Counsel

APA is a scientific and professional organization representing 146,000 psychologists, students, and affiliates primarily in the U.S. and Canada. APA employs about 500 staff and operates as a 501(c)(3) alongside its 501(c)(6) companion organization, APA Services, Inc.

About the role

APA seeks a practical, collaborative lawyer with 3–5 years’ experience to serve as in-house Counsel. This role provides day-to-day legal support for division and program operations, general and federal contract review, start-up-related business matters, public and private fundraising/development, conflicts of interest, and litigation support. The position works closely with the General Counsel, Deputy General Counsel, Associate General Counsel, and OGC paralegals and administrative staff, as well as APA staff, elected and appointed leaders, Divisions, governance bodies, outside counsel, and external parties.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a day-to-day legal resource for APA divisions and business units, providing guidance, compliance support, first-line review, and risk management strategies on operational matters.
• Triage incoming legal questions to the appropriate OGC workflow and help internal clients understand compliance requirements, decision points, and when to escalate.
• Manage the contract lifecycle for assigned APA matters, including review, drafting, and occasional negotiation. Contract types include program agreements, vendor and consulting engagements, service agreements, event contracts, NDAs, data agreements, and other operational agreements.
• Partner with assigned APA revenue-generating team(s) to identify legal and business risks, recommend revisions, and drive timely contract review.
• Provide ongoing program counsel and operational approval.
• Collaborate with OGC colleagues on governance “internal law” compliance and risk management, including conflicts of interest.
• Provide legal support for government contracts, government grants, and private grants, including review of funding agreements, grant terms, compliance obligations, flow-down requirements, reporting obligations, certifications, and operational risks.
• Work with APA staff to flag legal issues in grant and contract administration and support compliance.
• Provide litigation support, including internal fact development, document collection coordination, discovery support, initial review and potential management of incoming third-party and regular subpoenas, preservation and information-gathering support, and liaison work with outside counsel.
• Coordinate with OGC colleagues, APA staff, and outside counsel to support handling appropriate internal communication.
• Serve as first point of contact within OGC for APA staff, Divisions, programs, elected and appointed leaders, and governance participants on division legal matters.
• Collaborate across APA—staff, governance bodies and leaders, and outside professional organizations—on projects within assigned practice areas.
• Represent OGC on internal APA committees and work groups.
• Coordinate with outside counsel on assigned matters, including litigation, subpoenas, grants, and contracts.
• Support fellow OGC lawyers on special projects and cross-functional legal priorities as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Active member in good standing of the District of Columbia Bar, or a bar eligible for waiver into D.C.
• Three to five years of progressive legal experience in one or more of the preferred practice areas: non-profit, association, governance, contracts lifecycle management, grants (including governmental—federal and other public entities—and private), corporate compliance, and litigation support.
• Familiarity with election law, tax-exempt organization law, and general legal counseling preferred.
• Strong generalist instincts, sound judgment, and the ability to spot and address legal issues involving multiple subjects under deadline.
• Comfortable learning new areas of law quickly as business needs arise.
• Exceptional analytic and critical thinking skills.
• Strong interpersonal, negotiating, and collaborative skills.
• Clear, concise communicator, both written and verbal, with the ability to translate complex legal concepts into practical guidance for organizational stakeholders, executive leadership, Board members, governance bodies, and volunteer leaders.
• Experience working with staff and volunteers on legal guidance, project planning, compliance, risk assessment, operational approvals, and issue escalation.

Skills

• General fluency with Microsoft Office, remote meeting programs such as Teams and Zoom, contract management systems, project management tools, APA-approved AI tools, and other business, workflow, and collaboration software.
• Technical ability to adapt quickly to new systems and use technology to organize intake, track matters, summarize issues, prioritize projects, and manage legal workflows.

Benefits

• Remote Work/Flexible Scheduling.
• 401(k) option with employer match of up to 4%.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance options, including an outpatient mental health benefit.
• Paid personal/vacation time plus 12 paid holidays.
• Family/Medical Leave.
• Tuition assistance.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Short- and long-term disability insurance.

Pay

Salary range: $107,000–$149,000. APA’s salaries are based on several considerations, including years of relevant experience, budgetary parameters, level of education, and previous staff and/or governance experience at APA.

Schedule

37.5-hour work week with one-hour lunch breaks each day.

Remote work eligibility is subject to approval under APA’s Flexible Work Policy. Remote work employees may not work from the following states or U.S. territories: Alaska, California, Colorado, Guam, Hawaii, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, U.S. Virgin Islands, Washington, Wyoming.