Description:
UCM's Office of General Counsel represents the University in all matters, providing legal advice and guidance to UCM officials across diverse legal practice areas. The Assistant/Associate General Counsel will primarily practice in the subject matter areas of student affairs, labor and employment, policy, and compliance including open records, FERPA, Title IX, Clery, contracts and other transactional matters, litigation management and others.Examples of Duties:
Provides legal advice and guidance to UCM officials across diverse legal practice areas to include: - 40%
- Study and interpret laws, court decisions, ordinances, and other legal authorities, as needed, to deliver daily counsel and advice to the President, Board of Governors and various business units of the University.
- Develops creative and innovative strategies to resolve legal challenges facing the University.
- Assists in providing advice concerning new or revised University policies and procedures.
- Develops and delivers presentations and informational materials to educate staff and faculty on relevant and developing legal issues and policies.
- Coordinates university-wide compliance partner network and advises on documentation of compliance with federal, state, and local requirements.
- May represent the University in state and federal court or in other procedural and administrative matters as assigned by General Counsel. Works with outside counsel on pending litigation, including assisting in responding to pleadings and correspondence; collecting, reviewing, analyzing, and organizing documents and responding to discovery; preparing witnesses to testify; attending mediations and hearings.
- Attends internal and external hearings and administrative proceedings to represent the University's interests as required.
- Drafts, reviews, and negotiates or advises the negotiation of simple and complex contracts, memoranda of understanding, settlement agreements, leases and other transactional documents on behalf of the University in conjunction with other OGC staff and outside counsel.
- Upon the request of the General Counsel, acts in place of the General Counsel when the General Counsel is unavailable.
- Executes the responsibilities of the General Counsel's Office according to lawful and ethical standards, while using personal judgment and initiative to develop effective and constructive solutions to legal challenges and obstacles.
- Attends meetings of the Board and other internal and external groups as requested to provide legal opinions, discussion or comment when appropriate.
- Attends professional conferences, training, seminars and workshops as necessary to maintain job knowledge and skills.
Typical Qualifications:
Education:
- Juris Doctorate from an ABA - accredited law school required.
Experience:
- Three (3) years of experience as a practicing attorney required for Assistant title; seven (7) years of experience for the Associate title. Up to two (2) years of experience with litigation management and/or electronic document management in a legal setting may be used to meet part of this 3/7 year requirement.
- Experience representing a public/governmental or higher education entity preferred.
- Experience with Missouri's Sunshine Law preferred.
- Experience drafting, reviewing, and editing higher education or business governance documents, such as by-laws or policies, preferred.
- Experience in drafting, reviewing, and editing contracts (e.g., employment agreements; affiliation agreements, collective bargaining agreements; etc.) preferred.
- Experience organizing, coordinating, and responding to court filings (e.g., subpoenas; bankruptcy court fi lings; litigation; etc.) preferred.