Assistant General Counsel/Associate General Cou...

The Assistant General Counsel / Associate General Counsel (“Counsel”) is a generalist in-house attorney within the Office of the General Counsel (“OGC”) at Delaware State University (“DSU” or the “University”). Under the supervision of the Deputy General Counsel and Vice President of Legal Affairs & General Counsel, Counsel provides day-to-day legal advice, drafting, transactional support, and matter management across the full range of areas handled by the OGC in support of a public, land-grant, historically Black university. This is a broad, high-volume position suited to an early-career attorney who wishes to develop deep higher education law expertise while working directly with senior University leadership. Whether the position is filled at the Assistant or Associate level is dependent on the successful candidate's relevant experience, skills, and qualifications.

Counsel supports the OGC's work in higher education and student affairs law, employment and labor matters, contracts and procurement, real estate and corporate transactions, regulatory compliance, litigation and claims management, intellectual property and sponsored research, and governance support. Counsel exercises sound legal judgment, maintains strict confidentiality and the attorney-client privilege, and produces thorough, well-researched, and timely work product.

Organizational Structure:
Counsel reports to the Deputy General Counsel and Vice President of Legal Affairs & General Counsel and Chief Risk Officer and is a member of the Office of the General Counsel. Counsel does not supervise other attorneys but may direct the work of paralegals, investigators, law clerks, and administrative staff on assigned matters, and may coordinate the work of outside counsel under the direction of the Deputy General Counsel or General Counsel. Counsel works collaboratively with University offices the General Counsel oversees or advises, including Title IX, the Center for Disability Resources, Human Resources, Procurement, Sponsored Programs, Athletics Compliance, Public Safety, and Finance.

Essential Functions & Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

The following functions are essential to performing this job. Other duties may be assigned consistent with institutional needs and the direction of the Deputy General Counsel or General Counsel.

Legal Advice & Counseling

• Provide accurate, timely, and practical legal advice to University administrators, faculty, and staff on a broad range of matters affecting the University, and identify legal issues and risks before they mature into disputes.
• Research and analyze federal and state statutes, regulations, case law, and administrative guidance affecting higher education, and advise appropriate University officials of developments that affect the University.
• Counsel clients on the application of University policies and applicable law, and assist administrators in developing institutional strategies to prevent and mitigate legal problems.
• Escalate novel, high-risk, or sensitive matters to the Deputy General Counsel and General Counsel, and maintain appropriate documentation of advice and privileged communications.

Higher Education & Student Affairs

• Advise on student affairs and academic matters, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), student conduct and due process, admissions, financial aid and Title IV, academic policy, and student grievances and appeals.
• Support the University's civil rights and equal opportunity compliance obligations, including Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, the Age Discrimination Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act as Amended (ADAAA), in coordination with the Title IX Coordinator and the ADA/504 Compliance Officer.
• Assist with matters arising under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act), the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and related campus-safety obligations.
• Support Athletics on NCAA and conference compliance, student-athlete matters, and related regulatory questions, in coordination with Athletics Compliance.

Employment & Labor

• Advise on the full range of employment and labor matters, including hiring, discipline, separation, accommodations, leave, wage and hour, and personnel policy.
• Support the University's obligations under collective bargaining agreements, assist with grievances and arbitrations, and coordinate with Human Resources and Labor Relations.
• Assist in responding to charges before the EEOC, the Delaware Department of Labor, and other administrative agencies, and prepare position statements and supporting documentation.

Contracts, Procurement & Transactions

• Draft, review, negotiate, and interpret a high volume of contracts, including services agreements, memoranda of understanding, affiliation agreements, licenses, leases, sponsored research and grant agreements, and vendor and technology agreements.
• Advise on public procurement requirements, competitive solicitation and sole-source standards, and contract administration, in coordination with Procurement, and help ensure transactions are structured to comply with University policy and applicable law.
• Support real estate, corporate, tax-exempt finance, and other transactional matters, and assist with the formation and governance of University affiliates and related entities.

Litigation, Claims & Regulatory Matters

• Assist in the management of litigation, administrative proceedings, claims, and demands, including early case assessment, litigation holds, discovery coordination, and supervision of outside counsel under the direction of the General Counsel.
• Collect, review, and produce documents and data in response to subpoenas, public records requests (including requests under the Delaware Freedom of Information Act), and internal investigations, and coordinate responses across University offices.
• Support internal investigations and compliance reviews, and assist with regulatory reporting and responses to federal and state agencies.

Policy, Training & Governance

• Draft, review, and update University policies, procedures, and forms to ensure consistency with applicable law and sound institutional practice.
• Develop and deliver legal and compliance training for University administrators, faculty, and staff.
• Support the work of the Office of the General Counsel in connection with the Board of Trustees and University governance, as directed.

Supervisory Responsibilities:
This position has no direct supervisory authority over other attorneys. Counsel may direct and review the work of paralegals, investigators, law clerks, interns, and administrative staff on assigned matters, and may coordinate the work of outside counsel under the direction of the Deputy General Counsel or General Counsel.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Working knowledge of the substantive areas of law handled by a university general counsel's office, including higher education law, employment and labor law, contracts, and regulatory compliance, or the demonstrated ability to develop such knowledge quickly.
• Excellent legal research, analytical, writing, drafting, and client-counseling skills, with the ability to communicate complex legal issues clearly to non-lawyers.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage a high volume of diverse matters simultaneously, prioritize competing deadlines, and bring projects to completion with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Sound and mature legal judgment, professionalism, and a strong commitment to ethics, confidentiality, and the attorney-client privilege.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with administrators, faculty, staff, students, trustees, external professionals, and other constituencies in a diverse university community, and to exercise discretion and tact in sensitive matters.
• Proficiency with legal research platforms (e.g., Westlaw or LexisNexis) and with common office and document-management technology.
• Commitment to the mission of the University as a public, land-grant, historically Black institution, and to service to its students and community.

Qualification Standards:
Minimum Qualifications:

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Admission to, and good standing in, the bar of a U.S. state or the District of Columbia. Admission to the Delaware Bar, or eligibility for registration as Delaware In-House Counsel under the Delaware Supreme Court Rules within a reasonable period after hire, is required.
• A minimum of two (2) years and no more than approximately five (5) years of relevant legal experience as a practicing attorney, whether in a law firm, in-house, or public-sector setting.
• Demonstrated legal research, writing, and drafting ability, and demonstrated capacity to manage multiple matters independently.