Job description
About Us
This position will reside in the USG’s Office of Legal Affairs at the University System Office (USO) on Capitol Hill in downtown Atlanta. The USO supports the USG’s 26 public colleges and universities. Common legal issues handled by USG’s Office of Legal Affairs include student matters, employment matters (including faculty and staff), contracts, real estate transactions, constitutional issues, legislation, Board governance, litigation support, regulatory compliance, and open government. The legal counsel position will work as part of a collaborative team of attorneys and support staff to provide legal advice to administrators at the USO and at the USG’s colleges and universities.
Job Summary
The University System of Georgia (USG) is accepting applications for a Legal Counsel position. This position will focus primarily on transactional work with an emphasis on drafting, negotiating, and reviewing contracts of all types, including some real estate. Approximately two years of experience practicing law and prior professional experience with contracts, public procurement, real estate, or education law is preferred but not required.
Responsibilities
- Drafts, negotiates, and reviews contracts
- Assists with real estate transactions and related work
- Identifies and prioritizes the response to various areas of legal risk and establishes a clearly understood framework for legal policies.
- Receives and investigates inquiries and complaints from system and institutional administrators, including matters related to system policies.
- Confers with system employees on matter involving legal interpretations and decisions related to institutional activities, policy questions and operating problems.
- Conducts research on state and federal legislation and administrative and court decisions; investigates legal problems and makes recommendations.
- Drafts, reviews and approves policies and procedures, bylaws, and other documents within legal specialty areas.
- Educates system employees on relevant state and federal laws, policies, procedures, and regulations.
- Prepares, reviews, and negotiates agreements for the Board of Regents and for system institutions.
- Advises senior management on legal issues related to commercial matters.
- Provides legal counsel and support to system departments and divisions.
- Assists Secretary to the Board with Board duties.
- Reviews and analyzes proposed legislation.
- Performs related duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications
- J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school
- Current member of the Georgia Bar, or another state's bar and able to become licensed in the State of Georgia within one year after date of hire
- 1 - 5 years of experience actively practicing law
Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities
- Ability to work with many varying constituents, including but not limited to the Board of Regents, the Chancellor, the Chancellor's senior staff, Presidents of institutions within the University System of Georgia and their administrators
- Knowledge of board-level governance, functions, and relationships and history
- Knowledge of federal and state laws, rules and regulations impacting higher education
- Knowledge of state ethics and government transparency regulations
- Skill in written communication with executive and subject matter expert audiences and the news media
- Skill in collaborating with multiple constituents
- Skill in decision-making and problem-solving
- Skill in interpersonal relations and in dealing with the public
- Skills in oral and written communication
- Ability to conduct investigations and articulate findings and results of investigations
- Ability to respond diplomatically to sensitive and critical issues
- Ability to effectively multi-task
Other Information
This is a position of trust so employment in this position requires the following:
- A pre-employment background check the includes criminal history, education, and Bar membership check
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