Assistant General Counsel

Position Title:

 

Assistant General Counsel

 

Department/School:

 

General Counsel, President's Office

 

Job Summary:

 

Marist College is seeking an Assistant General Counsel to support the General Counsel's office by providing legal advice and counsel for the College. The Assistant General Counsel will perform an array of legal tasks such as drafting and negotiating contracts, conducting in-depth legal research, providing legal counsel to academic and administrative leaders, as well as advising leaders regarding contracts, including legal risks and business terms of various agreements and deals.

 

Responsibilities include providing legal advice and support regarding contract review, negotiation and management, information technology and privacy, real estate transactions, intellectual property, finance, fundraising and planned giving, and new ventures. In addition, this position will assist in responding to requests from outside agencies and consulting with outside legal counsel on legal questions and developments. This position will also assist the General Counsel in training College personnel regarding higher education laws, rules, regulations and compliance.

 

Minimum Qualifications:

 

• Juris Doctorate degree from an ABA accredited law school
• Admission to the bar in New York, or eligibility to be admitted by motion
• Minimum of 3 years of relevant legal experience gained in private practice and/or as an in-house counsel, preferably in the higher education sector
• Experience in contract law
• Ability to maintain confidentiality, understanding and respect for a diverse academic environment, inclusive of students, faculty, and staff of varying social, economic, cultural, ideological, and ethnic backgrounds
• Ability to exercise sound judgement and a practical approach to solving legal problems
• Ability to independently manage and prioritize a large volume of work and meet deadlines while collaborating with diverse groups of constituents

 

Essential Functions:

 

• Provide support for the coordination and negotiation of contracts, affiliation agreements, and MOUs, including review, drafting, and negotiation as well as recommending proactive  strategies and actions to minimize legal risks and ensure legal compliance
• Implement a Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) system and manage it
• Provide real estate support that includes management of off campus leases and purchase and sales agreements
• Provide information technology, intellectual property, finance planned giving, and new ventures advice and counsel
• Provide extensive research and drafts of legal documents, memoranda, and opinions on a broad range of legal matters relevant to the College, and client advisement
• Assist with appearances on behalf of the College in courts and administrative agencies; assist with representing the College in administrative reviews, litigation, audits, and document production
• Conduct legal research and prepare legal opinions regarding state and federal laws applicable to a higher education institution, including but not limited to: FERPA, Title IX, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, ADEA, ADA, FMLA, FIOA
• Develop, draft, and interpret College policies; counsel on issues of policy formation and application
• Monitor legal issues and trends affecting higher education, analyze relevant research, trends, and proposed regulations on matters affecting institutions of higher learning
• Work independently on routine legal matters while recognizing issues of institutional importance, taking proactive steps to research issues while keeping the General Counsel and internal clients appropriately informed
• Assist with advising and training the College community on various legal issues
• Other responsibilities, as assigned

 

Preferred Qualifications:

 

• Professional experience in higher education
• Experience advising on contracts and transactional matters
• Ability to conduct legal research, provide advice on, and draft communications and legal documents regarding a range of state and federal laws, rules, regulations, and policies
• Detail-oriented with excellent communications skills, both verbal and written, to effectively interact with people of diverse backgrounds

 

Required Application Documents:

 

Resume, Cover Letter, & Contact Information of 3 Professional References at time of application

 

Benefits:

 

The position includes a comprehensive benefit package*. Benefits for this position include but are not limited to the following:

 

• 3 weeks of paid vacation. 4 weeks of paid vacation beginning in the 6th year of employment.
• Unlimited paid sick time.
• 14+ paid holidays per year.
• Medical, Dental & Vision insurance programs at a 15% employee / 85% employer contribution rate. Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Dependent Care (FSD).
• Life insurance.
• Generous short-term and long-term disability programs and workers compensation.
• 403(b) defined contribution plan:
  • First 6 years College contributes 7.5%, Employee contributes a mandatory 4%.
  • College contribution increases to 10.5% in year 7, and 12% after 15 years.
  • Employee contribution decreases to 1% in year 7. Remains 1% thereafter.
• 403(b) Tax Deferred Annuity – Roth option available. Voluntary, up to IRS maximum contribution.
• Tuition Benefits:
  • Up to 16 undergraduate credits per semester. Up to 18 graduate credit per academic calendar. Eligibility extends to employee, spouse, and dependent children under age 26.
  • College pays 100% tuition only.
  • Eligible dependents may be Reimbursed up to $2,000 per semester towards tuition at another accredited institution.

*Eligibility requirements including waiting periods and/or employee probationary periods may apply at the discretion of the College.

 

About the Department/School:

 

The Office of General Counsel's goal is to provide legal advice and counsel, tempered by experience and judgment, to our colleagues and business partners responsible for making decisions on behalf of Marist College. The Office's objective is to advance Marist College's mission and provide legal advice efficiently and effectively to support the school’s mission. Some of the operations that the Office of General Counsel focuses on are:

 

Offers legal counsel to the President, President’s Cabinet, Board of Trustees, Faculty, and Staff, advising on all legal matters as well as policies of the College.

Executes the typical duties of an in-house lawyer, such as contract negotiations, Human Resource matters, reviewing and complying with local, state, and federal laws and regulations, and general practice legal services.

Integrates and supervises the work of outside law firms, taking into account the nature of the services they can provide and the fees they charge. In addition, the General Counsel ensures that services are provided to serve the College’s interest.

 

About Marist College:

 

Located on the banks of the historic Hudson River and at its Florence, Italy campus, Marist College is a comprehensive, independent institution grounded in the liberal arts. Its mission is to “help students develop the intellect, character, and skills required for enlightened, ethical, and productive lives in the global community of the 21st century.” Marist educates approximately 5,000 traditional-age undergraduate students and 1,200 adult and graduate students in 53 undergraduate majors and numerous graduate programs, including fully online MBA, MPA, MS, and MA degrees, and also Doctor of Physical Therapy and Physician Assistant programs. Marist is consistently ranked among the best colleges and universities in America by The Princeton Review (Colleges That Create Futures and The Best 386 Colleges), U.S. News & World Report (3rd Most Innovative School/North), Kiplinger’s Personal Finance (“Best College Values”), and others. Marist’s study abroad program is ranked #2 in the nation by the U.S. State Department’s “Open Doors Report” and has also received the Senator Paul Simon Award for First Year Abroad programs in Italy and Ireland. Marist’s Joint Study partnership with IBM, which began in 1988, has brought the College the kind of world-class technology platform typically found at leading research institutions. To learn more, please visit https://www.marist.edu/about

 

Equal Employment Statement:

 

Marist College is committed to creating a diverse workforce on our campus by ensuring that barriers to equal employment opportunity and upward mobility do not exist here. To this end, the College will strive to achieve the full and fair participation of minorities, women, people with disabilities, and any other protected groups found to be under represented.

 

Equal opportunity means employment, development, and promotion of individuals without consideration of race, color, disability, religion, age, sex, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, or veteran status unless there is a bona fide occupational requirement which excludes persons in one of these protected groups. The College will review its employment policies and procedures to ensure that barriers which may unnecessarily exclude protected groups are identified and eliminated. The College will also explore alternative approaches if any policy or practice is found to have a negative impact on protected groups.

 

Marist's policy of non-discrimination includes not only employment practices but also extends to all services and programs provided by the College. It shall be considered a violation of College policy for any member of the community to discriminate against any individual or group with respect to employment or attendance at Marist College on the basis of race, color, disability, religion, age, sex, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other condition established by law.

 

Quicklink to apply: http://careers.marist.edu/cw/en-us/job/493466?lApplicationSubSourceID=