The General Counsel works closely with the organization’s President, Executive Team, and the senior leadership of The Wilderness Society’s Action Fund to achieve major organizational outcomes. The General Counsel serves the crucial role of identifying sound pathways to accomplish organizational objectives while mitigating operational, regulatory, reputational, financial, and legal risks through sound legal and compliance policies and practices. The General Counsel will be primarily responsible for advising on legal, ensuring compliance, analyzing reputational risk, providing legal guidance on employment matters, providing expertise on legal contracts, and ensuring that the practices, policies, and operations of the organization meet legal and regulatory requirements, An ideal candidate will have experience working across multiple entities, including 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), and affiliated PACs, and offer counsel across teams and departments to develop legally compliant solutions in a dynamic setting.
This position plays an important role in supporting an inclusive organizational culture that is grounded in trust and accountability to shared goals and outcomes. TWS has made diversity, equity, and inclusion strategic priorities for the organization and the General Counsel will integrate these priorities throughout their work. Across our team, we aspire to be campaign-oriented, nimble, collaborative, innovative, transparent, and supportive of staff – our greatest asset.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Serves as a thought partner to the President, Chief of Staff, Executive Director of the TWS Action Fund, and the Governing Council (Board of Directors), providing legal counsel, advice, and guidance on a variety of matters relevant to the organization, including governance, liability, and corporate insurance.
Serves as the primary in-house resource on non-programmatic legal matters, ensuring the organization can secure key outcomes while maintaining compliance with all applicable laws, standards, and practices, including but not limited to campaign finance laws, lobbying disclosure requirements, gifts and ethics rules, tax laws, and permissible practices governing exempt organizations, including the operation of affiliated 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations.
Provides legal support to the People & Operations team by reviewing employment policies, hosting legal orientations for new hires, and providing counsel on employee separations and disciplinary actions.
Responsible for managing the annual Conflict of Interest recertification process for all staff and Governing Council members, reviewing Conflict of Interest forms, and determining if a conflict is present.
Responsible for reviewing, negotiating, and approving contracts and office leases. Maintains the organization’s contract management database and is responsible for launching and maintaining the equitable contracting process initiative.
Supports events-related work, including drafting, negotiating, and reviewing a broad range of agreements and contracts related to events such as venue rentals, releases, and vendor agreements.
Provides advice on legal issues involving trademarks, copyright, social media, and IP-related compliance.
Reviews and approves all public disclosure and regulatory filings required by municipal, state, and federal laws, and maintains a calendar of required filings to ensure timely compliance.
Co-leads with the Director of Accounting the annual corporate insurance renewal process, ensuring the organization has adequate insurance coverage relative to its size and operations to mitigate reputational, legal, and operational risk.
Manages a team of external legal counsel representatives to provide specific expertise, seek legal opinions when warranted, or handle claims and litigation.
Anticipates risk management matters and identifies legal issues that may impact the organization. Conducts research, prepares legal opinions, and actively collaborates with the leadership of the 501(c)3 and 501(c)4 entities to develop legal strategies with a solutions-oriented approach to help achieve organizational goals, ensuring that legal and regulatory compliance is met.
Identifies and provides ongoing training to staff on legal and regulatory issues relevant to their work and responsibilities, including but not limited to c3/c4 permissible activities, lobbying, data retention, and conflict of interest.
Coordinates, as needed, with the Senior Legal Director on mitigating risk associated with programmatic legal strategies, advocacy, and litigation (e.g., retainer and common interest agreements, litigation hold and document retention practices, e-discovery risk, etc.).
Maintains professional growth and development through seminars, workshops, and professional affiliation to keep abreast of the latest developments in non-profit law, business law, and other related areas.
Helps to create and foster an inclusive culture, where diversity, equity, and inclusion are embedded in all our operational policies and practices, and where we maintain effective, collaborative, respectful, and effective relationships.
Performs other job-related duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS
Graduate of a law school accredited by the American Bar Association, and admission to and active member of a state bar with the ability to waive into the DC Bar if not already admitted. Proof of Bar Status is required for employment.
A minimum of 10 years of legal practice experience, with at least 5 years serving as Legal Counsel, Associate General Counsel, Deputy General Counsel, or a similar position.
Familiarity with the various legal and compliance issues facing U.S. nonprofit organizations, including knowledge of current and developing legal issues and trends facing tax-exempt organizations, principles, and procedures of legal research, and the judicial system and procedures.
Expertise in advising non-profit leadership in the areas of employment, contract, and intellectual property law, and on legal and regulatory issues related to Political Action Committees, 501(c)3 and 501(c)4 organizations.
Experience negotiating contracts, including the ability to assess and articulate appropriate risk/reward analyses, with strong negotiation and dispute resolution skills.
Experience with confidential and complex personnel issues, strong financial acumen, and effective organizational change management practices.
Demonstrated ability to think creatively and collaboratively in identifying pathways to achieve organizational objectives in legally compliant ways that appropriately consider, mitigate, and distinguish between legal and business risks.
Demonstrated ability to exercise sound judgment, problem solve, maintain confidentiality, and perform well independently with a solutions-orientated approach.
Outstanding time management and organizational skills, with careful attention to detail and accountability for meeting deliverables and deadlines.
Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with all colleagues, across lines of power and identity.
Demonstrated ability to apply and enforce policies and procedures equitably across lines of identity and power.
Effective presentation, facilitation, and communication skills, with an ability to translate complex subject matters for audiences with varying degrees of legal expertise.
