Associate General Counsel, Contracts

Career Opportunities with Summit Public Schools

Apply promptly! A high volume of applicants is expected for the role as detailed below, do not wait to send your CV.

Careers At Summit Public Schools

Summit Public Schools is looking for an Associate General Counsel who is a problem-solver, results-oriented, excels at critical thinking and clear writing, and has exceptional interpersonal skills. You will work directly with and report to the Chief Legal Officer.

What if all students graduated high school with the knowledge, skills and habits they need to lead a fulfilled life? This is the question that guides our mission at Summit Public Schools .

Summit is a leading network of public schools that collectively prepares a diverse community of young people with the skills, knowledge, and habits to attain economic empowerment and success in a chosen concrete next step toward a fulfilled life. We operate 10 schools serving over 3,000 students in the Bay Area and Washington state. 100% of Summit graduates are college-ready, and Summit graduates complete college at double the national average.

We need exceptional, diverse, and mission-aligned teachers to join our team to help prepare our students for a fulfilled life. The Associate General Counsel will be the second member of the legal team and will support the Chief Legal Officer on a range of issues that impact Summit Public Schools. This is an opportunity with significant responsibility and the opportunity to have an immediate impact on students enrolled in a network of charter schools in California and Washington. This role provides exposure to the full range of responsibilities typically associated with a General Counsel, preparing the Associate General Counsel for future leadership opportunities in the legal field and nonprofit sector.

Serve as a thought partner to the Chief Legal Officer and senior leadership on governance, compliance, and risk strategy.

Manage outside counsel in litigation, dispute resolution, and other high-risk matters.

Draft, review, and negotiate agreements critical to operations and innovation.

Provide legal advice and resolve disputes in special education matters.

Support the development and implementation of organizational policies.

Advise on corporate law, nonprofit operations, and education codes.

Deliver training and actionable guidance on legal and compliance issues to staff.

Serve as lead attorney on labor and employment matters, including collective bargaining, contract administration, and employee relations.

Advise on high-stakes charter renewals, policy shifts, and public accountability.

Advise on finance, governance, philanthropy, and strategic partnerships.

Ensure legal alignment with Summit’s innovation and growth initiatives.

Draft, review, and negotiate commercial and strategic agreements.

Draft, review, and prepare governance documents, including board memoranda, resolutions, and policies.

Provide legal advice on student matters, including safety, confidentiality, and school norms.

Support Strategic Services and other Home Office Functions :

Provide legal expertise and guidance to the network leadership team.

Provide legal support to finance and data operations teams.

Lead or contribute to cross-functional projects and take on related duties as assigned, with opportunities to expand expertise while advancing Summit’s missio.

Bachelors Degree and Juris Doctor degree from an accredited school of law

3-5 years of experience in either education law or legal experience representing a local education agency in some capacity

Excellent interpersonal, writing, communication and presentation skills

Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, managing multiple projects, under tight deadlines

Ability to independently make decisions balancing legal requirements and business / managerial needs, and to efficiently and effectively communicate with non-lawyers

Experience taking on projects involving unfamiliar subject matters.

Ability to evaluate risk and resolve complex issues in creative and effective ways

Proficiency in Google Suite (Docs, Sheets, Slides) or Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and Powerpoint)

In addition to joining a highly motivated team and engaging in meaningful work, you’ll have access to a comprehensive suite of benefits including a retirement plan, “take what you need” personal leave policy, 12 paid holidays, and 3 weeks of organization-wide closures during the year. You and your dependents will have access to multiple health, dental, and vision plans at 25% cost (we cover the other 75%) and employee life and disability insurance at no cost. Our compensation policy strives to be equitable and transparent. We believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion are directly intertwined with education. We welcome and encourage applications from individuals who are members of historically marginalized communities. xklufbp Spanish language proficiency is a plus.