Description:

About ICP:
The International Center of Photography (ICP) is the world's leading institution dedicated to photography and visual culture. Through our exhibitions, education, public programs, and community outreach, we offer an open forum for dialogue about the power of the image. Since our founding in 1974, we have presented more than 700 exhibitions and offered thousands of classes, providing instruction at every level. Our new integrated center on the Lower East Side reunites our school and museum in one space to become the cultural anchor of Essex Crossing.

Position Summary:
The General Counsel will report to the Chief Executive Officer (or their designee) and serve as a vital member of the Senior Leadership Team, contributing to the organization's overall strategic direction. This individual will be the organization's chief legal advisor, responsible for anticipating and addressing legal needs, mitigating risk, and ensuring compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. In close partnership with the CEO, Board of Directors, and senior leaders, the General Counsel will provide clear, strategic legal guidance to support sound decision-making and advance ICP's mission.

This role encompasses broad oversight of the organization's legal affairs, including governance, contracts, nonprofit compliance, risk management, insurance, and overall legal strategy. The ideal candidate will bring both technical expertise and a pragmatic, solutions-oriented approach, enabling ICP to navigate legal complexities while fostering innovation and growth.

Key Responsibilities and Competencies:
The General Counsel will serve as ICP's chief legal advisor, ensuring the organization operates with integrity, compliance, and foresight. Responsibilities and core competencies include:
Legal Counsel & Governance

Provide legal advice to the CEO, Senior Leadership Team, and Board of Trustees on a broad range of matters, ensuring compliance with nonprofit governance best practices and applicable federal, state, and local laws.
Advise on governance matters, including bylaws, resolutions, organizational structure, and Board actions.
Manage legal matters related to Board of Trustees meetings and serve as primary advisor on organizational resolutions and actions.
Serve as the internal legal expert on corporate, regulatory, and governance issues, ensuring ICP's policies and practices align with legal standards.

Risk Management, Compliance & Insurance

Identify, analyze, and mitigate organizational risk, including employment, volunteer liability, contracts, insurance, and operational compliance.
Oversee ICP's compliance framework, including nonprofit regulations, annual filings, tax-exempt status, and regulatory reporting obligations.
Lead enterprise risk management strategies, including the use of insurance (excluding employee benefits) to protect organizational assets.
Monitor and advise on developments in laws and regulations impacting museums, schools, and nonprofit organizations.

Employment Law & Workforce Compliance

Counsel leadership on employment law matters across multiple states and occasional international contexts, including classification, wage and hour laws, benefits, discrimination, harassment, and termination.
Ensure policies and practices related to hiring, compensation, benefits, and employee contracts remain compliant and equitable.

Contracts, Agreements & Fundraising Compliance

Oversee all aspects of contract management, including drafting, negotiating, and reviewing agreements related to vendors, partnerships, exhibitions, educational programs, intellectual property licenses, grants, donations, and legacy gifts.
Advise the development team on legal considerations for fundraising, donor bequests, charitable solicitation regulations, and gift agreements.
Establish and maintain standards for contract review, ensuring agreements advance ICP's mission while protecting its interests.

Intellectual Property & Organizational Assets

Safeguard and manage ICP's intellectual property, including works of art, collections, educational content, and digital assets.
Provide guidance on licensing, usage rights, and protection of organizational assets in line with ICP's mission and strategic goals.

Litigation & Disputes

Lead ICP's response to legal disputes or litigation, providing strategic guidance to leadership and managing all aspects of outside counsel engagement.
Ensure the organization's legal interests and defenses are fully protected.

Ethics, Training & Compliance Culture

Foster a culture of integrity by developing and delivering training on confidentiality, conflicts of interest, ethics, and legal responsibilities for staff and leadership.
Serve as a trusted resource for professional responsibility issues across the organization.

Strategic Leadership, Advocacy & Collaboration

Partner with the Senior Leadership Team to integrate legal considerations into strategic planning, organizational growth, and program development.
Provide counsel on key initiatives, including new programs, acquisitions, partnerships, expansions, and advocacy or lobbying efforts.
Collaborate with IT and operations teams on data privacy, cybersecurity, and technology-related compliance.
Supervise and mentor legal staff (if applicable), fostering equitable and inclusive professional growth in line with ICP's values.

Skills & Competencies:

Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to simplify complex legal concepts for non-legal stakeholders.
Strong negotiation and drafting ability, particularly in contracts, grants, donations, and intellectual property.
Strategic thinker who balances compliance with innovation and mission-driven decision-making.
Collaborative, proactive, and solutions-oriented, with the ability to partner effectively across all levels of the organization.
Demonstrated ability to manage outside counsel relationships and associated legal budgets effectively.

Requirements:
Education Qualifications:
Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school.

Specialized Knowledge, Licenses or Certifications Required:
Admission to the bar in New York State.

Experience Qualifications:

Minimum of 10 years of experience as an attorney, with a focus on nonprofit law, intellectual property, education law, corporate governance, contracts, employment law, and compliance.
Prior experience in a leadership or senior legal role, preferably in a nonprofit, educational, or cultural institution (museum or school).
Experience with multi-state payroll compliance and employment law.
Experience working with Boards of Trustees, senior management teams, and external counsel.
Strong background in handling complex contracts, nonprofit governance issues, risk management, and intellectual property matters.

Working Conditions:

The physical demands described below are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.
The role requires regularly sitting and engaging in conversation, as well as listening and hearing.
The employee must frequently lift and move objects up to 25 pounds and occasionally up to 50 pounds.
At times, the position may also require standing, reaching with arms and hands, and using hands to handle or feel objects.

Compensation and Benefits:

Salary will be competitive and commensurate with experience.
Pay Range: $60.00 - $100.00/hour

The International Center of Photography is committed to equal opportunity employment. We believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion are values that are integral to offering an open forum for dialogue around photography and visual culture that is open to all.