Associate General Counsel

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Job:

Associate General Counsel

Job Summary:

The Associate General Counsel (AGC) reports to the Deputy General Counsel and General Counsel and assists with the handling of legal issues affecting the College, with a focus on labor and employment, and represents the College in various legal and administrative forums. The AGC represents the College in a broad range of complex employment and labor matters in the academic setting, including but not limited to collective bargaining negotiations and labor arbitrations. In consultation with the Deputy General Counsel and General Counsel, the AGC supervises outside counsel engaged by the College. The AGC also supports the College’s nondiscrimination office and risk management and compliance programs. The AGC also contributes to the development and interpretation of College policy and counsels on compliance with federal, state, and city laws and regulations.

Job Description:

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

• Counsel the Director of Human Resources and their staff as well as the College faculty and Administration on all areas of employment and labor law, including employment, equal opportunity, labor laws and related policy, strategy, disputes, risk management and dispute resolution.

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

• Research legal issues and provide written recommendations and memoranda.

• 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.

• Personally handle arbitrations of grievances, NLRB claims, complaints in agencies such as EEOC, DHR, NYCCHR, and OCR, and oversee and actively strategize and participate with outside counsel when warranted.

• Actively direct and participate on collective bargaining teams in a variety of legal, strategic and negotiation roles in consultation with the Deputy General Counsel and General Counsel.

• Assist in response to external investigations as well as support and advice on internal investigation. 

• 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.

• Manage outside legal counsel and other business consultants as needed.

• Remain current on relevant laws and regulations.

• Provide general legal advice, research, document review 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:

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• 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 with ability to interact with high level executives and administration, including accrediting agencies.

• Ability to work on multiple projects independently and simultaneously.

• Ability to interpret statutes, policies and other legal documents, and communicate the content of those documents in an explanatory manner.

• 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 higher education laws and regulations.

• Knowledge of relevant US federal and state employment laws and labor relation legislation.

• Familiarity with the academic labor setting.

• Familiarity with all areas of EEO and employment-related compliance including TITLE VII, ADEA, ADA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, FMLA, WARN and FLSA.

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 in-house experience focused on labor and employment required.

• Experience in conducting/supervising internal investigations.

• Experience with collective bargaining units and contracts.

• Litigation experience in employment matters, including trials and/or arbitrations.

• Computer literate in word-processing, spreadsheets, desktop publishing, and databases.

Salary Range: $175,000 - $200,000 annually

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the College's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Company:

Barnard College

Time Type:

Full time