Assistant General Counsel - Litigation

Department
 

OLC Attorneys Staff

About the Department
 

The University's Office of Legal Counsel provides legal advice and representation to all units of the University under the direction and oversight of Kim Taylor, the Vice President and General Counsel. The Office of Legal Counsel is responsible for providing services to University officials on legal issues associated with the University’s activities, including transactional and intellectual property matters, policy formulation and compliance, employment and student issues, and pre-litigation dispute resolution. It represents the University’s interests in administrative and judicial proceedings, holds primary institutional responsibility for establishing and maintaining relationships with regulatory and other governmental entities, and establishing and maintaining related compliance policies and protocols.

Job Summary
 

The Assistant General Counsel - Litigation will initially support the senior litigators in a wide variety of matters including employment, student related issues, policy questions as well as IP, privacy and other regulatory matters. The individual will work closely with the University's HR and student affairs functions, including providing advice and counseling on employment and student affairs matters, and will take on additional and independent responsibilities over time.
Must be able to grow into the role of being a trusted advisor on the myriad of matters an institution like the University faces. The duties and responsibilities of the Assistant General Counsel - Litigation will include a wide variety of general litigation and pre-litigation matters, as well as policy and compliance work, and general advice and counseling. In addition, candidate must have a high capacity to collaborate in highly diverse environments, build productive relationships, and provide practical and credible guidance to a wide variety of University clients taking into account the interests of the University’s various stakeholder groups. This position will work directly with the senior litigation attorneys in the office.

Responsibilities

• Utilizes best practices, legal expertise and judgment, and knowledge of University policies, structure and culture to provide legal counsel which facilitates goals across units and protects the University's reputation and business interests.  The legal office negotiates and resolves unique and complex issues to promote compliance with all relevant laws and regulations and University policies.
• Acts as a liaison with outside legal firms and represents the University in investigations and legal proceedings.
• Uses breadth and depth of knowledge to counsel on a broad range of legal matters as requested. Renders opinions to University management on the legal implications of policy changes.
• Advises management on recent changes in laws and regulations that affect the University. Recommends process improvements to ensure compliance of laws and regulations. Provides counsel to lower level attorneys.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
 

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

---
Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

---
Certifications:

Member in good standing of Illinois bar - State of Illinois

---

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Juris Doctor degree from a strong law school.

Experience:

• Three (3) to five (5) years of litigation experience in a top-tier law firm with experience in employment litigation.
• Employment law experience with a wide variety of employment issues and employment counseling skills.
• Background handling student matters or K-12 matters also relevant and helpful.

Preferred Competencies

• Strong analytical and writing skills.  
• Consistently meet deadlines and communicate in a timely and substantive way.  
• A team orientation, sense of humor and a down-to-earth personality that does not crave the spotlight.  
• Excellent interpersonal skills, intellectual curiosity and the ability to thrive in an academic environment where rigorous inquiry is the norm.  
• Excellent professional ethics, good judgment and the ability to take action and make decisions.  
• Enjoys the role of service provider dealing with a wide breadth of clients and issues.  
• Work in a fast-paced and fluid environment.  
• Particular interest in working in a university environment and supporting the University of Chicago's academic and research priorities.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (required)
• References Contact Information (3)(required)
• The University of Chicago has retained Major, Lindsey & Africa (https://www.mlaglobal.com/en ) to support this recruitment. Heather Fine, Partner, is leading the search. For full consideration, inquiries, applications, and nominations should be sent by email to Heather Fine at [email protected] and also submitted to the University of Chicago through the University’s Workday site.

When applying, the document(s) MUST  be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family
 

Legal & Regulatory Affairs

Role Impact
 

Individual Contributor

FLSA Status
 

Exempt

Pay Frequency
 

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours
 

37.5

Benefits Eligible
 

Yes

Drug Test Required
 

No

Health Screen Required
 

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Posting Statement
 

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity /Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu . Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.

Department
 

OLC Attorneys Staff

About the Department
 

The University's Office of Legal Counsel provides legal advice and representation to all units of the University under the direction and oversight of Kim Taylor, the Vice President and General Counsel. The Office of Legal Counsel is responsible for providing services to University officials on legal issues associated with the University’s activities, including transactional and intellectual property matters, policy formulation and compliance, employment and student issues, and pre-litigation dispute resolution. It represents the University’s interests in administrative and judicial proceedings, holds primary institutional responsibility for establishing and maintaining relationships with regulatory and other governmental entities, and establishing and maintaining related compliance policies and protocols.

Job Summary
 

The Assistant General Counsel - Litigation will initially support the senior litigators in a wide variety of matters including employment, student related issues, policy questions as well as IP, privacy and other regulatory matters. The individual will work closely with the University's HR and student affairs functions, including providing advice and counseling on employment and student affairs matters, and will take on additional and independent responsibilities over time.
Must be able to grow into the role of being a trusted advisor on the myriad of matters an institution like the University faces. The duties and responsibilities of the Assistant General Counsel - Litigation will include a wide variety of general litigation and pre-litigation matters, as well as policy and compliance work, and general advice and counseling. In addition, candidate must have a high capacity to collaborate in highly diverse environments, build productive relationships, and provide practical and credible guidance to a wide variety of University clients taking into account the interests of the University’s various stakeholder groups. This position will work directly with the senior litigation attorneys in the office.

Responsibilities

• Utilizes best practices, legal expertise and judgment, and knowledge of University policies, structure and culture to provide legal counsel which facilitates goals across units and protects the University's reputation and business interests.  The legal office negotiates and resolves unique and complex issues to promote compliance with all relevant laws and regulations and University policies.
• Acts as a liaison with outside legal firms and represents the University in investigations and legal proceedings.
• Uses breadth and depth of knowledge to counsel on a broad range of legal matters as requested. Renders opinions to University management on the legal implications of policy changes.
• Advises management on recent changes in laws and regulations that affect the University. Recommends process improvements to ensure compliance of laws and regulations. Provides counsel to lower level attorneys.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
 

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

---
Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

---
Certifications:

Member in good standing of Illinois bar - State of Illinois

---

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Juris Doctor degree from a strong law school.

Experience:

• Three (3) to five (5) years of litigation experience in a top-tier law firm with experience in employment litigation.
• Employment law experience with a wide variety of employment issues and employment counseling skills.
• Background handling student matters or K-12 matters also relevant and helpful.

Preferred Competencies

• Strong analytical and writing skills.  
• Consistently meet deadlines and communicate in a timely and substantive way.  
• A team orientation, sense of humor and a down-to-earth personality that does not crave the spotlight.  
• Excellent interpersonal skills, intellectual curiosity and the ability to thrive in an academic environment where rigorous inquiry is the norm.  
• Excellent professional ethics, good judgment and the ability to take action and make decisions.  
• Enjoys the role of service provider dealing with a wide breadth of clients and issues.  
• Work in a fast-paced and fluid environment.  
• Particular interest in working in a university environment and supporting the University of Chicago's academic and research priorities.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (required)
• References Contact Information (3)(required)
• The University of Chicago has retained Major, Lindsey & Africa (https://www.mlaglobal.com/en ) to support this recruitment. Heather Fine, Partner, is leading the search. For full consideration, inquiries, applications, and nominations should be sent by email to Heather Fine at [email protected] and also submitted to the University of Chicago through the University’s Workday site.

When applying, the document(s) MUST  be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family
 

Legal & Regulatory Affairs

Role Impact
 

Individual Contributor

FLSA Status
 

Exempt

Pay Frequency
 

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours
 

37.5

Benefits Eligible
 

Yes

Drug Test Required
 

No

Health Screen Required
 

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Posting Statement
 

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity /Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu . Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.