Assistant General Counsel (45925)

Golden Gate University

Position Title: Assistant General Counsel

Department: Office of the General Counsel

Reports To: General Counsel Chief of Staff & Secretary the Board

Classification: Full-Time Exempt (part-time arrangement considered)

Location: Remote

Salary Range: $125000 $165000 annually (prorated for a part-time arrangement)

Golden Gate University is a private nonprofit university in San Francisco focused on AI and built for working adults. The University serves a diverse community of students across its academic programs and is committed to providing an accessible high-quality education for working adults.

The Assistant General Counsel serves as a trusted advisor to leadership and administrators across the University providing practical business-minded legal counsel on the full range of issues facing a modern higher education institution. The Assistant General Counsels practice spans contracts and transactions higher education regulatory compliance employment and labor governance and general corporate matters and the Universitys international programs and partnerships.

The position reports to the General Counsel Chief of Staff & Secretary to the Board.

• Draft review and negotiate a broad range of contracts including vendor and procurement agreements technology and software licenses sponsorship and affiliation agreements and consulting arrangements.
• Advise business units on contract structure risk allocation and negotiation strategy and support the continuous improvement of University templates and contracting processes.

• Advise on regulatory and compliance matters affecting higher education including FERPA Title IX Title IV and federal financial aid the Clery Act ADA/Section 504 state authorization and accreditation requirements.
• Monitor changes in federal and state law and regulatory guidance affecting the University and ensure that University policies and practices remain compliant.
• Develop and deliver training to University stakeholders on legal risk and compliance topics.

• Counsel administrators and Human Resources on employment and labor matters including hiring performance management workplace investigations accommodations separations and dispute resolution.

• Support institutional governance including board and committee matters institutional policy development and review and corporate and entity matters.
• Manage outside counsel and assist in overseeing litigation government inquiries and pre-litigation disputes.

• Support the Universitys international programs and partnerships including study-abroad and exchange agreements international student and scholar matters (F-1/J-1 visa compliance SEVP) cross-border transactions and export control considerations.

• Juris Doctor degree and active membership in good standing in the State Bar of California.
• Five or more years of legal experience representing or advising higher education institutions gained in-house at a law firm or in a government or regulatory setting.
• Demonstrated experience in several of the following areas: commercial contracting higher education regulatory compliance employment law governance and international or cross-border matters.
• Exceptional drafting negotiation and communication skills with the ability to translate complex legal issues into clear actionable guidance for non-lawyers.
• Sound pragmatic judgment and the ability to manage a varied fast-moving workload independently in a remote environment.

• Prior in-house experience in a college or university general counsels office.
• Experience with international education programs immigration matters affecting students and scholars or export controls.
• Familiarity with data privacy laws (e.g. GLBA GDPR) as they apply to higher education.

Supplemental Information

To apply: Please go to to submit an application letter of interest and a resume.

In applying for a position candidates sign a consent authorizing a broader inquiry which may include reference checks a motor vehicle check and a third-party background check.

Golden Gate University is an equal employment opportunity employer. We support inclusive excellence and are committed to creating a safe and welcoming community for all.

University policy prohibits discrimination based on race color religion/creed national origin ancestry age sex/gender sexual orientation marital status medical condition physical or mental disability gender stereotyping and gender identity gender expression military or veteran status taking a protected leave (e.g. family medical or pregnancy leave) or on any other basis protected by applicable laws.

The University has a strong commitment to the principles of diversity and inclusion and to maintaining working and learning environments that reinforces these practices. The University welcomes and encourages applications from all demographics.