Associate General Counsel (Education Regulatory)

Vanderbilt University is seeking an Associate General Counsel to join the Office of the General Counsel (OGC) and provide legal advice to Vanderbilt University regarding its regulation as an institution of higher education by the “regulatory triad” of the U.S. Department of Education, state departments of education, and accrediting agencies. In large part, the role will be focused on ensuring compliance with those agencies’ requirements as applied to the university’s strategic projects across a variety of jurisdictions, including in New York and Florida. 

The Associate General Counsel will also support the regulatory compliance-focused activities of the Office of Academic Program Review, Assessment, and Accreditation; Enrollment Affairs (including admissions, financial aid, and registrar); the Clery Compliance function; and university offices that support compliance with federal civil rights laws, including the Title IX office, Equal Opportunity and Access office, and Student Access.  

The Associate General Counsel will have a responsibility to:

• Support the university’s strategic and operational goals, in particular with respect to federal and state regulation of nonprofit institutions of higher education.
• Work independently and as part of a team to effectively manage multiple highly sensitive and urgent legal matters with competing and overlapping deadlines, and timely communicate matter status and updates. 
• Protect the university’s short- and long-term interests by ensuring that actions taken by or on the behalf of the university comply with university policies and federal, state, and local laws or regulations.
• Utilize creative problem-solving techniques and excellent oral and written communication skills to contribute to the highly collaborative working environment within the OGC and across the university. 

About the Work Unit:

The OGC provides legal advice to university departments with an awareness of the nuances of client business priorities and with understanding of university business practices. The OGC is committed to agile service delivery aligned with the university's mission, priorities, and needs. All litigation proceedings are managed by the OGC on behalf of the university.

The OGC focuses on operational excellence in all we do, which includes:

• Project management and status updates
• Technology implementation, use, and analytics
• Budget containment and outside counsel management
• Identification of the highest and best use of attorney time

Key Functions and Expected Performance:

• Provides clear and practical legal advice to university and departmental leadership;
• Demonstrates strong analytical and counseling skills, judgment, and empathy;
• Demonstrates excellent written and verbal communication skills on a level of parity with sophisticated outside counsel; 
• Provides support in drafting applications, periodic reports, and other submissions requested by education regulatory agencies; 
• Manages litigation and government investigation matters, including coordinating with outside counsel and responding to subpoenas and other discovery requests; 
• Is knowledgeable of and maintains awareness of new legal and regulatory developments at the federal and state level to provide counsel on the shifting legal and regulatory landscape; 
• Advises on and develop university processes and policies, and serves as legal advisor to work groups, committees, and other related bodies as assigned; 
• Understand and manage risk and compliance issues, collaborating as appropriate with University Compliance Services (UCS) and Risk & Insurance Management (RIM); 
• Collaborate with university officials, offices, and departments to develop and provide legal education and support to the Vanderbilt community;
• Engage and manage outside counsel as needed to represent Vanderbilt University; 
• Pursue professional growth and development through seminars, workshops, and professional affiliations to keep abreast of latest developments in college and university law and in other related matters; and
• Perform similar or related duties as assigned or required in an evolving environment. 

Supervisory Relationships:

This position does not have supervisory responsibility.

Education and Certifications:

• A juris doctorate is required, and the Associate General Counsel must be licensed in the State of Tennessee or eligible for licensure within twelve months of hire. 

Experience and skills the ideal candidate will possess include:

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in the practice of law and a demonstrated ability to function independently in relevant subject matters, including:
  • Experience in regulatory analysis, and a strong understanding of relevant regulations and compliance requirements; 
  • Prior experience working with or within the U.S. Department of Education, state departments of education (including but not limited to the New York State Department of Education Office of College and University Evaluation and the Florida Commission for Independent Education), and/or accrediting agencies is strongly preferred; 
• Ability to identify, analyze, and explain legal issues in a clear, timely, and thorough way to senior university administrators;
• Advanced oral and written communications skills and the ability to work rapidly and collaboratively while providing exceptional service to campus partners; 
• Willingness to learn new areas of law, or to apply prior legal practice to a higher education environment;
• Demonstrated ability to navigate a large, complex organization, including excellent interpersonal and collaboration skills;
• Strong critical thinking skills, sound judgment, and strategic ability; and
• Proficiency with common technology for document creation and management.