Senior Associate General Counsel – Litigation and General University Affairs

Rutgers University


<div class="isg-job-description-header”>Job Description

position Details

Position Information

Recruitment/Posting Title Senior Associate General Counsel – Litigation and General University Affairs
Job Category Staff & Executive – legal
Department General Counsel
Overview
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a leading national research university and the State of New Jersey’s preeminent, comprehensive public institution of higher education. As one of the largest employers in the State of New Jersey, Rutgers University is committed not only to the students and the State that we serve, but also to the faculty and staff who work on our campuses.
For two consecutive years, Rutgers is ranked on Forbes’ list of America’s Best Large Employers. Rutgers holds #64 of 500 employers and is the #1 New Jersey employer on the publication’s 2023 list. Rutgers’ commitment to its employees includes maintaining and fostering a safe, diverse, and respectful workplace environment, creating employment opportunities for our nation’s military veterans, and ensuring accessibility and accommodation for individuals with disabilities.
Posting Summary
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is seeking a Senior Associate General Counsel for the Litigation and General University Affairs Practice Group within the Office of the Executive Vice President and General Counsel (“OGC”). This position reports to the Executive Vice President and General Counsel (“GC”), Associate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel (“DGC”), or, in their absence, to the Assistant Deputy General Counsel (“ADGC”). The Senior Associate General Counsel is a seasoned higher education lawyer who plays a strategic role within the OGC with responsibilities focused on:
  • Overseeing and supervising the defense of the university and its employees in litigation, typically in coordination with outside counsel;
  • Providing advice, counsel, and representation on complex and sensitive legal matters with significant university-wide implications, particularly with regard to constitutional issues, compliance issues relating to Title IX, FERPA, and OPRA, athletics and other student related issues (such as discipline and disability accommodations);
  • Responding to attorney demand letters and administrative agency (e.g., OCR, DCR, EEOC) complaints;
  • Providing advice and guidance pertaining to drafting and revising university policies and procedures and analyzing pending legislation and regulations to determine their potential impact on the university;
  • Serving as senior counsel to central administration, campus, and school leadership and serving on committees regarding the foregoing.
This position requires extensive relevant experience in the areas noted, and is expected to independently handle routine and complex legal matters in the aforementioned areas of expertise.
The Senior Associate General Counsel will report the most significant matters to leadership and members of the Litigation and General University Affairs Group to share knowledge and obtain advice and direction on legal questions pertaining to client issues, as well as general operational questions about the OGC or other departments or units within the University.
Key duties include:
  • Defends the university on a wide variety of litigation matters (a substantial portion of which involve employment cases), typically in coordination with outside counsel;
  • Advises senior administrators on matters in anticipation of litigation and prepares responses to attorney demand letters and complaints filed with administrative agencies such as the OCR, EEOC, and DCR; collaborates with the department of Risk Management on insurance and related issues;
  • Provides advice and counsel on a wide variety of legal issues that affect a public institution of higher education, including constitutional issues, issues arising under Title IX, FERPA, the Open Public Records Act, the Open Public Meetings Act, athletics and other student-related issues (such as discipline and disability accommodations);
  • Provides advice and guidance pertaining to drafting and reviewing university-wide policies and procedures;
  • Serves as legal expert on university, campus, or school-wide committees or projects;
  • Analyzes and evaluates pending legislation and regulations to determine if they apply to the university and, if so, their impact on the university;
  • Collaborates with External Affairs in developing and advancing the university’s interests and positions in response to pending legislation and regulations;
  • Mentors attorneys in their practice group or other practice groups in the OGC, including, but not limited to, assisting with strategy development, communicating with and advising internal clients, and drafting and reviewing documents;
  • Leads office-wide projects and initiatives as requested by the General Counsel, DGC, or ADGC;
  • Performs other duties as assigned by the GC or practice group DGC.
FLSA Exempt
Grade 12
Salary Details
Minimum Salary 190059.000
Mid Range Salary 240564.000
Maximum Salary 291068.000
Offer Information
The final salary offer may be determined by several factors, including, but not limited to, the candidate’s qualifications, experience, and expertise, and availability of department or grant funds to support the position. We also take into consideration market benchmarks, if and when appropriate, and internal equity to ensure fair compensation relative to the university’s broader compensation structure. We are committed to offering competitive and flexible compensation packages to attract and retain top talent.
Benefits
Rutgers offers a comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees, based on position, which includes:
  • Medical, prescription drug, and dental coverage
  • Paid vacation, holidays, and various leave programs
  • Competitive retirement benefits, including defined contribution plans and voluntary tax-deferred savings options
  • Employee and dependent educational benefits
  • Life insurance coverage
  • Employee discounts programs
For detailed information on benefits and eligibility, please visit: http://uhr.rutgers.edu/benefits/benefits-overview.
Position Status Full Time
Working Hours (per week)
Standard Hours 37.50
Daily Work Shift
Work Arrangement
This position may be eligible for a hybrid work arrangement. (Department Head approval required via attached form or ROCS)
Please select the appropriate flexible work arrangement (FWA) for the position. FWAs that require only Department Head approval may be recorded directly in the normal ROCS approval process so long as the Department Head is the Authorizer 2 or other role in the ROCS approval process. No additional steps are needed for these requests. The fully remote FWA requires additional approvals and cannot be recorded in the normal ROCS approval process. An approved Feasibility Assessment form must be attached. Feasibility Assessment forms may be found at https://uhr.rutgers.edu/future-of-work/home.
Union Description Administrators Confidential
Payroll Designation PeopleSoft
Seniority Unit
Terms of Appointment Staff – 12 month
Position Pension Eligibility ABP
Qualifications

Minimum Education and Experience
  • law degree (JD, LLM) from an accredited law school.
  • At least ten (10) years of relevant experience, especially in the area of litigation and higher education law.
Certifications/Licenses
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
  • Member, in good standing, of the New Jersey State Bar (or ability to become admitted within one year of hire).
  • Ability to work collaboratively and manage relationships with multiple clients.
  • Ability to handle multiple matters simultaneously.
  • Effective leadership skills with the ability to participate in innovation and change, strategic thinking and problem solving.
  • Excellent communication skills in both written and verbal presentation.
  • Relevant experience overseeing group projects or assignments.
  • Comfortable mentoring more junior attorneys on issues and areas in which the SAGC has significant relevant experience.
  • Ability to work independently but also collaboratively in a large organization.
Preferred Qualifications
  • All required qualifications.
  • At least twenty years of relevant experience.
  • Relevant experience mentoring less experienced attorneys.
  • Relevant experience representing or working in-house at public entities, particularly New Jersey public entities or public or private higher-education institutions, or, relevant experience working in-house in another setting where the main responsibility was handling the legal areas noted in the description.
  • Superior academic credentials.
  • Ability to function effectively in a fast-paced environment with multiple and changing priorities and objectives.
Equipment Utilized
  • NetDocuments (electronic document management systems).
  • Microsoft Office 365 (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint).
  • Westlaw – online legal research software.
  • CounselLink – e-Billing Software.
Physical Demands and Work Environment
Special Conditions
Posting Details

Posting Number 25ST1612
Posting Open Date 07/28/2025
Special Instructions to Applicants
Regional Campus Rutgers University-New Brunswick
Home Location Campus Off Campus
City New Brunswick
State NJ
Location Details
Pre-employment Screenings

All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of all pre-employment screenings.

Immunization Requirements

Under Policy 100.3.1 Immunization Policy for Covered Individuals, if employment will commence during Flu Season, Rutgers University may require certain prospective employees to provide proof that they are vaccinated against Seasonal Influenza for the current Flu Season, unless the University has granted the individual a medical or religious exemption. Additional infection control and safety policies may apply. Prospective employees should speak with their hiring manager to determine which policies apply to the role or position for which they are applying. Failure to provide proof of vaccination for any required vaccines or obtain a medical or religious exemption from the University will result in rescission of a candidate’s offer of employment or disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

It is university policy to provide equal employment opportunity to all its employees and applicants for employment regardless of their race, creed, color, national origin, age, ancestry, nationality, marital or domestic partnership or civil union status, sex, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, disability status, liability for military service, protected veteran status, affectional or sexual orientation, atypical cellular or blood trait, genetic information (including the refusal to submit to genetic testing), or any other category protected by law. As an institution, we value diversity of background and opinion, and prohibit discrimination or harassment on the basis of any legally protected class in the areas of hiring, recruitment, promotion, transfer, demotion, training, compensation, pay, fringe benefits, layoff, termination or any other terms and conditions of employment. For additional information please see the Non-Discrimination Statement at the following web address: http://uhr.rutgers.edu/non-discrimination-statement

 

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