Assistant General Counsel

Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Western North Carolina, UNC Asheville is the designated public liberal arts campus in the University of North Carolina system. UNC Asheville is nationally known for the quality of our student-centered teaching, mentoring of undergraduates in research, interdisciplinary learning, and striving to be an inclusive campus community.
UNC Asheville is committed to promoting diversity and a work environment that encourages knowledge of, respect for, and the ability to engage with those of other cultures or backgrounds. Staff members are encouraged to take an active role to engage in the institution's efforts in promoting diversity and inclusion throughout the workplace. The successful candidate is expected to foster an inclusive work culture where uniqueness of beliefs, backgrounds, talents, capabilities and ways of living are respected and welcomed. Women, traditionally under-represented minorities, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Typical hours are Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Occasional evenings and weekends may be needed to meet University needs. Occasional overnight travel to meetings and conferences may also be needed.

The Assistant General Counsel is responsible for assisting the General Counsel in providing comprehensive legal advice and assistance to the University of North Carolina Asheville with a primary focus on business affairs. This position, under the direction of the General Counsel, will assist in advising the Chancellor and other campus representatives concerning legal matters such as University policies and procedures; contracts and transactions; advancement, gifts and endowments; intellectual property, information privacy, information technology; and other University matters.

The Assistant General Counsel will also provide legal advice related to government and private grant compliance, research collaborations, contracts, and the legal and business implications of contractual and policy decisions. The position will conduct legal research in the diverse areas of law faced by higher education institutions and provide legal advice and legal analysis on compliance and the regulatory impact on University operations.

The duties of the Assistant General Counsel center on delivering a high level of professional legal counsel on a broad range of issues to support the achievement of core university academic and administrative objectives.

The Assistant General Counsel is expected to work at the highest professional level with integrity, excellent judgment, attention to detail, and discretion; and to demonstrate the highest personal and leadership characteristics of teamwork, inclusiveness, and adaptability to a broad range of issues, people, and situations.

J.D. from an American Bar Association accredited law school and must either be a current member in good standing of the North Carolina Bar or must be admitted to the North Carolina Bar within one year of employment; minimum of three (3) years of legal experience in higher education and/or public agency law with substantial experience in business/transaction law.

The successful candidate for this position will have a minimum of three (3) years, with a preference for five (5) or more years, of relevant legal experience handling progressively complex contracting and transactional matters; a demonstrated capability for legal research, analysis and reasoning; superior interpersonal and communication skills; an ability to identify and resolve complicated and sensitive problems creatively and with professional discretion; an ability and willingness to handle a wide variety of intricate legal questions both independently and as part of a team; and an ability to interact and function effectively in both an academic community and within a governmental organization.

Requires compliance with the professional conduct and ethics expectations of a legal office, including but not limited to, maintaining the confidentiality of sensitive information.

Applications must be submitted online no later than 11:59 p.m. ( EST) on the closing date for each specific position. Please note that any documents submitted to Human Resources or the hiring departments become property of UNC Asheville and will not be returned. Official verification from each college/university you have attended are required upon employment, and will be requested directly from the college/university by Human Resources or from the National Student Clearinghouse. Any expense will be the responsibility of the employee. Educational degrees must be from an appropriately accredited institution. If no applicants apply who meet the required competency and training and experience requirements, management may consider other applicants. Salary would be determined based on competencies, equity, budget, and market considerations. It is the policy of UNC Asheville to conduct pre-employment background investigations on all candidates selected for employment. If hired, the candidate will be required to submit proof of eligibility to work in the United States. New employees are paid only by direct deposit to the financial institution of their choice.