Assistant General Counsel

The D.C. Bar seeks a highly capable, motivated, and detail-oriented Assistant General Counsel (AGC) to support the organization in legal, governance, compliance and business matters impacting the D.C. Bar (Bar) and the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center (PBC).  The AGC serves as a key legal resource to internal business clients regarding a broad range of issues and transactions.  The AGC plays a vital role in furthering the mission of the Bar by reviewing and managing policies related to the Bar, PBC, and their respective Boards, and assisting with oversight of contracts and procurement functions.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assists the General Counsel in providing day-to-day legal advice and guidance on a wide range of issues affecting the D.C. Bar and PBC, including governance, membership, programs, and initiatives.
• Serves as a thought partner in enterprise risk management, strategic planning, and coordination with outside counsel on litigation, intellectual property, nonprofit, and tax issues.
• Contributes to developing Board agendas, drafting meeting minutes, and preparing Board materials and presentations. Serves as staff liaison for Board and other Bar committees.
• Evaluates and proposes improvements to the Bar’s contract function and processes.  Drafts, reviews, and negotiates contracts, memoranda of understanding, and other agreements.  
• Identifies and resolves contract issues, advises internal clients on contractual rights and obligations, and ensures compliance with relevant laws and policies.
• Reviews, proposes amendments to, and manages Bar and PBC policies, Board policies, Bylaws, and the D.C. Bar Membership Manual to ensure alignment with organizational goals and mission and the D.C. Court of Appeals Rules Governing the Bar.
• Delivers timely and consistent support to all departments and divisions of the Bar, including programmatic guidance and oversight for MyDCLawyer™, the Bar’s AI-powered lawyer referral service.
• Assists the Membership Department in resolving issues relating to member license renewal, suspension, and reinstatement.
• Supports internal training and education on legal and compliance for Bar and PBC staff.
• Conducts legal research on matters impacting the Bar and PBC’s programs and operations.
• Prepares responses to legal inquiries, subpoenas, and investigations.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• J.D. from an ABA accredited law school.
• An active member of the D.C. Bar or eligible to become an active D.C. Bar member.
• Relevant work experience, such as having served as Assistant General Counsel or in a similar role in a non-profit or membership organization.
• Demonstrated commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working environment.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office 365.
• Knowledge and experience drafting, reviewing, interpreting, and advising on governance documents including court rules, regulations, bylaws, and policies.
• Knowledge and experience drafting, reviewing, interpreting, and advising on contracts.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills; demonstrated ability to produce “final draft” quality work product (e.g. Board memos, policy revisions, contracts, PowerPoint slides) with minimal editing. 
• Must be detail oriented and deadline driven. Able to multi-task and work in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills. Must work well in a team environment and be able to interact, including in-person, with Bar members, volunteers, vendors, the public and Bar employees.
• Must work well under pressure, possess excellent organizational abilities, and able to manage several priorities in a day.
• Must be adaptable, creative, and self-motivated.
• Ability to handle and maintain the confidentiality of highly sensitive information.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience serving as in-house counsel to a business or professional association.
• Experience advising on employment and non-profit/tax-exempt matters.

*** Please submit resume, cover letter, and two (2) writing samples.*** 

This position is currently a hybrid position, with days worked in the office and days worked remotely.   The hybrid status of this position may change at any time subject to the supervisor’s or Bar’s discretion.

This is not an exclusive or exhaustive list of all essential functions of this position.   Job duties may change over time based on organizational/department needs. 

The D.C. Bar is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, disability status, or any other characteristics protected by law.

The Bar is committed to providing qualified individuals with reasonable accommodations to perform the essential functions of their jobs, pursuant to applicable law. If you need to request a reasonable accommodation as part of the application process, please contact Human Resources at HR@dcbar.org.  

As part of the accommodation process, we will conduct an individualized interactive process and may ask you for additional information.  Any final hiring decisions or start dates may be dependent on the completion of this process if the individual cannot begin work without the requested accommodation.