General Counsel

Summary

Join the National Immigration Law Center (NILC) as their General Counsel! Reporting directly to the President, you will lead NILC in identifying and addressing legal risks and needs. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, you will provide in-house legal services, advise on governance practices, protect intellectual property, and represent NILC to internal and external audiences. This role requires a Juris Doctorate, 12+ years of legal experience (preferably in the non-profit sector), and 5-10 years of supervisory experience. NILC offers a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits including employer-paid healthcare, retirement plan, paid parental leave, and a generous PTO policy.

Requirements

• Juris Doctorate and member in good standing of a State Bar
• Minimum of 12 years of practical legal experience working in a cross-cultural setting and environment, preferably in the not-for-profit sector
• 5-10 years of supervisory experience in the legal field, and experience managing and coaching staff across an organization
• Skills in managing a department in a complex and diverse organization that often works under the pressure of responding to urgent human need or institutional requirements
• Understanding of finance, contracts, compliance, procurement, best practice in not-for-profit policies
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate, facilitate discussion and build a consensus in a complex, sometimes siloed, environment
• Computer literacy, including word processing, database, spreadsheet, collaboration and internet applications (Microsoft Office Suite)

Responsibilities

• Manage the corporate legal affairs for the organization. Provide legal counsel to the organization, President, Executive Vice Presidents, Board of Directors, and senior team in making strategic decisions for the organization
• Directly provide in-house legal services and manage the provision of such services, when necessary, by outside counsel. Seek the most cost-efficient outside resources for the organization, including pro-bono services
• Advise the Executive and Senior Leadership Teams and Boards of Directors to ensure that NILC follows best governance practices, as appropriate, including but not limited to: Handle or direct all organizational legal issues raised by or implicated by the Boards of Directors, including drafting resolutions, handling compliance with Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation and responding to questions as requested by the President or individual Board members
• Participate in strategic planning and response, both in the broad sense and on day-to-day matters
• Provide strategic direction on the protection of intellectual property. With the support of outside counsel, register all appropriate trademarks and copyrights and take appropriate action to protect them from infringement
• Maintain organization’s Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws
• Direct responses and make recommendations on all matters that could result in legal action involving the organization. Work closely with organization staff to provide guidance on various legal matters, including employment issues, risk management, insurance and volunteer liability issues
• Represent the organization as a member of the Senior Leadership Team of the organization to external and internal audiences
• Provides counsel and advice by interpreting laws, regulations, court decisions and rules affecting the work of the organization, to the President, Boards of Directors, and management
• Serve as the internal legal counsel on organizational matters and ensure that NILC’s policies, procedures and practices comply with federal, state, and local laws (not including service as counsel with regard to employment law). Provide legal advice, guidance and interpretation on a wide range of governance, corporate, contract, non-profit law, corporate registrations, and compliance
• Coordinate overall compliance functions of the organization as part of risk management and mitigation, with matrixed management links to applicable management staff outside the Executive Office
• In overseeing the contract function, set standards for NILC’s legal documents, agreements including program and partner agreements, Memoranda of Understanding, vendor agreements, grant and donation agreements, including confidentiality agreements, affiliate agreements, intellectual property licensing agreements, real estate leases, and other general business contracts
• Provide counsel to the development team on legacy gifts and donor bequests made to NILC and other fund development matters
• Oversee and ensure ongoing registration and protection of, as well as necessary flexibility toward, organizational intellectual property rights consistent with NILC’s values
• Maintain an awareness of, analyze, interpret, and make recommendations regarding existing and proposed laws and regulations affecting NILC and NILC IJF operations, programming, and nonprofit compliance, consulting with outside counsel as appropriate
• Prepare and file registrations, disclosures, and reports to state agencies as required under state laws, including state charitable solicitation laws and lobbying laws
• Recruit, interview, hire, and train staff
• Oversee the daily workflow of direct reports
• Act as a coach and mentor including providing constructive and timely feedback to foster a collaborative environment that develops strengths, improves weaknesses, and encourages creative problem-solving
• Actively manages direct and indirect reports using applicable performance management software including documenting regular check-ins, goal progress, and any other relevant information in the system for performance and coaching purposes
• Manages outside consultants, third party administrators, and vendors
• Champions NILC and IJF’s mission of advancing the rights of immigrants with low income by demonstrating a commitment to human rights, and racial, economic, and social justice
• Attends and actively participates in NILC meetings at the organization, department, project, and individual level
• Develops relationships and supports NILC and IJF colleagues across all teams, recognizing that everyone brings a unique background and perspective to the work and assuming good intent from each other
• Follows through on commitments acting with a clear sense of ownership individually and collectively by taking personal responsibility for decisions, actions, and failures, establishing clear responsibilities and processes for monitoring work and measuring results, and designing feedback loops into work
• Learns quickly when facing new situations by experimenting to find fresh solutions, taking on the challenge of unfamiliar tasks, and extracting lessons learned from failures and mistakes
• Acts with integrity by following through on commitments, being direct and truthful, keeping confidences, and showing consistency between words and actions
• Commits to centering NILC’s values of racial justice and equity, valuing diversity, fostering partnerships and collaboration, encouraging respect and personal well-being, and striving for transparency, integrity, and honesty in all decisions and actions

Preferred Qualifications

Service as General Counsel or Associate General Counsel of non-profit organization or in-house counsel agency is strongly preferred

Benefits

• Employer-paid healthcare coverage (100% for employees and 75% for dependents)
• Employer-supported dental and vision coverage
• 403(b)-retirement plan including an automatic contribution from NILC
• Paid parental leave
• Monthly cell phone and wellness stipends
• Pre-tax accounts for transit, health, and childcare benefits (FSA)
• Employer-paid short- and long-term disability and life insurance
• 15 holidays and 22 days of paid time off annually (increased to 32 after 2 years of employment)
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program eligibility