Job Details

Vice President for Legal Affairs & General Counsel

Position Number: 6508088
Location: La Verne, CA
Position Type: Legal Affairs

Vice President for Legal Affairs & General Counsel

Job Description Summary:

As the Universitys chief legal officer and a member of the Presidents Cabinet, the Vice President for Legal Affairs & General Counsel will shape and safeguard La Vernes mission-driven culture by:

Delivering proactive, strategic counsel on complex legal, regulatory, and policy matters.
Partnering with internal clients-President, Board of Trustees, Provost and other members of senior leadership, Deans, HR, Student Affairs, Title IX, Finance, Facilities, Research-to anticipate and manage legal risk.
Leading the Office of General Counsel (including a paralegal) and, when needed, coordinate cost-effective litigation defense with outside counsel.
Championing a culture of preventive law: designing training, policy frameworks, and compliance programs that reduce disputes and reinforce ethical decision-making.

Minimum Qualifications:

Juris Doctorate (JD) from an accredited law school
Membership in good standing in the State Bar of California
Minimum 8 years of practice in California, including work in state and federal employment law, civil rights, administrative hearings, education lawn, and higher education
Proven experience in higher-education legal affairs or similarly complex organizations.
Ability to develop and implement effective strategies for handling complex University legal issues.
Demonstrated expertise in risk assessment, policy drafting, and compliance training.
Excellent oral advocacy, negotiation, and written-communication skills.
Ability to maintain confidentiality, exercise sound ethical judgment, and build consensus across diverse constituencies.
Deep knowledge of higher-education law and best practices in academic and corporate governance.
Skilled in translating complex legal issues into practical guidance.
Proven project-management capabilities and attention to detail.
High emotional intelligence, political savvy, and interpersonal dexterity.
Track record of developing and delivering engaging legal-risk trainings.
Commitment to inclusive excellence, community engagement, and ethical leadership.

Preferred Qualifications:

8-10 years of progressively responsible legal experience, including in-house counsel or General Counsel roles at a private or public university.
Litigation experience in employment, student conduct, Title IX, ADA, or civil rights matters.
Familiarity with gifts/development law, immigration issues, tax/payroll, and environmental/regulatory compliance.
Experience in contract review, development, and negotiations
Experience advising governing boards and senior executives, leading preventive law programs, and delivering engaging risk-management trainings.
Experience supporting or advising on collective bargaining and labor relations.

Specific Duties:
Duty: Strategic Counsel & Governance

Advise President, Cabinet, and Board on major decisions (governance, finance, crisis response, public relations).

Prepare quarterly reports for Trustees on litigation, risk, and compliance.

Monitor California legislative and regulatory developments; recommend policy responses.

Provide preventive legal advice and guidance

Percentage of Time: 25

Duty: Policy Development, Risk Management & Compliance

Draft, review, and update policies, handbooks, and governance documents (e.g., conduct code, Title IX, ADA, FERPA, faculty handbook).

Oversee enterprise risk assessments, compliance audits, and investigations.

Advise on breach response plans, vendor agreements, business and IT governance policies.

Coordinate with OIT on risk mitigation and incident response.

Design and deliver training on preventive law: non-discrimination, wage/hour, privacy, ethics

Percentage of Time: 20

Duty: Contracts, Licensing & Intellectual Property

Negotiate and review contracts, MOUs, leases, construction, purchasing, and sponsored-program agreements.

Manage trademarks, copyrights, software licenses, technology transfer, and IP commercialization.

Advise on procurement law and real-estate transactions.

Environmental agreements and policies

Percentage of Time: 15

Duty: Litigation & Outside Counsel Management

Oversee pre-litigation and claim mitigation

Oversee defense of claims (employment, civil rights, student/faculty disputes, ADA, Title IX) with insurers.

Select, supervise, and budget outside-counsel engagements.

Represent University in administrative and arbitration proceedings.

Percentage of Time: 10

Duty: Employment Law & HR Partnership

Counsel on faculty/staff employment, organized employee relations, performance management, terminations, workplace investigations, ADA and workplace regulations and laws

Ensure compliance with California and federal statutes: FLSA, FEHA, Title VII, FMLA, Cal-OSHA.

Percentage of Time: 15

Duty: Cross-Campus Collaboration & Communications

Serve as legal resource for Student Affairs, Athletics, IT, Facilities, Finance, and Sponsored Programs

Partner with Strategic Communications on public-facing legal messaging.

Build rapport with community stakeholders and regulators

Percentage of Time: 10

Duty: Special Projects & Other Duties

Staff ad-hoc Presidential or Trustee committees.

Lead targeted initiatives as needed

Percentage of Time: 5

Salary Range
Maximum: $290,000.00
Minimum: $224,295.03

Benefits Summary:

Applicants, please note that actual compensation is determined by several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to job-related skills, depth of experience, certifications, relevant education or training, and specific work location, among others. The offered wage or salary is only one aspect of an employees total compensation

Benefits include a comprehensive health and wellness plan, tuition remission program for employee, spouse, and dependent children, a generous contribution to the Universitys 403B retirement plan, and a generous time off plan.

Employment is contingent upon successful completion and clearance of a background check and employment verification.

Location: La Verne Main Campus
Close Date:
Open Until Filled: Yes

To be considered for this position please visit our web site and apply on line at the following link: http://laverne.edu

Institutional Profile
Located in Southern California, the University of La Verne offers a distinctive and relevant educational experience to a diverse population of students, preparing them for successful careers and a commitment to lifelong learning across the liberal arts and professional programs. The academic units of the not-for-profit university include the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business and Public Management, the LaFetra College of Education, and the College of Law. The university offers both undergraduate and graduate programs, including degree programs tailored for working adults. The university's central campus is located 30 miles east of Los Angeles in the historic Old Town section of La Verne, a city with a population of approximately 35,000 at the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. The university also has eight regional campuses throughout California and the College of Law campus in Ontario, California. The university is classified as a Carnegie Doctoral Institution with moderate research activity. Core values are reflected throughout all curricular and co-curricular programs, its emphasis on close professor-student interaction, personal support of its students, and its diversity.

The University of La Verne prides itself in being reflective of the diversity of Southern California. Approximately 80 percent of its nearly 8,500 students come from diverse backgrounds and the U.S. Department of Education has designated the university as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). With 80,000 alumni, the university fulfills a critical community function in educating students from underserved populations, many of whom are the first generation in their family to attend college.

The University of La Verne is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against employment or employees on any basis prohibited by state and federal law. University of La Verne hires and promotes individuals based on their qualifications and is consistent with applicable state and federal laws, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, disability, medical condition a or sexual orientation