General Counsel

Reporting directly to the President and serving as a key member of the President’s Cabinet, the General Counsel serves as the chief legal officer to Colorado School of Mines (Mines) and its Board of Trustees.

About the Role

The General Counsel provides forward-looking, enterprise-level legal counsel that enables the university to advance its mission, pursue strategic growth, and navigate an increasingly complex higher education landscape. As a proactive university partner, the General Counsel balances risk management with strategic opportunity, ensuring that legal considerations are integrated into strategic and key operational decision-making. In addition to guiding the university through complex regulatory and governance issues, the General Counsel leads the Office of Legal Services, directs external legal counsel, partners closely with the State Attorney General’s Office, and serves as Secretary to the Board of Trustees.

Responsibilities

• Executive Leadership & Strategic Advisory
  • Strategic Partnering: Serves as a legal advisor to the President, Board of Trustees, and Executive Leadership, translating complex legal and regulatory dynamics into actionable strategic insight that advances university priorities.
  • Proactive Risk Management: Frames risk within the university’s strategic context by identifying legal vulnerabilities and advising leaders on considerations that inform risk management decisions in support of strategic goals.
  • Governance & Board Relations: Directs legal and corporate governance support for the Board of Trustees in the role of Board Secretary, safeguarding institutional integrity.
• University-wide Legal Management & Policy Strategy
  • Departmental Leadership: Leads a high-performing team of legal professionals, driving a service model focused on responsiveness, proactive counsel, and high-impact support.
  • Regulatory & Legislative Strategy: Anticipates, evaluates, and responds to emerging state and federal legislation, higher education legal trends, and regulatory changes affecting Mines’ research, operations, and policy environment.
  • Litigation & Special Counsel Strategy: Oversees institutional litigation and administrative proceedings in collaboration with the Colorado Attorney General’s Office and specialized external counsel, aligning legal strategy with overarching institutional interests.
• Institutional Operations & Compliance Alignment
  • Research & Commercialization: Provides legal strategy supporting Mines’ research enterprise, technology transfer, and intellectual property asset management.
  • Human Capital & Student Life: Collaborates with HR, Student Affairs, and Title IX administrators to provide legal advice necessary in areas such as employment, labor relations, student governance, and civil rights (ADA, Title IX, EEO).
  • Networking: Cultivates relationships with peer higher education leaders, state officials, and legal networks to leverage best practices, benchmark policies, and elevate Mines’ institutional standing.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an ABA-accredited law school with excellent academic credentials.
• Active license to practice law in the State of Colorado, or eligible for admission on motion / licensed within six (6) months of hire.
• 15+ years of progressive experience advising executive leadership in complex, multi-faceted organizations, including a minimum of five years leading and developing a team of legal professionals.
• Superior analytical, negotiation, and communication skills, with demonstrated ability to convey complex legal principles to diverse stakeholders, boards, and public audiences.
• Demonstrated expertise in navigating organizational risk, public sector regulations, and governance matters.

Preferred Qualifications

• 10+ years in higher education legal practice, with extensive experience within a public university system or research-intensive (R1/R2) institution.
• Deep familiarization with Colorado constitutional, statutory, and administrative laws governing higher education and public entities.
• Direct experience advising a governing Board of Trustees or Board of Directors on governance, fiduciary duties, and institutional policy.
• Background in managing complex litigation, research/technology commercialization, or public-private partnership agreements.

Pay

$220,000 - $260,000 annual salary. Mines takes into consideration a combination of candidate’s education, training and experience as well as the position’s scope and complexity, the discretion and latitude required in the role, work location, and external market and internal value when determining a salary level for potential new employees.

Benefits

• Flexible health and dental care options
• Generous sick/vacation time: 13 paid holidays per year – including a week-long winter break for entire campus
• Fully vested retirement plan on first day of employment, with generous employer contribution
• Tuition benefits (6 credits per year for employees, 50 percent discount for dependents)
• Free RTD Ecopass
• Access to discount programs through the State of Colorado and free tickets for Mines Athletics home games
• Access to the state-of-the-art Recreation Center (fitness classes and training, swimming pool and more) and equipment rentals through the Outdoor Rec Center
• On-campus daycare center

About the Organization

When the world looks for answers, the world looks to Mines. Colorado School of Mines is a top-ranked public university solving the grand challenges facing our society, particularly those related to the Earth, energy and the environment. Founded in 1874 with specialties in mining and metallurgy, Mines’ scope and mission have continually expanded to meet the needs of industry and society. Today, we are the No. 36 public university in the nation, recognized for our innovation and undergraduate teaching in science, technology engineering and math (U.S. News and World Report, 2025).

Mines graduates are change makers, boundary breakers and problem solvers. Since our earliest days, a Mines education has been and continues to be a transformational opportunity, with one of the strongest returns on investment out there for talented STEM students of all backgrounds. At the same time, Mines faculty members are pushing their fields in new directions, whether that’s manufacturing, space resources, quantum engineering, carbon capture or more. Mines was recently classified as a R1 “Very High Activity” research institution by Carnegie, a notable feat for any university but particularly one of our size.

Our size – roughly 8,200 undergraduate and graduate students – also translates to a close-knit campus community, where employees have opportunities to get involved in multiple ways, continued professional learning is valued and everyone can make an impact. Community Alliance groups bring together employees for professional development, networking, and community involvement, and all Mines employees also have access to the wealth of activities happening every day on campus – nationally-renowned speakers, special events and Mines traditions like Engineering Days, just to name a few.

We are located in the heart of Golden, Colorado – with its charming historic downtown and nearby hiking trails – and in close proximity to all that Denver and the Rocky Mountains have to offer. That includes the sunny, high-altitude climate and outstanding outdoor recreation opportunities that make the Denver area an ideal place to live, work and play.