Assistant General Counsel (45925)

Golden Gate University; United States; Remote; USD 125,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Golden Gate University seeks an Assistant General Counsel to advise leadership on contracts, regulatory compliance, employment, governance, and international programs. The role reports to the General Counsel and supports a wide range of university matters in a fully remote capacity.

The successful candidate will hold a J.D. and CA bar membership, bring 5+ years of higher education legal experience, and demonstrate strong drafting and negotiation skills.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor degree and active California State Bar membership.
• Minimum five years of legal experience advising higher education institutions.
• Experience in contracting, regulatory compliance, employment, governance, or cross-border matters.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of contracts and licenses.
• Advise on regulatory compliance for higher education, including FERPA, Title IX, Title IV and related laws.
• Counsel on employment and labor issues including hiring, investigations, and disputes.
• Support governance and corporate matters, including board and committee activities.
• Support international programs, visas, cross-border matters, and export controls.

Skills

Contract negotiations

Regulatory compliance

Employment law

Governance

International matters

Education

Juris Doctor

Job description

Assistant General Counsel (45925)

Fully Remote * San Francisco - San Francisco, CA 94105

Overview

Salary Range: $125,000.00 - $165,000.00 Salary/year

Position Type: Full Time

Description

Golden Gate University

Position Title: Assistant General Counsel

Department: Office of the General Counsel

Reports To: General Counsel, Chief of Staff & Secretary the Board

Classification: Full-Time, Exempt (part-time arrangement considered)

Location: Remote

Salary Range: $125,000 - $165,000 annually (prorated for a part-time arrangement)

About Golden Gate University

Golden Gate University is a private, nonprofit university in San Francisco focused on AI and built for working adults. The University serves a diverse community of students across its academic programs and is committed to providing an accessible, high-quality education for working adults.

Position Summary

The Assistant General Counsel serves as a trusted advisor to leadership and administrators across the University, providing practical, business-minded legal counsel on the full range of issues facing a modern higher education institution. The Assistant General Counsel's practice spans contracts and transactions, higher education regulatory compliance, employment and labor, governance and general corporate matters, and the University's international programs and partnerships.

The position reports to the General Counsel, Chief of Staff & Secretary to the Board.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Contracts and Transactions

• Draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of contracts, including vendor and procurement agreements, technology and software licenses, sponsorship and affiliation agreements, and consulting arrangements.
• Advise business units on contract structure, risk allocation, and negotiation strategy, and support the continuous improvement of University templates and contracting processes.

Regulatory Compliance

• Advise on regulatory and compliance matters affecting higher education, including FERPA, Title IX, Title IV and federal financial aid, the Clery Act, ADA/Section 504, state authorization, and accreditation requirements.
• Monitor changes in federal and state law and regulatory guidance affecting the University, and ensure that University policies and practices remain compliant.
• Develop and deliver training to University stakeholders on legal risk and compliance topics.

Employment and Labor

• Counsel administrators and Human Resources on employment and labor matters, including hiring, performance management, workplace investigations, accommodations, separations, and dispute resolution.

Governance and General Corporate

• Support institutional governance, including board and committee matters, institutional policy development and review, and corporate and entity matters.
• Manage outside counsel and assist in overseeing litigation, government inquiries, and pre-litigation disputes.

International

• Support the University's international programs and partnerships, including study-abroad and exchange agreements, international student and scholar matters (F-1/J-1 visa compliance, SEVP), cross-border transactions, and export control considerations.

Qualifications

Required

• Juris Doctor degree and active membership in good standing in the State Bar of California.
• Five or more years of legal experience representing or advising higher education institutions, gained in-house, at a law firm, or in a government or regulatory setting.
• Demonstrated experience in several of the following areas: commercial contracting, higher education regulatory compliance, employment law, governance, and international or cross-border matters.
• Exceptional drafting, negotiation, and communication skills, with the ability to translate complex legal issues into clear, actionable guidance for non-lawyers.
• Sound, pragmatic judgment and the ability to manage a varied, fast-moving workload independently in a remote environment.

Preferred

• Prior in-house experience in a college or university general counsel's office.
• Experience with international education programs, immigration matters affecting students and scholars, or export controls.
• Familiarity with data privacy laws (e.g., GLBA, GDPR) as they apply to higher education.

In applying for a position, candidates sign a consent authorizing a broader inquiry which may include reference checks, a motor vehicle check, and a third-party background check.

Golden Gate University is an equal employment opportunity employer. We support inclusive excellence and are committed to creating a safe and welcoming community for all.

University policy prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion/creed, national origin, ancestry, age, sex/gender, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, physical or mental disability, gender stereotyping, and gender identity, gender expression, military or veteran status, taking a protected leave (e.g., family medical or pregnancy leave), or on any other basis protected by applicable laws.

The University has a strong commitment to the principles of diversity and inclusion, and to maintaining working and learning environments that reinforces these practices. The University welcomes and encourages applications from all demographics.