General Counsel
Job Description:
Southern Utah University (SUU)'s General Counsel (GC) serves as the University's chief legal officer.
The GC provides advice on critical strategic, legal, and policy issues, primarily advising the President,
Board of Trustees, and SUU's highest levels of leadership. The General Counsel is a strategic advisor,
able to provide advice quickly in fast moving situations, in a wide array of scenarios with a view towards
not only legal impacts, but also internal stakeholders, external constituencies, local community, and
broader public relations, as well as the more general higher education context. The GC oversees and
coordinates legal services for the University, including supervision of the Office of Legal Affairs, which
houses legal advising, as well as contracts administration and policy analysis. The GC coordinates with
the State Attorney General Office on matters of risk management and litigation, pending and potential,
and Utah System of Higher Education attorneys. The primary legal areas for which the GC provides
advice include crisis management, personnel and employment issues, policy development, student affairs,
academic affairs, non-discrimination, conflicts of interest, contracts, insurance and risk management, real
estate, aviation, athletics, and compliance with federal and state law.
Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Serve as the University's lead legal advisor, regularly advising the President, other Cabinet
members, and the Board of Trustees in high stakes legal and other matters with public relations,
community relations, campus relations, and other impacts, often assisting these leaders with
decision letters and other written and verbal communications.
2. Provides proactive and requested legal advice and opinions (both in writing and verbally) and
advice to SUU administrators and working groups, through a proactive, but practical and
streamlined approach, with a focus on helping clients reach their goals.
3. Oversee and prioritize legal education and training needs for campus leadership and decision
makers, including in person sessions, newsletters, website, email, both periodically and one time
advice to address specific issues; create a culture of empowering clients to make legally informed
decisions.
4. Supervises and leads all aspects of the Office of Legal Affairs, including supervising all staff
(such as reviewing work to go to clients and giving feedback, as applicable), selecting and
managing outside counsel, managing the office budget, creating, updating and managing office
processes, and safeguarding confidential attorney/client communications.
5. Reviews university policies, contracts, and other legal documents. Research related legal issues
and recommend revisions as necessary. Drafts contracts where appropriate, such as for Athletics
and Aviation matters.
6. Selects and retains outside counsel to obtain legal opinions or to handle claims, in coordination
with the Office of the Attorney General.
7. Coordinates with and represents the University interests with internal stakeholders and state level
offices on litigation, claims, insurance, and risk.
8. Other duties as assigned
Education and Experience Requirements:
1. A minimum of a juris doctorate from an ABA accredited law school is required.
2. At least five (5) years relevant law and/or compliance experience in areas relevant to higher
education legal practice.
3. An active license in good standing to practice law in Utah, or the ability to become licensed
within six (6) months of beginning employment, along with demonstrated understanding of
ethical issues in serving an organizational client. For information about admission to the Utah Bar
please visit https://admissions.utahbar.org/home . UCJA 14-705 addresses admission by
reciprocity.
4. Experience consistently maintaining the highest integrity in difficult situations and confidentiality
of client information.
5. Demonstrated ability to develop relationships and deliver advice in a manner that instills
confidence in the General Counsel role and the Office of Legal Affairs as a whole (or previous
role focused on client interactions).
6. Ability to make quick decisions and use language in effective ways to assist clients with talking
points and other written communications; additionally, demonstrated excellent writing skills,
including the ability to communicate in short, practical, solution-oriented ways.
7. Ability to conduct thorough legal research and provide sound, thorough legal advice in the areas
of, and in the context relevant to, higher education setting.
8. Experience balancing and executing multiple competing demands with a get-it-done, collegial
approach.
9. Maintain composure and exude calm for clients undergoing stressful situations.
10. Have litigation or similar experience with representing clients through proceedings.
11. Demonstrated ability to effectively collaborate with office staff, utilizing their skills and strengths
and delegating work to the lowest level where work can be effectively performed.
12. Demonstrated ability to streamline processes and run an office efficiently, in part, through use of
new technology and also by proactively empowering clients to make legally informed decisions.
13. Demonstrated ability to act as a team player in all circumstances, as defined by contributing to the
successful outcome of goals and initiatives of others and the operation of the university.
Preferred Qualifications
1. Excellent negotiating skills.
2. Experience drafting and negotiating contracts.
3. Experience drafting, revising, and creating policies.
4. Experience working with shared governance leaders.
5. Ability to represent institutional concerns persuasively to internal and external parties.
6. Direct experience providing legal services to an institution of higher education.
7. Demonstrated experience leading a collaborative team, with a focus on effectively and efficiently
Documents:
• Resume
• Cover Letter
• Reference