Description:
Primary Function of Organizational Unit:The Chief Legal Counsel serves as the chief legal advisor to the Executive Vice Chancellor, Board of Trustees, senior leadership team and administrators, and heads the Office of Legal Affairs which provides legal advice and counsel on all matters affecting the legal rights or obligations of the University.
Primary Purpose of Position:
Under the general direction of the Executive Vice Chancellor, the Chief Legal Counsel has significant responsibilities related to the governance system, ethical behavior of all leadership, and regulatory compliance. The role is responsible for providing broad policy advice to the Executive Vice Chancellor and the Chancellor's executive leadership team, as well as providing respected personnel advice on a broad range of issues related to senior leadership.
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Familiarity with a broad array of legal issues that arise in a higher education setting and/or experience as counsel in higher education is preferred.
- Experience in a broad spectrum of state and federal legal issues affecting higher education, including tort law, intellectual property rights, human resources law, worker's compensation and occupational health law, student legal issues, and the ability to conduct legal research and analysis
- Strong diplomatic and interpersonal skills
- Keen sense of contemporary diversity issues
- Superior oral and written communication skills
- An ability to manage and prioritize a large and varied workload
- An established reputation for honesty and integrity
- Demonstrate the ability to provide leadership and direction for the legal staff
- A collaborative work style and the ability to work effectively as part of an institutional leadership team
Minimum Education/Experience:
The position requires a minimum of ten years of legal practice experience in a relevant area, having attained a senior position of responsibility in firm, corporation, government agency, or other organization that employs the individual; hold a JD degree from an American Bar Association accredited law school, be a member in good standing of the Bar of the state or recognized jurisdiction in which the individual practices law; and have the prompt eligibility for such license and standing in North Carolina.
Licenses or Certification required by Statute or Regulation:
The candidate must also have a North Carolina State Bar membership in good standing, or licensure in good standing in another state on the date of initial employment and licensure to practice law in North Carolina within one year following initial employment.
Equal Opportunity Employer:
Consistent with the policy of the State of North Carolina, North Carolina Central University (NCCU) reaffirms that it has been, and will continue to be, the policy of this University to be an equal opportunity employer. North Carolina Central University is committed to providing educational opportunities and prohibits discrimination against students, applicants, employees, or visitors based on race, color, genetic information, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, political affiliation, or veteran status. Any individual alleging discrimination based on sexual orientation cannot grieve beyond the University's internal grievance process. In keeping with this policy, and to further the principle of equal opportunity, all other personnel matters such as recruitment, selection, hiring, promotion, compensation, performance appraisal, disciplinary actions, benefits, transfers, separations, reduction in force, grievance procedures, company-sponsored training, education, tuition assistance, and social and recreational programs will also continue to be administered in accordance with this policy.