Assistant General Counsel, Office of General Counsel

Current UC employees must apply internally via SuccessFactors

Next Lives at the University of Cincinnati

Founded in 1819, the University of Cincinnati ranks among the nation’s best urban public research universities. Home to more than 53,000 students, 12,000 faculty and staff, and over 350,000 living alumni, UC, a Carnegie 1 institution, combines research prowess with a physical setting The New York Times has called “the most ambitious campus design program in the country." UC's momentum has never been stronger as the anchor of the Cincinnati Innovation District, the oldest cooperative education (co-op) program in the country with students earning $88.8 million annually through paid experiences, an academic health system, and as a member of the Big 12 Conference. The university contributes $10.6 billion in economic impact to the city and $22.7 billion to the state of Ohio. At UC, next is all of us. Learn more at uc.edu.

UC is a mission-driven organization where we are committed to student success and positively transforming the community through scholarship and service. We thrive on innovation, making an impact, and fostering an environment where staff and faculty are key contributors to UC’s success.

Job Overview

The Office of General Counsel supports the dynamic educational environment of the University of Cincinnati by providing legal advice to support all areas of operation, instruction, research and administration at the University.

Attorneys in the Office of General Counsel provide, manage and coordinate legal services including legal counsel, representation, and advocacy to the University. As an assistant attorney general, these services are often performed in collaboration with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.

Attorneys are expected to provide high-level legal advice, counsel and advocacy to the University in a variety of areas including, but not limited to, labor and employment, student-related matters, contract review and negotiation, public procurement, compliance, privacy, public records, constitutional law, real estate, transactional matters, gifts and development, administrative law, and research-related matters such as ethics, compliance and contracting.

This position is for an Assistant General Counsel and will be part of a team within the Office of General Counsel responsible for providing accurate, timely, and detailed legal services to the University’s Office of Research and health campus colleges with a primary focus on clinical research contract review, negotiation, and human research protection program compliance. This is an outstanding professional opportunity to learn from and work with highly talented and committed colleagues and contribute to the continued growth of a Carnegie Classification Research Tier 1 institution.

This role will require providing timely and thorough review of clinical trial agreements and associated documents. The successful candidate must closely follow Office of General Counsel clinical research team’s standard operating procedures, advise University personnel on human research protections and privacy matters related to clinical research, and support federal-, state-, and industry-sponsored research legal support inquiries related to contracting, ethics, research misconduct investigations, animal research, human subjects research, institutional biosafety, radiation safety, export controls, classified research, foreign influence, and conflict of interest to ensure compliance with applicable laws and policies.

Essential Functions

• An Assistant General Counsel in the Office of General Counsel will work under the general supervision of the Vice President for Legal Affairs & General Counsel (or her designee). Provide and coordinate high-quality legal services including legal counsel, representation, and advocacy to the University on multiple unrelated matters rapidly, accurately, and effectively in a high-volume, fast-paced environment consistent with the expectations of the General Counsel or her designee, University stakeholders, and the Ohio Attorney General.
• Negotiate, draft, administer, and achieve legal compliance on a broad variety of commercial contracts, licensing agreements, leases, and other legal instruments memorializing the activities of a large, dynamic, public organization.
• Provide legal advice and counsel in clinical research contracting and compliance and other higher education legal practice areas including, but not limited to, labor and employment, student-related matters, public procurement, compliance, public records, constitutional law, real estate, transactional matters, gifts and development, and administrative law.
• Work closely and collaboratively with other members of the Office of General Counsel, administrators, faculty, and other stakeholders.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to multi-task, prioritize, and collaborate on a team while advising various stakeholders in a high-volume, but positive and good-humored environment.
• Communicate effectively, work cooperatively, and interact comfortably with a varied community and multiple constituencies including administrators, staff, faculty, students, trustees, external professionals, research sponsors, and vendors. Excellent oral and written communication skills. Strong research and analytical skills.
• Ability to work effectively and efficiently in a high-pressure environment. Ability to respond quickly and appropriately to emergency situations and to meet deadlines. Work with outside counsel, interact with other governmental offices as directed, and collaborate with University-affiliated organizations in a manner that prioritizes the University’s interests. Ability to work with moderate supervision and to take initiative when appropriate.
• Maintain a physical presence on main campus, regional campuses, at governmental or quasi-governmental agencies and in court to serve as a representative of the Office of General Counsel and the University with the highest degree of integrity and ethics.
• Exercise excellent judgment and attention to detail, act with the highest degree of honesty and integrity, and demonstrate the utmost discretion. Comply with all legal and ethical rules applicable to an attorney licensed and practicing in the State of Ohio.
• Maintain responsibility for assignments and partner with attorneys and staff to manage significant legal matters and areas of responsibility.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the General Counsel or her designee and perform other related duties based on departmental need.
• Proven ability to operate industry-standard computer technology, including word processing software, spreadsheets, e-mail servers, printers, and databases.

Required Education

J.D. degree from an ABA accredited law school.

Required Trainings / Certifications

Required Experience

Additional Qualifications Considered

Physical Requirements / Work Environment

Compensation and Benefits

UC offers an exceptional benefits package designed to support your well-being, financial security, and work-life balance. ( UC Benefits Link ) Highlights include :

Comprehensive Tuition Remission

UC provides tuition remission for you and your eligible dependents, covering tuition costs for nearly all undergraduate and graduate programs offered by the university.

Robust Retirement Plans

As a UC employee, you won’t contribute to Social Security (except Medicare). Instead, you’ll choose between state pension plans (OPERS, STRS) or an Alternative Retirement Plan (ARP), with UC contributing 14–18% of your salary based on position.

Real Work-Life Balance

UC prioritizes work-life balance with a generous time-off policy, including :

Vacation and sick time

11 paid holidays and additional end-of-year paid time off (Winter Season Days)

6 weeks of paid parental leave for new parents

Additional Benefits Include :

Competitive salary based on experience

Comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision, prescription)

Flexible spending accounts & wellness programs

Professional development & mentorship opportunities

To learn more about why UC is a great place to work, please visit our careers page at https : / / www.uc.edu / careers.html

UC is an E-Verify employer. If hired into this position, you will be required to provide satisfactory proof of employment eligibility by providing acceptable, original forms of identification for employment verification via the Federal I-9 employment verification process. A list of acceptable documents can be seen here : https : / / www.uscis.gov / i-9-central / form-i-9-acceptable-documents

Important : To apply you must create a profile and submit a complete job application through the UC applicant portal. We are unable to consider “easy apply” applications submitted via other websites. For questions about the UC recruiting process or to request accommodations with the application, please contact Human Resources at jobs@uc.edu .

Equal Opportunity Employer. Building a workplace where all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment, including Individuals with Disabilities and Protected Veterans.

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