the trust of a variety of people.

• Knowledge of applicable federal, state, and city laws, including higher education laws and regulations (including but not limited to HEA, Title IX, FERPA, ADA).

Requirements Include:

• Juris Doctor from ABA accredited law school.

• Member in good standing with the New York State Bar.

• A minimum of 5 years of law firm or applicable in-house experience required.

• Preference for experience in the field of higher education law, especially in the area of student matters.

• Computer fluency in Google applications, Microsoft Word, Excel, and Adobe Acrobat.

Company:

Barnard College

Time Type:

Full time