Closing Date: 21st May, 2026
Description:
General Job InformationJob Summary:
This position is located in the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities. The D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities (CAH) is the official arts agency of the District of Columbia. The mission of CAH is to provide grants, programs and educational activities that encourage diverse artistic expressions and learning opportunities, so that all District of Columbia residents and visitors can experience the rich culture of our city.
The incumbent serves as General Counsel for CAH, reporting to the CAH's Executive Director and functioning as the CAH 's chief legal officer. The General Counsel provides legal and compliance advice to CAH, represents the Office in various legal proceedings, consults and collaborates with other agency counsel as appropriate, drafts and approves legal instruments, and acts as the principal attorney in the development of new and amended legislation and regulations.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Serves as senior legal advisor to CAH's Executive Director in planning and policy decision-making; and implementing, coordinating and directing the legal affairs for CAH as an independent agency, designed to facilitate and improve legal service delivery to the District's arts and humanities stakeholders and community. Prepares and reviews legal documents on complex and substantive matters, provides summary analyses of issues and recommendations for consideration. Develops and institutes program guidelines, new and improved policies, procedures and processes to effect efficient agency operations. Independently, plans, develops and institutes short- and long-term agency plans and activities, incorporating strategic provisions, as required. Conducts extensive and detailed research of legal documents dealing with proposed laws and amendments to existing laws to ensure conformance with legal requirements. Directs litigation of CAH matters in administrative proceedings. Liaises with outside counsel on litigation of CAH matters in judicial proceedings. Provides summary analyses of issues and recommendations for consideration to the Executive Director. Prepares testimony for presentation at hearings before the Council of the District of Columbia, the CAH Commission and its various committees, and other public appearances. Conducts extensive and detailed research of legal documents dealing with proposed laws and amendments to existing laws to assure conformance with legal requirements.
Reviews, writes, and revises all intra district and external memorandum of understanding and agreements for services, goods, and other contractual arrangements/legal instruments. Reviews budgetary documents for legal sufficiency. Responsible for legal sufficiency review and/or updates and revisions to agency statute and regulations and policies and procedures. Responsible for overseeing the review, research, and preparation of responses for the Director to selected and sensitive, and often confidential inquiries and correspondence from the Mayor, members of the Council of the District of Columbia, officials of the District and Federal governments, the media, and those surrounding jurisdictions, members of the private sector, and the general public. Attends court proceedings where CAH employees are testifying, and reviews testimony to improve the communication, as well as handling all forms of testimony. Explains legal language and terminology. Develops legal solutions to deep and complex problem, situations, and issues. Develops initiates, maintains, and revises policies and procedures for the general operation of the agency to prevent illegal, unethical, or improper conduct.
Qualifications and Education:
Education: Must possess a law degree (LLB) or (JD) from an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law school at the time off appointment.
Experience: Must have at least six (6) years of post JD professional legal experience.
Specialized Experience: Professional legal experience that is in, or directly related to, the line of work of this position which includes the following: working on highly complex rulemaking, policy or legal proceedings; reviewing and editing policy statements, position papers, legal briefs, memoranda or other decisional documents; representing an organization or client and communicating its policy and/or legal position; and providing expert advice on complex legal and/or policy matters.
Licenses and Certifications:
Must be a current member in good standing of the District of Columbia Bar or have the ability to waive in and be admitted into the District of Columbia Bar within 360 days of appointment. An appointee to the Legal Service position shall remain a member in good standing of the District of Columbia Bar during their employment in the Legal Service.
Working Conditions/Environment:
The work is performed mostly in an office environment setting.
Other Significant Facts:
Tour of Duty: Monday- Friday 8:15AM- 4:45PM (varies)
Pay Plan, Series and Grade: LX-0905-02
Promotion Potential: No known promotion potential
Duration of Appointment: Senior Executive Legal Services: At-will employment applies to the Senior Executive Legal Services. All positions and appointments in the Senior Executive Legal Services serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority and may be terminated at any time with or without cause.
Collective Bargaining Unit (Non-Union): This position is not in a collective bargaining unit.
Position Designation: The position has been deemed security-sensitive. Accordingly, the incumbent will be subject to pre-employment checks (criminal background checks, consumer credit check, traffic record checks, if applicable) as a condition of employment, and will be subject to periodic criminal background checks for the duration of your tenure.
Residency Statement: The incumbent of this position must establish District residency within one hundred eighty (180) days of the effective date of the appointment and maintain District residency for the duration of the appointment.