General Counsel

Job Overview

The General Counsel is responsible for managing and coordinating the legal affairs for the College, accomplished through provision of proactive counsel on critical strategic, legal, and public policy matters; coordination of preventative law and compliance activities; and management of matters that have entered into formal dispute resolution. The General Counsel supervises the Office of Legal Affairs & Risk Management and supports in legal matters relating to the Board of Trustees and Senior Administrative Cabinet. The General Counsel also serves as Assistant Secretary to the Board of Trustees. The General Counsel reports directly to the Vice President for Finance & Operations and with a dotted-line to the President.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Leads the Office of Legal Affairs & Risk Management, with responsibility for the department budget and supervision of legal and risk functions.
• Directs and assists in critical strategic, legal, and public policy matters for the President, Board Chair, Senior Administrative Cabinet, and other administrators on specific issues as they arise, in areas including but not limited to: governance; conflicts of interest; personnel and employment issues; benefits, tax, and payroll matters; student affairs; academic affairs; immigration; contracts; purchasing; charitable giving; real estate; construction; trademark, copyright, and other intellectual property matters; and athletics. This may involve outside counsel.
• Coordinates the College’s preventative law and compliance activities, including provision of training, guidance, and resources to the campus community in discharge of regulatory compliance responsibilities. Prepares an annual report on compliance to the Governance & Nominating Committee of the Board of Trustees.
• Manages matters that have entered into formal dispute resolution (e.g., threatened and pending litigation), in close coordination with outside legal counsel retained by the College and the College’s insurer(s), where applicable. Prepares an annual report on pending and threatened litigation matters to the Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees.
• Manages spending on outside legal counsel, with a focus on reducing spending by pursuing cost reductions and increased efficiencies and performing work in-house wherever possible.
• Reviews and provides counsel on specific board and college conflict of interest issues as they arise. Prepares an annual report on conflicts of interest to the Governance & Nominating Committee of the Board of Trustees.
• Serves as Assistant Secretary to the Board of Trustees, taking minutes, preparing agendas, formulating resolutions, and maintaining governance documents for the Board as well as for various Board Committees as needed.
• Serve as General Counsel to the Wheaton College Trust Company, N.A., a national bank chartered and subsidiary of Wheaton College, providing fiduciary counsel as needed.
• Participates in committees on campus or with outside organizations in matters with a legal or risk component.

This job description is intended to represent key areas of responsibilities; specific assignments may vary from time to time, and other duties may be assigned.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate from an ABA-accredited law school.
• License to practice law in Illinois or, if licensed in another state, ability to obtain admission to practice in Illinois within 6 months of beginning employment.
• Substantial and progressively responsible experience (5-7 years) in the practice of law, with prior in-house, labor and employment, and higher education experience preferred.
• Professional presence with strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Strong legal research, writing, and editing abilities.
• Detail oriented, well organized, and able to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong judgment and discretion; able to maintain confidentiality.
• Excellent computer skills and ability to quickly learn and effectively use new technology.

Physical Requirements

The employee is regularly required to sit, talk, or hear; frequently required to use repetitive hand motion, handle or feel, and to stand, walk, reach, bend or lift up to 10 pounds.

FLSA Status - Exempt

As a Christ-centered community, Wheaton College faculty and staff must affirm the College’s Statement of Faith as expressing their own theological convictions and agree to live by the moral standards in Wheaton’s Community Covenant, modeling these commitments for the Christian formation of our students. Wheaton College faculty and staff also support the Christ-Centered Diversity Commitment which highlights our desire to treat all individuals as equal image-bearers of Jesus Christ through diversity, inclusion, justice and unity.