Deputy General Counsel

Responsibilities

• High-quality legal advice and guidance
• Serve as a legal advisor to senior management and teams across LDF
• Conduct legal research and analysis to support decision-making and the resolution of business issues
• Provide legal advice and guidance in areas such as employment law, non-profit law, corporate governance, real property, business transactions, state regulations, intellectual property, and others
• Collaborate with the Risk & Compliance team on risk management and provide legal advice and research on multi-state compliance, lobbying and political activity restrictions, charitable solicitation, and insurance needs
• Support responses to claims, lawsuits, subpoenas, and similar actions involving LDF when needed, protecting the legal interests of LDF in judicial and administrative proceedings
• Aid in drafting and developing policies and procedures, including the personnel manual, employee policies, and volunteer policies
• Conduct legal research and prepare memoranda, correspondence, and legal documents
• Represent LDF on organizational issues before federal and state administrative agencies when needed
• Review estates and bequests and follow up on issues regarding same, including compliance with NYPMIFA and related laws
• Consult on employment matters including union negotiations and grievances, employee dispute resolution, employee disciplinary matters, investigations, and terminations
• Support the operation of LDF’s ethics, whistleblower, and conflict of interest policies
• Support with respect to practice-of-law and legal ethics issues as needed
• Contract oversight
• Negotiate, draft, and review contracts of all types, including but not limited to vendor agreements, consulting agreements, grant agreements, leases, and license agreements, protecting LDF’s interests and advancing its mission
• Collaborate with the Operations team to continually improve use of the contract management system and completeness of LDF’s contracting records
• Develop and update template contracts aligned to business needs
• Develop and update contracting playbooks and processes
• General Counsel’s Office Operations
• Strengthen internal processes to advance effectiveness, efficiency, and internal client service
• Supervise outside legal counsel, ensuring cost-effective representation
• Proactively monitor legal trends to identify areas of risk
• Assist with document retention protocols
• Develop and update legal operations playbooks and processes
• Develop and monitor departmental goals and metrics
• Maintain familiarity with civil rights litigation in areas of race and social justice to provide effective support aligned with LDF’s mission

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school
• At least ten (10) years of experience practicing law, with a strong preference for prior in-house or nonprofit organization experience
• Commitment to the racial justice mission of LDF
• Substantial experience reviewing and negotiating contracts
• Experience in non-profit governance and tax-exempt organization law
• Experience in one or more of the following areas of law (and a willingness to learn areas in which you have less experience): labor and employment, regulatory compliance, charitable giving, tax, torts, privacy, data management, and intellectual property
• Experience managing relationships with other attorneys
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Ability to work both collaboratively and independently
• A commitment to the highest standards of professional conduct and the ability to exercise exceptional judgment, integrity, and ethics
• Ability to operate with discretion and maintain confidentiality
• To translate legal risks and requirements into practical, mission-aligned business strategies and risk assessments
• Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced environment, meet internal and external deadlines, use good time management and organizational skills, and prioritize among competing tasks
• Admitted to the bar in the jurisdiction (New York or D.C.) where the candidate is applying