General Counsel

Position Title
General Counsel

Summary
As the College’s chief legal officer, the General Counsel is responsible for providing a full range of in-house legal services and counsel for Bryn Mawr College. Legal services include providing advice and counsel to the College, its trustees, administrators and employees; advising on compliance with College policies and federal, state and local laws; identifying areas of risk and advising on risk mitigation; advising on the development and revision of College policies and procedures; coordinating responses to federal and state inquiries; advising on all legal matters for the College, including matters involving human resources, intellectual property, real estate, finance, insurance, cybersecurity, health and safety, and other matters; reviewing contracts and other legal documents; managing and overseeing the services of outside counsel when necessary for matters requiring subject matter expertise; and handling and resolving complaints, disputes, claims, and litigation. The General Counsel, who will report to the President and be part of the President’s team, supervises the Deputy Counsel in this two-person office. 

Essential Responsibilities
As the College’s chief legal officer, the General Counsel will

• Oversee and maintain responsibility for a wide range of legal services for Bryn Mawr College, including advice and counsel, transactions, and disputes, in areas including but not limited to governance, College policies and procedures, Board governance, including Board bylaws, employment and labor relations, student affairs, contracts, development and gift agreements, grants, intellectual property, real estate, financing transactions, enrollment, academic freedom, immigration and visas, and civil rights (including Title VI, VII, and IX).  
• Represent or oversee the representation of the College in judicial and administrative proceedings and in negotiations with government agencies.
• Supervise, handle, and advise on internal investigations.
• Establish a legal services strategy and operation for the College and retain and manage outside counsel with subject matter expertise.  
• Stay abreast of legal developments relevant to higher education and proactively advise on emerging trends and changes to laws and regulations and their potential impact on the College’s operations.
• Inform the President and members of the President’s team in a timely manner of matters regarded as highly visible, sensitive or that expose the College to legal risk or potential liability; work collaboratively with the President’s team to manage and respond to legal issues related to their departments.
• Assist with periodic legal review of College policies and procedures to ensure compliance with federal, state and local laws. 
• Collaborate with risk management staff and advise policy owners regarding proposed improvements.  
• Attend certain Board committee meetings, including Audit and the Investment Committee.
• Develop and manage the annual budget for the General Counsel’s office and perform periodic cost and productivity analyses.
• Foster a culture of legal compliance and ethical conduct across the College, promoting awareness and understanding of legal requirements and best practices through training and education.

Competencies, Qualifications, and Experience 

• Juris Doctorate from an ABA accredited law school with minimum 10 years legal experience in private practice and/or in house counsel with substantial experience handling matters for clients in higher education
• Must be licensed to practice law in at least one United States jurisdiction and will be required to gain admission to the Pennsylvania Bar and maintain good standing.
• Strong generalist knowledge and expertise on a wide range of federal, state, and local laws that relate to the mission and operation of a private, non-profit higher education institution.
• Strong knowledge and expertise related to FERPA, ADA, Title IX, Title VI, issues of academic freedom, and student conduct policies and proceedings.
• Must be a self-starter with the ability, motivation, and enthusiasm to evaluate and redesign, as needed, the legal services operation for the College.
• Unquestionable integrity, trustworthiness, and a commitment to upholding rigorous ethical standards and confidentiality. 
• Professionalism, decorum, and diplomacy in all interactions, with the ability to engage others with respect and empathy, in line with the College’s mission and values. 
• Experience working with diverse populations. 
• Exceptional negotiation, communication, and presentation skills, capable of effectively conveying complex legal concepts to diverse audiences.
• Experience conducting and advising on complex internal investigations. 

Apply
To express your interest in this role, please submit a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three professional references through Interfolio: http://apply.interfolio.com/163012

About Bryn Mawr College
Since its founding in 1885, Bryn Mawr College has been the preeminent college for women interested in the pursuit of wisdom necessary to challenge the world’s expectations. Our community has repeatedly broken barriers to achieve greater equity through exceptional academics and a deep dedication to learning. Our more than 35 undergraduate majors span the humanities, sciences, social sciences, and arts. Two co-educational graduate schools offer selective master’s and Ph.D. programs across the Arts, Sciences, and Social Work, and our Postbaccalaureate Premedical Program is one of the most successful in the nation for placing students into medical school. We are dedicated to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, which serve as the engine for excellence and innovation, helping us pave the way for gender equity and inspiring brilliant minds who find life-long community here. 

A top Fulbright-producing institution, we were the first women’s college to offer graduate degrees, evidence of our lasting commitment to the power of rigorous academic training. Today, we remain devoted to multidisciplinary education and unique undergraduate research opportunities. Our more than 200 majority-female faculty engage our more than 1,700 total student scholars with a strong liberal arts academic approach, giving them the freedom to follow their curiosity while maintaining high standards of excellence. Faculty are prolific in their scholarly endeavors, ranked #1 in research expenditure and #3 in research out of nearly 200 liberal arts institutions by Washington Monthly magazine. Bryn Mawr is committed to women’s education and empowerment, to gender equity, and to supporting all students who choose to pursue their studies here.