Trinity Washington University

General Counsel

Trinity Washington University, a comprehensive university in the nation’s capital, seeks an attorney with higher education or comparable nonprofit experience to serve as the university’s General Counsel, a part-time position that requires about 25 hours per week. Trinity enrolls 1900 students and employs about 190 full-time faculty and staff, with another 200 part-time faculty and staff. One of the nation’s historic Catholic women’s colleges, Trinity today is a diversified small university still sustaining the daytime women’s college but also operating coeducational professional and graduate programs. Trinity is also classified as a Predominantly Black Institution and a Hispanic Serving Institution.

The General Counsel advises the Board, President and senior executive team on a range of legal and compliance issues, and participates in risk management assessment. Typical duties include:

• Ability to draft and review different types of contracts, MOUs and affiliation agreements;
• Understanding of employment law in the District of Columbia, employment policies and procedures and willingness to assist in the resolution of human resource matters;
• Ability to advise management in responding to the typical legal issues and claims that arise in higher education involving students, faculty and staff such as disability rights; sexual misconduct and other harassment; discrimination on the basis of race or ethnicity or LGBTQ status or similar; academic complaints; plagiarism and cheating; due process and internal disciplinary processes;
• Advising management on compliance with federal, state and local laws including Title IV Financial Aid laws and regulations, Title IX, FERPA, the Clery Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act and similar laws and regulations, as well as local laws and regulations on a range of matters from various licenses and permits to environmental compliance.
• Working with outside counsel for litigation, zoning and land use issues, banking and debt financing, union contract negotiation with SEIU for adjunct faculty, and similar issues where Trinity engages specialized counsel for specific complex issues;
• Liaison with Trinity’s liability insurance carrier United Educators and other carriers;
• Ability to advise the Board and President on governance issues and other matters related to the general management of risks in the conduct of university business.

Candidates must have active licenses with the D.C. Bar and be graduates of accredited law schools. A minimum of ten years of legal practice in related fields is essential. Excellent communication talents required, including clarity in writing and the ability to make good presentations about legal matters. In addition, the successful candidate will be flexible, adaptable and be able to work in an environment in which financial resources are very scrupulously managed. A commitment to Trinity’s mission of serving underserved populations is a must. A facility for listening to constituents’ needs and concerns and suggesting creative solutions a plus.

Trinity Washington University is dedicated to the achievement of excellence and diversity among its students, faculty, and staff. Trinity is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive community and strongly encourages all qualified individuals to apply.

*Please Submit a complete c.v. with a cover letter of no more than two pages specifying how the candidate’s experience aligns with the requirements stated above.

All qualified applicants please APPLY HERE