General Counsel

American Public Transportation Association (APTA)

General Counsel

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA), a private, nonprofit trade association that serves the North American public transportation industry is searching for a highly dynamic, engaged, and visionary General Counsel.

ABOUT

APTA’s mission is to strengthen and improve public transportation, and to serve and lead its diverse membership through advocacy, innovation, and information sharing. APTA and its members work to ensure that public transportation is available and accessible to people nationwide.

Headquartered in Washington, DC, APTA serves approximately 1,600 member organizations including public transit systems, private businesses, government agencies, metropolitan planning organizations, state departments of transportation, academic institutions, and trade publications.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The General Counsel plans and is accountable for all aspects of APTA’s legal affairs and ensures the appropriate protection of its legal rights and compliance with applicable laws and regulations including its relationships with outside counsel. The General Counsel is a key member of the APTA’s Leadership Team, reports to APTA’s President and CEO and supports the Board of Directors.

The General Counsel is a trusted legal advisor to APTA’s leadership and oversees all legal work related to operations, personnel, business development, contracts, compliance, and risk mitigation.

The General Counsel’s duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Association Governance
   • Ensures the organization’s activities are conducted in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, the association’s articles of incorporation and bylaws;
   • Provides direct support to the Executive Committee and Board of Directors on legal, procedural, and other matters;
   • Helps to plan, coordinate, and implement the annual nomination and election of APTA officers, Executive Committee, and Board of Directors.
2. Manage the Regulatory Program
   • Serves as the primary point of contact within APTA on regulatory issues;
   • Coordinates with other staff members to ensure potential regulatory issues are identified early in the developmental process, tracked, and discussed with APTA members;
   • Facilitates discussion and consensus among APTA members, develops association comments, and informs members on regulatory issues and impacts;
   • Assists members in understanding, responding to, and complying with regulatory requirements;
   • Maintains the APTA Regulatory Matrix;
   • Maintains official and unofficial liaison with regulatory agencies, primarily the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), to ensure APTA issues are appropriately considered.
3. Contracting
   • Serves as APTA’s lead staff person on contract drafting, negotiation, and execution;
   • Provides support to staff on the drafting of contracts, legal and regulatory compliance, risk management, terms and conditions, and contract implementation;
   • Maintains the Contract Registry and supports APTA Finance with tracking out-year financial commitments;
   • Serves as the lead staff person and legal point of contact for APTA’s management of Federal grants (e.g., FTA TEAM system) and other government contracting processes, helping to ensure APTA is in compliance with Federal requirements.
4. Internal Legal Support
   • Provides counsel to APTA Human Resources regarding employee discipline issues and claims of any kind, as well as drafting and legal support on APTA Policies and Procedures, the Employee Handbook, and ethics/conflicts of interest documentation;
   • Provides counsel to APTA Finance and the American Public Transportation Foundation (APTF) regarding audit issues, compliance with tax-exempt status requirements, and ethics/conflict of interest issues;
   • Provides counsel to APTA Leadership regarding member issues, including violations of the Code of Conduct.
5. Member Support
   • Serves as staff advisor for the Legal Affairs Committee;
   • Plans and carries out the annual APTA Legal Affairs Seminar;
   • Supports other APTA committees through briefing, issue identification, governance and bylaws review, and problem-solving assistance.
6. Support Legislative Efforts
   • Leads preparation, review, and submission of necessary documents to Congressional Ethics Committees to meet all requirements to invite Members of Congress and staff to participate in APTA conferences;
   • Provides drafting support for proposed legislation;
   • Supports APTA strategic planning and business planning efforts.
7. Undertake other duties as assigned.

MEASURES OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

• Clarity and timeliness of advice;
• Quality of regulatory advocacy;
• Quality of Board and Executive Committee support;
• Member satisfaction;
• Financial responsibility;
• Teamwork;
• Commitment.

QUALIFICATIONS:

This position requires a law degree from an accredited law school, membership in a state bar or the District of Columbia bar, at least ten years of experience as an attorney, familiarity with legal issues related to 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(6) nonprofit associations, and experience with federal transportation law and regulations.

Travel is required to attend four of our major conferences including the Legal Affairs Seminar.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The American Public Transportation Association offers a competitive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance; life and disability insurance; paid time off; a 401(k)-retirement plan; professional development opportunities; and commuter benefits to assist with public transportation costs. The annual base starting salary is anticipated to be in the range of $190,400 to $253,900.

This position is based in Washington D.C. and currently operates on a hybrid work schedule. Employees are required to work in the office on two specific days, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with the flexibility to choose a third in-office day. The remaining two days of the work week can be worked remotely. Please note that this schedule may be adjusted at any time based on the Association’s needs.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORK CONDITIONS:

This role requires the ability to use hands and fingers for handling or feeling objects, and the capacity to stand, walk, sit, reach, and communicate effectively. Specific vision requirements include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions. The typical noise level in the work environment is moderate.

TO APPLY:

For more information, or to submit a resume and cover letter, please contact Gregg Moser, Partner at K&A, at gmoser@kapartners.com.