General Counsel

• Serve as the principal legal advisor to the President and Board of Regents.
• Provide legal counsel on matters involving governance, employment and labor law, contracts, academic affairs, civil rights, New Mexico regulations, Title IX, student affairs, public records, intellectual property, and regulatory compliance.
• Participate in and at times lead collective bargaining negotiations.
• Manage and coordinate all litigation involving the university, including oversight of outside counsel.
• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide variety of contracts, agreements, and legal documents.
• Draft, review, and update institutional policies and lead the Institutional Policy Committee.
• Monitor federal and state legislation, regulations, and legal trends affecting higher education and provide guidance on compliance and implementation.
• Develop and deliver training sessions to faculty and staff on legal and compliance topics.
• Support the university?s risk management efforts by identifying potential liabilities and implementing mitigation strategies.
• Work collaboratively with various university departments to address legal and policy concerns.
• Ensure proper legal procedures are followed in university governance and policy development.
• Provide counsel regarding proposed legislation and regulations that may impact the University
• Other duties as assigned.
• New Mexico Statutes.

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Licensed to practice law in New Mexico or eligible for admission within a reasonable time frame.
• A minimum of 5 years of relevant legal experience, preferably including experience in higher education, government, or public institutions.
• Demonstrated knowledge of laws and regulations relevant to higher education, including FERPA, Title IX, ADA, Clery Act, and employment law.

• Prior experience serving as in-house counsel, preferably in a university or public sector setting.
• 8-10 years of related work experience.
• Strong understanding of shared governance, university policy development, and academic processes.
• Excellent analytical, communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage sensitive and confidential issues with integrity and sound judgment.
• Experience negotiating with unions and/or union law.
• Experience handling complex litigation, regulatory investigations, and policy development.

• • Ability to develop and deliver presentations.
• • Demonstrated ability to successfully manage a large corporate or centralized institutional legal office.
• • Skill in budget preparation and fiscal management.
• • Ability to provide competent legal advice and counsel to senior university officials on a wide range of legal and policy issues.
• • Knowledge of the range of applicable laws and regulations which impact on all facets of university policy and operations.
• • Ability to analyze and interpret issues and to prepare legal opinions.
• • Ability to communicate and interact with officials at all levels of government.
• • Ability to supervise and train employees, to include organizing, prioritizing, and scheduling work assignments.
• • Knowledge of current and developing legal issues and trends in area of expertise.
• • Ability to supervise and coordinate the work of legal professionals, paraprofessionals, and consultants.
• • Ability to foster a cooperative work environment.
• • Knowledge of the principles and procedures of legal research.
• • Employee development and performance management skills.
• • Negotiating skills.
• • Knowledge and understanding of institutional policies and procedures and the regulatory environment within which they operate.
• • Knowledge of contract law.
• • Knowledge of financial/business analysis techniques.
• • Knowledge of the judicial system and procedures.
• • Knowledge of legal documentation procedures and requirements.
• • Ability to develop and implement legal strategies and solutions.
• • Knowledge of community legal resources.
• • Knowledge of faculty and/or staff hiring procedures.

• • No or very limited physical effort required.
• • No or very limited exposure to physical risk.

• • Work is normally performed in a typical interior/office work environment.

Qualification

Juris Doctor (JD)

Practice Areas & Specialty

Education Law, Government