Assistant Or Associate General Counsel

ASSISTANT or ASSOCIATE GENERAL COUNSEL

Oregon State University (OSU) seeks an assistant or associate general counsel to serve in the Office of the General Counsel. Attorneys in the Office of the General Counsel provide legal advice to a broad range of academic and administrative leadership and to the university’s Board of Trustees on all manner of issues facing a complex and innovative organization.

OSU commits to inclusive excellence by advancing equity and diversity in all that we do. We are an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer, and particularly encourage applications from members of historically underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, women, individuals with disabilities, veterans, LGBTQ community members, and others who demonstrate the ability to help us achieve our vision of a diverse and inclusive community.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Office of General Counsel (OGC) is seeking an assistant or associate general counsel (AGC). The AGC will join the Vice President and General Counsel and five other attorneys in an energetic, collaborative office that provides legal advice to a broad range of university academic and administrative senior leadership and offices and to the university’s Board of Trustees.

The OGC is a fast-paced, high volume workplace. Its attorneys handle multiple, unrelated matters concurrently. The AGC must be able to complete complex projects both independently and with direction from the Vice President and General Counsel and a Senior Associate General Counsel, as needed. The AGC will work with a variety of university administrators and must have or develop knowledge of legal areas that may include labor and employment, civil rights, constitutional law, public records, public finance, student affairs, intellectual property, technology transfer, information technology, research transactions, design and construction transactions, procurement, purchasing and contracts, real property matters, risk management and compliance. This position may report to a Senior Associate General Counsel.

The Office of the General Counsel is dedicated to providing a welcoming and inclusive work environment such that each individual is treated with dignity and respect and is valued for their contribution to success at Oregon State University.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

IF ASSISTANT:

J.D. required from an accredited law school, a strong academic record and at least 5 years’ experience as a practicing lawyer with substantial civil law experience.

Current membership in the Oregon State Bar or eligible for admission at earliest opportunity.

Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively to solve problems by developing practical solutions that combine legal considerations with program and policy objectives.

Demonstrated ability to analyze and clearly communicate options for decision makers as they weigh risks and benefits of potential innovations, projects or other courses of action.

Superb judgment; excellent and clear analytical, interpersonal, and oral and written communication skills; and impeccable professional discretion.

Demonstrated ability to engage in flexible and critical thinking.

Demonstrated ability to provide high quality legal advice and work products in a fast-paced, high volume workplace.

Demonstrated ability to handle multiple, unrelated matters concurrently.

Demonstrated ability to learn and advise in diverse areas of the law.

Demonstrated ability to work with a wide array of interpersonal and communication styles, as well as varying viewpoints, diverse backgrounds, and agendas.

Experience advising a complex organization on a broad range of legal issues or advising clients managing a broad range of complex issues.

This position is designated as a critical or security-sensitive position; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a criminal history check and be determined to be position qualified as per University Standard: 05-010 et seq. Incumbents are required to self-report convictions and those in youth programs may have additional criminal history checks every 24 months.

If ASSOCIATE:

In addition to all of the minimum (required) qualifications listed for Assistant:

An additional 5 years’ experience as a practicing lawyer.

At least 5 years’ experience representing institutions of higher education.

Demonstrated ability to mentor other attorneys and staff and to serve as a leader in the Office of the General Counsel.

Demonstrated ability to act for the Vice President and General Counsel in a substantial breadth of topic areas in their absence.

Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in high profile and high stakes situations.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

IF ASSISTANT:

Experience representing an institution of higher education.

IF ASSISTANT OR ASSOCIATE:

Experience structuring complex business transactions.

Experience representing or advising government entities.

TO APPLY

For a full position description and application instructions please visit OSU Jobs. To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by January 21, 2025. A complete online application consists of:

• Resume
• A cover letter indicating how your qualifications and experience have prepared you for this position. In the event you have experience that meets any of the preferred qualifications, please include in your cover letter a detailed explanation of any such experience and how it meets the preferred qualification(s).
• Names and contact information for three references