Senior Legal Counsel – Employment

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in California.

📋 Description

• Offering practical legal advice and risk evaluations concerning daily operational, administrative, and strategic issues that support the higher education system and institutional functions.

• Acting as the primary counsel in employment-related disputes, including pre-litigation and litigation issues involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage and hour claims, workers’ compensation, and reasonable accommodation claims.

• Conducting and providing guidance on intricate workplace and student-related investigations and suggesting legally sound, practical resolutions.

• Negotiating settlements, overseeing insurance claims, and collaborating with external counsel as needed to facilitate effective case resolution.

• Advising on adherence to federal and state employment laws and regulations, including FLSA, ADA, FMLA, California employment regulations, and matters involving state and federal regulatory bodies.

• Assisting with labor relations issues, including collective bargaining and related workforce considerations.

⛳️ Requirements

• At least 10 years of experience practicing employment law as a litigator or within a higher education setting.

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from a law school accredited by the ABA.

• Current license to practice law in California.

• Proven experience in providing legal counsel and risk assessments on employment, labor, and workplace issues.

• Experience advising organizational leaders on complex employment matters, including workplace investigations, regulatory compliance, and dispute resolution.

• Strong understanding of federal and state employment laws, including FLSA, ADA, FMLA, and California employment regulations.

• Background in litigation and general corporate and/or regulatory law (preferred).

• Experience in both law firm and in-house legal environments (preferred).

• Familiarity with drafting, reviewing, and implementing organizational policies and procedures (preferred).

🏝️ Benefits

• Extensive health and welfare benefits, encompassing medical, dental, and vision coverage.

• Optional voluntary benefit programs.

• Employer-funded life and disability insurance.

• Contributions to retirement plans.

• Employee assistance program.

• 20 paid time off days and 11 paid holidays each year.

• Distributed workforce model offering remote work flexibility and a biweekly remote work stipend.

• Tuition reimbursement for eligible external degree programs.

• Tuition waivers available at participating colleges within the System.