Assistant General Counsel, Office of the General Counsel

Job Summary:

Tennessee State University, located in thriving Nashville, Tennessee, is a nationally recognized land grant institution, designated as a R2 (high research activity) research institution and a HBCU.  The Assistant General Counsel (AGC) will serve as an important member of the General Counsel’s office and the TSU campus community, engaging in a wide-ranging, intellectually challenging, and rewarding higher education in-house legal practice under the direction of the General Counsel. 

The person selected as an AGC will join a team of three other lawyers and an administrative assistant to provide preventative counsel, risk-related advice, and other legal services on a wide range of legal matters, including, but not limited to, intellectual property, immigration, student affairs, responding to Open Records Act requests and subpoenas, rulemaking, and contracts.  The scope of practice may also include litigation management, policy development, civil rights, administrative agency complaint matters, constitutional matters, real estate, institutional compliance, and handling other matters as determined by the General Counsel.  The AGC will work primarily under the direction of the General Counsel but will also work under the direction of the Associate General Counsel as directed by the General Counsel.

Duties and responsibilities include, but will not be limited to: 

• Conduct legal research and provide analysis and legal advice.
  • Provide current information on new legislation, court rulings, and best practices in higher education.
  • Conduct training on various legal matters affecting the University, including University policies and current laws and regulations impacting the University.
  • Serve as the primary contact and coordinator on Open Records Act requests, subpoenas, and records retention requirements.
  • Draft correspondence, demand letters, templates, memoranda, and other communications
  • Draft and review forms and other legal documents.
  • Assist with policy development and review.
  • Conduct legal sufficiency review of specified contracts.
  • Communicate with and assist outside counsel with litigation support.
  • Provide legal counsel and operational advice on a wide variety of transactions, including real estate, construction, technology transfer, and data security.
  • Develop content for legal department webpage.
  • Work with student disciplinary officers and panels/committees.
  • Provide responses to subpoenas and court orders.
  • Identify areas of risk exposure and provide legal advice to mitigate legal risks.
  • Assist the General Counsel in matters involving the TSU Board of Trustees.

  Abilities/Skills:

  • Handle vast amounts of information.
  • Work in a fast-paced environment with multiple deadlines and interruptions.
  • Enjoy working with a diverse population comprised of University staff, faculty, students, state officials, higher education legal counsel in the state and across the country, and individuals in the Nashville metropolitan area.
  • Apply critical thinking, problem solving and organizational skills consistently.
  • Able to work from the office, with opportunities to work remotely on occasion or as needed and the work permits.
  • Demonstrated ability to build consensus and encourage collaboration.
  • Can apply conflict resolution and negotiation skills effectively.
  • Flexible and comfortable with ambiguity.
  • Demonstrated ability to be humble, intellectually curious, and receptive to continuous education and learning, mentoring and constructive feedback.
  • Can balance concepts/ conceptual thinking with exquisite attention to detail.
  • Demonstrated use of technology, including phone based access to emails and documents, to be accessible and provide top notch customer service to campus constituents.
  • Fully embrace evolving technology and its incorporation into university systems and practices.
  • Employ time management skills, including ability to prioritize effectively.
  • Strong commitment to meeting deadlines and producing high-quality work product. 
  • Function well under conditions of high levels of intellectual and psychological stress.
  • Exercise critical thinking skills to determine the best use of resources for reaching goals to support University mission.
  • Maintain a high degree of confidentiality.
  • Able to travel out of state or within the state one or two times a year with advance notice.
  • Strong analytical, creative problem-solving and project management skills.
  • Initiative and intellectual curiosity.
  • Excellent research, writing, drafting, and client counseling skills.
  • Detail-oriented with organizational proficiency and excellent follow through.
  • Demonstrated effective team member and excellent judgment.
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community.

    Minimum Qualifications/Required License and Education:

• Must be licensed in good standing to practice law in Tennessee or eligible for admission to the Tennessee Bar within twelve months of employment. 
  • Must have a J.D. from an American Bar Association accredited law school.
  • Must possess a strong record of ethical behavior and respect for applicable laws.

    Preferred -Experience:

• One to three years of experience as an attorney working at a higher education institution, federal, state or city governmental agency, or similar experience in the private sector working at a mid-sized (at least fifteen attorneys) or large corporate law firm or in-house for a large corporation.
• Experience and/or demonstrated interest in litigation, contract negotiation, and business-related matters, or other areas of practice referenced in the Job Announcement is preferred. Previous higher education and in-house legal experience is desirable.

Compensation and Benefits:

Salary and title will be commensurate with experience and qualifications.  A comprehensive benefits package is available to full-time faculty and staff members subject to meeting certain eligibility requirements.

Background Check:

A satisfactory background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed for employment at Tennessee State University.  An applicant’s failure to complete the background check may affect the application status of applicants or continued employment of current TSU employees who apply for this position.

Tennessee State University complies with TITLE IX, Title VI, Title VII, other applicable laws, and is an affirmative action employer. Candidates will be considered for employment without discrimination for any non-merit reason such as race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, handicap, or veterans’ status. Inquiries regarding these regulations may be referred to: OFFICE OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION, Tennessee State University.

If you have questions or require accommodations, please call Human Resources at (615) 963-5281 or email jobs@tnstate.edu.  Please do not contact the General Counsel directly regarding position-related questions, unless requested. 

Applications must be submitted online to:

https://jobs.tnstate.edu/

*Please provide a writing sample and resume in addition to completing an online application. 

Application Deadline:  June 28, 2024.