Overview
A higher education system is seeking a Senior Legal Counsel with expertise in labor and employment law to join its Office of Legal Affairs. This role involves providing strategic legal counsel on employment and labor matters, supporting institutional leaders and Human Resources, and advising on regulatory compliance, internal investigations, dispute resolution, policy development, and risk management. The position reports to the Managing Counsel & Associate Vice President for Legal Affairs and works collaboratively with a team of in-house attorneys.
This is a fully remote position requiring flexibility to work across time zones and occasional work outside standard business hours.
Responsibilities
- Provide practical legal counsel and risk assessment on operational, administrative, and strategic matters related to higher education system and institutional operations.
- Serve as lead counsel on employment-related disputes, including pre-litigation and litigation involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage and hour, workers’ compensation, and reasonable accommodation claims.
- Conduct and advise on complex workplace and student-related investigations, recommending legally sound and practical resolutions.
- Negotiate settlements, manage insurance claims, and collaborate with outside counsel to support case resolution.
- Advise on compliance with federal and state employment laws and regulations, including FLSA, ADA, FMLA, California employment laws, and matters involving regulatory agencies.
- Support labor relations matters, including collective bargaining and related workforce considerations.
Required Qualifications
- Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an ABA-accredited law school.
- Active license to practice law in California.
- Minimum of 10 years of experience practicing employment law as a litigator or within a higher education environment.
- Experience providing legal counsel and risk assessment on employment, labor, and workplace matters.
- Experience advising organizational leaders on complex employment issues, including workplace investigations, regulatory compliance, and dispute resolution.
- Strong knowledge of federal and state employment laws, including FLSA, ADA, FMLA, and California employment laws.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in litigation and general corporate and/or regulatory law.
- Combined experience in both law firm and in-house legal environments.
- Experience drafting, reviewing, and implementing organizational policies and procedures.
Compensation & Benefits
- Base salary range: $175,000–$180,000.
- Comprehensive health and welfare benefits including medical, dental, and vision coverage.
- Employer-paid life and disability insurance.
- Retirement plan contributions.
- Employee assistance program.
- 20 paid time off (PTO) days and 11 paid holidays annually.
- Remote work flexibility with a biweekly remote work stipend.
- Tuition reimbursement for eligible external degree programs and tuition waivers at participating colleges within the system.
Location
- Fully remote position requiring flexibility to work across time zones.
Additional Information
The recruitment process includes the use of artificial intelligence tools to assist in evaluating candidates against job requirements; however, all employment decisions are made by staff members. Applicants are encouraged to tailor their resumes to the job description and complete all application fields for accurate assessment.