General Counsel
The District of Columbia Bar (the D.C. Bar) is seeking its first in-house General Counsel to manage the D.C. Bar’s increasingly challenging and...
The District of Columbia Bar (the D.C. Bar) is seeking its first in-house General Counsel to manage the D.C. Bar’s increasingly challenging and complex portfolio of legal issues. The General Counsel serves as chief counsel to the D.C. Bar and the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center (PBC), an affiliated 501(c)(3) charitable organization, and is responsible for advising the D.C. Bar Board of Governors, which also serves as the Board of Directors of the PBC, and staff on a broad range of legal and policy issues. The General Counsel manages the legal representation of the D.C. Bar; monitors the D.C. Bar’s compliance with the District of Columbia Court of Appeals Rules Governing the Bar (Rules Governing the Bar), By-Laws, and governing policies; and acts as a policy and risk advisor on operations and major initiatives. The General Counsel oversees, plans, directs, and supervises the legal activities of the Bar and provides legal advice, counsel, and representation as necessary. The General Counsel is a member of the D.C. Bar Executive Team.
The General Counsel reports to the D.C. Bar Chief Executive Officer (CEO) on daily operational activities and to the Board of Governors on matters related to governance, compliance, and risk management.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Represents the D.C. Bar consistent with the scope and responsibilities established by Rule 1.13 of the D.C. Rules of Professional Conduct.
2. Provides legal advice and services to the Board of Governors, CEO, Executive Team, and employees of the D.C. Bar in support of its mission and purpose as prescribed by the Rules Governing the Bar.
3. Provides day-to-day leadership, management, coaching, and mentoring to staff.
4. Advises and, in coordination with outside counsel, represents the D.C. Bar, Board of Governors, and staff in litigation matters.
5. Advises and represents the staff and Board of Directors of the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center in its legal matters, with an emphasis on preserving its 501(c)(3) status.
6. Advises and represents the staff and Board on Professional Responsibility and the Office of Disciplinary Counsel in their legal matters, when not in conflict with the D.C. Bar.
7. Renders timely legal analysis, advice, and services with respect to questions, transactions, regulations, policies, procedures, and day-to-day legal issues that fall within the scope of the Bar’s programs and operations.
8. Prepares, reviews, interprets, and resolves disputes concerning agreements for goods and services, memoranda of understanding, licenses, leases, and other contracts.
9. Advises on compliance with governing referenda and policies; insurance and real estate agreements; loan covenants; privacy and security laws; and federal and local regulations.
10. Engages, coordinates, and supervises retained and pro bono outside counsel to handle specialized or complex legal matters when required and appropriate.
11. Advises and reports directly to the Board of Governors and its Committees on compliance with the Rules Governing the Bar, By-Laws, referenda, and governance policies, including whistleblower and conflict of interest.
12. Monitors and advises the Board of Governors and CEO on legal issues unique to integrated state bars.
13. Anticipates, identifies, and mitigates legal risks to protect the Bar from undue exposure, liability, and significant financial loss and to protect the Bar’s reputation, resources, programs, and services.
14. Advises the CEO, Human Resources Department, and Management Team on labor relations and other employment-related legal matters. Maintains current knowledge of local and federal employment laws.
15. Serves as a member of the Executive Team to assist the CEO in achieving the D.C. Bar’s strategic objectives and priorities.
16. Performs other duties as assigned.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
1. JD from an ABA accredited law school or university.
2. An active member in good standing, or eligible to become an active member, of the D.C. Bar.
3. A minimum of ten years of successful, relevant, and practical legal experience, preferably with several years serving as in-house or general counsel.
4. Relevant personnel and budget management experience.
5. Experience negotiating, drafting, and reviewing a wide variety of contracts and agreements for goods and services. Experience with commercial real estate agreements preferred.
6. Familiarity with local and federal labor and employment laws, including those covering discrimination, harassment, and whistleblower protection.
7. Knowledge and experience reviewing, interpreting, and advising on governance documents including court rules, regulations, by-laws, and policies.
8. Experience with complex government, quasi-government, and nonprofit institutions, including 501(c)(3) organizations preferred.
9. Experience with business law including tax and intellectual property preferred.
10. Substantive experience providing guidance to a diverse group of senior executives and the ability to work across organizational lines.
11. Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects that require complex scheduling, detailed organization, and compliance with deadlines.
12. Exceptional communication, legal research, writing, and problem-solving skills.
13. Ability to work well under pressure, set and manage multiple priorities with minimal supervision, and maintain the confidentiality of highly sensitive information.
14. Substantial experience producing documents using Microsoft Office Suite products in a Microsoft Windows environment with an emphasis on Microsoft Word and Excel. Ability to work remotely when required using a variety of virtual meeting platforms.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Under the Bar’s compensation structure, this position is a grade 8. This is an exempt position. Salary and official job title are commensurate with experience.
This is not an attempt to list all essential functions of this position. Job duties may change over time, based on the Bar’s needs.
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