Chief Campus Counsel

University of California, Irvine

Irvine, California

The University of California, Irvine is seeking candidates for the position of Chief Campus Counsel.

To Apply

Email a letter of interest and resume to UCI's Korn Ferry search consultants at UCIChiefCampusCounsel@KornFerry.com by August 18, 2017.

Job Summary

This position reports to the UC Irvine Chancellor and to the systemwide General Counsel. This position serves as a member of the Chancellor's senior management team, working collaboratively with the Office of the President and serving as advisor to the Chancellor, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor, Vice Chancellor Health Affairs and CEO, UC Irvine Health System and the campus's senior leadership team, with responsibility for responding to the wide range of legal and regulatory, policy and governance issues that may arise on a campus, either by providing advice directly or in consultation with other University attorneys and/or UC Irvine subject matter experts or by engaging the services of outside counsel. The position similarly serves on the leadership team and serves as an advisor for the General Counsel regarding campus legal issues and system legal policy.

Compensation: Competitive with other public university executive level positions within California.

Experience: J.D. from an accredited law school and a member, in good standing, of the State Bar of California; at least 15 years of complex, high-level legal experience, including preferably five or more years of experience managing attorneys.

Relocation: Assistance with relocation may be available.

California Bar Admission: Admission to the California Bar is required within the first year of assuming the role. Please note that UC attorneys are not eligible for California's Registered In-House Counsel program. Therefore, if the selected finalist candidate is not already admitted in California, s/he would need to pass the California bar exam and associated Moral Character Determination within the first year of assuming the position.

Position Overview

Each of the 10 UC campuses has its own legal function, headed by a Chief Campus Counsel, who has a dual reporting relationship to the Chancellor of her/his particular campus and to the systemwide Office of the General Counsel (OGC), which is located in Oakland and is headed by the University of California's General Counsel and Vice President. The UCI Chief Campus Counsel leads a team of five, including two attorneys.

This is a senior leadership position in the University, a professional peer and colleague of the Deputy General Counsels and other Chief Campus Counsels systemwide. The Chief Campus Counsel is the campus' chief legal officer, responsible for assisting the campus leadership and Chancellor by providing legal advice and assisting the General Counsel in coordinating legal services to the UC Irvine campus. This position serves as a member of the Chancellor's senior management team, working collaboratively with and serving as advisor to the Chancellor and has responsibility for responding to the wide range of issues that may arise on a campus and medical center either by providing advice directly or in consultation with other University attorneys and/or UC Irvine subject matter experts or by coordinating the services of outside counsel. The position similarly serves on the Chancellor's Cabinet and serves as an advisor for the General Counsel regarding campus legal issues and system legal policy.

The Chief Campus Counsel provides advice and counsel on a strikingly broad range of highly complex legal matters or problems, including but not limited to complex labor and employment matters, land use and environmental law issues, First Amendment issues, complex business transactions, international and research collaboration initiatives, health law matters, privacy and records management, student conduct and transactional matters involving copyright and technology transfer. In addition to having deep legal subject matter expertise, the Chief Campus Counsel also provides sound, timely advice, not only on legal matters, but on matters of University policy and governance.

In addition, the Chief Campus Counsel, as a senior university officer on the campus, is an essential contributor to strategic administrative and management initiatives within the UC Irvine campus and at the Office of General Counsel. The Chief Campus Counsel also plays a crucial role in supporting the risk management and compliance efforts on the campus. He/she works closely with campus leaders, faculty and researchers to develop or modify practices and procedures to conform with legal and regulatory requirements and appropriately manage risk. The Chief Campus Counsel manages outside law firms and monitors litigation of importance to the campus and interacts with community and regional leaders on government relations matters.

Key Responsibilities

The Chief Campus Counsel provides legal assistance and services to the Chancellor, and serves as a senior advisor on institutional policy and decision making that require a legal perspective.

The Chief Campus Counsel coordinates and consults with the UC General Counsel, and provides advice on the legal rights and obligations of the institution to the Chancellor, and through the Chancellor to the Provost/Executive Vice Chancellor, Vice Chancellor Health Affairs and CEO, UC Irvine Health System, Vice Chancellors, Deans, and other academic and administrative officers of the campus. The Chief Campus also acts on behalf of the campus as delegated by the Chancellor; undertakes specific legal assignments at the direction of the General Counsel; and reports to the Chancellor administratively and to the General Counsel as to the substance of legal services and advice. This position will require successful integration of input from the Chancellor, Provost/EVC and other UC Irvine academic and administrative leaders, as well as the Office of General Counsel. Specific responsibilities include:

a) Provides advice on the wide range of legal questions associated with the administration, management and operation of the campus as requested by the Chancellor, Provost, Vice Chancellor Health Affairs and CEO, UC Irvine Health System, Vice Chancellors and other unit heads. The general areas of particular interest to this position are staff and academic personnel, administrative disciplinary and grievance processes, student matters, equal opportunity and diversity, health sciences, constitutional law (such as immunities and speech, religion, association, and procedural rights), regulatory compliance, intellectual property, risk management, real property and development of campus facilities, campus security and safety, auxiliary and service enterprises, gifts, contracts, and other legal considerations contained within or related to these broad categories.

Specific areas include:

• Employee relations: rights and privileges of tenure; personnel grievance procedures; staff and academic personnel policies; discrimination, Title IX and equity and inclusions matters; and employment contracts. Provides legal advice to the Chancellor or other final decision maker in administrative grievance matters; provides legal advice to, or obtains legal advice for, other administrative officers and committees handling administrative grievance matters.

• Health Sciences: Oversees the provision of legal advice in the Health Sciences, which includes Vice Chancellor Health Affairs and CEO, UC Irvine Health System, UCI Medical Center and its clinics, the Schools of Medicine and Nursing, and Programs in Pharmacy and Public Health.

• Litigation: Coordinates with the Office of the General, Risk Management, and outside counsel to provide legal advice concerning law suits affecting the campus; facilitates the preservation and collection of documents, and discovery; as necessary, participates in witness interviews and depositions and attends court proceedings; provides input to the Office of General Counsel on campus interests involved with or affected by litigation.

• External Governmental Agencies: Coordinates the provision of legal advice concerning the campus' interaction with federal, state and local agencies.

• Matters of general campus and university concern: Provides or obtains legal advice for matters of general concern such as intellectual property; licenses; conflict of interest; leases; contracts; athletics; and various other institutional rights and responsibilities.

b) Serves as a member of and participates in the Chancellor's Cabinet and Chancellor's Advisory Council; the Whistleblower Investigation Work Group; Campus Audit Committee; Consultation (behavior intervention) Team; Executive Policy Group (for campus emergencies); and for high level crisis management teams.

c) Executes all other duties and responsibilities assigned by the Chancellor and those which are implicitly recognized or can reasonably be assumed.

Qualifications and Skills

• J.D. from an accredited law school and a member, in good standing, of the State Bar of California;.

• Requires approximately 15 or more years of complex, high-level experience after receiving law degree including, preferably, five or more years of experience managing attorneys. Experience as in-house or outside counsel in higher education is a plus, but is not required.

• Experience to include the provision of sophisticated legal advice and counsel reflecting sound judgment, substantive in-depth legal knowledge and an understanding of complex business transactions.

• Experience in a wide range of additional areas such as contracts, labor and employment law, real estate development, land use, intellectual property and health care law.

• Solid understanding of and demonstrated experience with the legal issues affecting major research universities.

• Strong leadership and planning skills and ability to inspire confidence from internal and external stakeholders.

• Demonstrated ability to distill large quantities of information and to generate creative approaches to legal challenges facing a major research university.

• Ability to clearly articulate the priorities of a complex and dynamic organization, and develop legal strategies which forward these priorities within acceptable limits of risk and exposure.

• The highest personal integrity and ethics, with a visible commitment to the mission of UC Irvine, including diversity and inclusion.

• Demonstrated ability to coordinate groups and constituencies with differing priorities and perspectives.

• Knowledge and experience with a public academic research institution is highly desirable.

• Must demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills.

• Excellent interpersonal skills to create and maintain effective working relationships with senior administrators and a diverse range of constituents, including faculty and staff.

• Ability to work well under conditions of heavy workload, frequent hours outside normal business hours, rapidly changing priorities and deadlines requiring immediate action.

• Demonstrated ability to exercise discretion, sound judgment and maintain strict confidentiality in the performance of all duties at all times.

To Apply

Email a letter of interest and resume to UCI's Korn Ferry search consultants at UCIChiefCampusCounsel@KornFerry.com by August 18, 2017. All inquiries will be held in strict confidence.