Assistant General Counsel

Rice University; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 175,000 - 205,000; Full time

Job summary

Rice University is seeking an Assistant General Counsel to provide legal advice on philanthropic gifts, contracts, and policies for a broad fundraising program. The role collaborates with development leadership, DAR, and school leadership to support donors and donors’ advisors.

The hybrid role reports to the Vice President and General Counsel and works with Rice’s Treasury and endowment offices, handling complex gift arrangements while ensuring compliance and strategic guidance across campus.

Qualifications

• J.D. from ABA-accredited law school with active bar license in Texas or ability to become licensed.
• 2+ years of experience as a practicing attorney.
• Experience in major, planned, and principal gift fundraising with financial advisors, accountants, and attorneys.

Responsibilities

• Drafts complex gift and endowment agreements and coordinates with donors and advisors.
• Advices on gift planning, estate and trust administration, including charitable remainder trusts.
• Collaborates with Gift Policy Committee and Office of General Counsel on policies and procedures.
• Supports development officers in closing complex gift arrangements and works with external advisors and Rice officials to complete gift documents.
• Provides risk management guidance related to development activities.

Skills

Legal experience

Fundraising knowledge

Contract law

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Education

J.D. from ABA-accredited law school

Job description

Position Summary

Nobel Prizes. MacArthur “Genius Grants.” Poets Laureate. Groundbreaking cancer research. A world-class opera hall. An unmatched culture of care. The celebration of our multicultural and multinational community in the heart of the nation’s most diverse city.

In the Office of General Counsel, we serve a preeminent research university whose excellence is established and whose ambitions, under President Reginald DesRoches, are courageous, transformational, and global. To help us serve Rice’s bright future, we are expanding the office to add an Assistant General Counsel who will provide legal advice and trusted counsel on philanthropic gifts, donations, contracts, and policies to development leadership, fundraisers, and other colleagues, and who will communicate on Rice’s behalf with prospects, advisors, donors, and donor families.

Reporting to the Vice President and General Counsel, with a dotted-line relationship to the Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations (DAR), the attorney will advise across the campus-wide fundraising enterprise, collaborating with frontline fundraisers and leadership in DAR and with each school, institute, and unit. The attorney will also develop and maintain relationships within the Office of the General Counsel, Rice’s Treasury Office, and the Rice Management Company (RMC), the university’s endowment office.

No single day is typical at a top-tier research university, so our commitment is to provide or, when necessary, develop all the substantive expertise our clients need. Therefore, the ideal candidate will also have the experience and versatility to solve problems in other areas of practice, including contracts, general business law, nonprofit law, and corporate law. As a team, we value versatility, attention to detail, discretion, and curiosity. Our collective aim is to represent Rice with the highest standards of civility and creativity.

The ideal candidate is a highly collaborative leader and strategic thinker with experience supporting fundraising efforts and navigating complex situations and projects.

Workplace Requirements

This position is offered as a hybrid role, combining both in-office and remote work to provide flexibility and support collaboration. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

Hiring Range

This is a full-time, benefits-eligible position, and the hiring salary is $175,000 - $205,000, contingent on experience and qualifications. Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.

Minimum Requirements

• J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school
• 2+ years of experience as a practicing attorney
• Demonstrated experience in major, planned, and principal gift fundraising, including experience working with financial advisors, accountants, and attorneys
• Either: (a) An active license to practice law in Texas, or (b) an active license to practice law in another U.S. jurisdiction and the ability to become licensed in Texas at the earliest opportunity

Skills

• Commitment to Rice University’s mission
• Demonstrated ability to handle multiple complex fundraising activities simultaneously and coordinate solicitation strategies in a decentralized environment
• Collegiality, a willingness to support colleagues, and a commitment to the multicultural, multinational environment of a major research university
• Commitment to providing expeditious, high-quality service to clients and dedication to working the hours required to meet those expectations
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Advanced problem-solving skills
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• High level of creativity, initiative, and motivation
• Ability to work well under pressure and manage projects simultaneously
• Team orientation and willingness to set an example through effective leadership
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team to meet expected deadlines and schedules
• Adept at problem-solving, creating contingency plans, and handling issues when necessary
• Strong interest in and commitment to sharing knowledge with colleagues through effective training programs

Preferences

• MBA degree
• 3+ years of experience in major, planned, and principal gift fundraising with an institution of higher education and/or a mission-oriented nonprofit organization
• Ability to demonstrate good judgment in dynamic situations
• High emotional intelligence and the ability to think strategically
• Demonstrated experience with Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint)
• Proficiency with a fundraising CRM and a strong data-driven orientation

Essential Functions

• Drafts complex pledge and gift agreements and liaises with RMC.
  • Supports the work of development officers in closing complex gift arrangements and works with external advisors and Rice officials to complete gift documents.
  • Drafts endowment agreements when donor interests or gift situations require unique or complex solutions, especially those involving restrictions on use or designation.
  • Assists in responding to donor, advisor, and fundraiser questions regarding the Long-Term Pool, including the timing of additions, donations, taxes and assessments, investment returns, and other related matters.
  • Provides advice regarding fund accounting and reporting.
  • Liaises with RMC regarding acceptance and appropriate liquidation strategies for gifts of complex business interests.
• Enhances campus-wide risk management as it relates to development activities.
  • Oversees and manages a reputational risk assessment and review process.
  • Creates, oversees, and manages a standardized gift agreement template and review process across the university.
• Provides gift planning, estate, and trust administration support.
  • Assists in drafting charitable remainder trust and charitable gift annuity agreements and related documents and negotiates those agreements with donors and their advisors.
  • Provides advice regarding potential tax implications to donors and the university associated with gifts that have complex or unusual structures.
  • Represents the university in routine probate and trust administration matters.
  • Provides strategic advice for charitable trust and deferred-giving programs.
  • Assists in developing, refining, and interpreting gift-planning guidelines and policies.
  • Reviews marketing materials as needed to ensure technical accuracy and appropriate clarity regarding the role of gift planners versus professional advisors.
• Leads the Gift Policy Committee.
  • Conducts due diligence on proposed gifts of privately held assets and other intangible personal property.
  • Assists the Real Estate Office in conducting due diligence on proposed gifts of real estate.
  • Assists the Executive Director of Gift Planning with evaluating proposed gifts of life insurance, intellectual property, and outdoor objects.
• Works closely with colleagues in the Office of General Counsel (OGC).
  • Successfully communicates and translates the interests of fundraising and alumni offices across campus to colleagues in OGC.
  • Collaborates with colleagues in OGC to establish, review, and update university policies and procedures that affect development efforts, such as naming approval requirements, memorial gift policies, and gift acceptance and disposition procedures.
• Works closely with the Data Services team in DAR.
  • Coordinates and oversees the drafting and revision of gift receipt templates and other donor-facing materials and assists in revising policies and procedures.
  • Assists in determining how to receive, liquidate, record, value, and process gifts of complex assets.
• Collaborates regarding international fundraising.
  • Provides advice to fundraisers regarding international gifts, identifying potential issues and solutions.
  • Oversees the creation and management of appropriate entities and/or vehicles for the receipt of offshore gifts and oversees engagement with third parties to accept offshore gifts as needed.
• Collaborates regarding fundraising campaigns.
  • Drafts campaign-counting guidelines and interprets their application.
  • Drafts matching gift rule sets.
• Performs all other duties as assigned, including, for example, the negotiation, drafting, and revision of contracts and proposed contracts in the interest of the university.

Additional Functions

• Requires extensive contact within the university at all levels, including senior administration
• Requires extensive contact outside the university with donors, alumni, parents, and friends of Rice University, as well as financial advisors, accountants, and attorneys
• Some travel may be required, typically not exceeding 5% and very unlikely to exceed 10% of work time.

Rice University HR | Benefits

https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits

Rice Mission and Values

Mission and Values | Rice University

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please contact Rice University’s Human Resources Office via email at [e-mail] for support.

If you have any additional questions, please email us at [e-mail]. Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.