DEPUTY GENERAL COUNSEL

SUMMARY:

Deputy General Counsel for large non-profit organization.  Senior-level position holding first line responsibility for providing legal advice, counseling and policy guidance to multiple organizational entities, executive management and staff, Boards of Directors, committees, divisions and policy bodies on broad range of tax-exempt organization issues, including non-profit governance, tax, employment, benefits, education law and accreditation, political law, ethics, litigation and other legal issues.  Works closely with General Counsel, and requires significant experience working independently, managing multiple disparate projects for numerous internal clients, and managing outside legal counsel.  Supervises Associate General Counsel.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

A Juris Doctorate from an ABA-accredited law school, and a member in good standing of the District of Columbia Bar or a state bar with ability to waive into DC.  Minimum of 15+ years of experience practicing law in many or all preferred subject areas, and required experience serving as legal counsel to complex non-profit organizations. 

Required expertise in many or all of the following areas: tax-exempt organization law, including non-profit tax, fiduciary duty and other areas of association law, employment, benefits, ethics, education law and accreditation, and lobbying/FEC compliance.  Ability to serve as a generalist and learn new areas of law as needed highly valued.

Exceptional analytic and critical thinking skills. Strong interpersonal, negotiating and collaborative skills. Strong writing and oral communication skills including explaining legal terms and recommending strategies to non-lawyer executive level stakeholders and to Association Board, members of Council of Representatives, Committees and Divisions, and providing both immediate and long-range strategic advice.

Must be able to be a team player in a small, busy and highly efficient general counsel’s office.  Must be skilled in working with non-lawyer clients from staff and governance in guidance, project planning, compliance implementation.  Prefer candidates who are skilled relationship builders and partners to in-house teams.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Serves as APA’s lead attorney in several assigned areas of legal expertise.  This includes advising multiple organization entities, staff, and volunteer leadership on wide range of legal, policy and strategy issues, training and education of staff and volunteer leaders, representing APA in dealing with third parties, and direct supervision and management of outside counsel, and Associate General Counsel. 

Provide legal strategic and policy advice on tax exempt organization law, including non-profit governance, tax, employment, benefits, education law and accreditation, political law, ethics, litigation and other legal issues; provide general advice on in house legal issues as situations arise.

Work independently with staff, governance and third-party entities, and effectively manage outside counsel.

Functions in the place of the General Counsel in her absence.  Works with the GC in the design and implementation of office procedures and methods designed to provide more efficient and effective legal services to APA, direct supervision of Associate General Counsel, functional supervision of Office of General Counsel staff.

About APA:

The American Psychological Association (APA) represents 121,00 psychologists, students, and affiliates, primarily in the U.S. and Canada but also in other countries around the world. APA is a scientific and professional organization categorized as a 501c(3) and has an annual operating budget of about $130 million. Along with its 501(c)(6) companion organization, APA Services, Inc., APA has about 500 employees. For more information related to APA, please visit our website at www.apa.org. APA is located at 750 First Street, NE, Washington D.C., near Union Station. It is Metro accessible from the Red Line, VRE (Virginia), and MARC (Maryland/West Virginia) commuter trains.

Application Instructions:

Qualified candidates must apply online through APA’s applicant system and attach their CV and cover letter specifying salary expectations. Applications that are submitted without both documents are considered incomplete and will not be reviewed for consideration. Once your application is submitted, you will receive a confirmation email. Please make sure to check your Spam folder if you do not receive an email from us.

The American Psychological Association is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected categories covered under local law.