Associate General Counsel

The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust (Helmsley); New York (NY); On-site; USD 280,000 - 320,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision

Hybrid work schedule

Paid vacation and holidays

Summer Fridays

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust (Helmsley) seeks an Associate General Counsel to lead complex contracts, grants, and program-related investments with IP considerations. You will advise on IP, draft agreements, and train staff while partnering with outside counsel.

Ideal candidates have 7–10 years of transactional IP or commercial law, a J.D., and nonprofit experience. The role is based in New York City with a hybrid work model and competitive compensation.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school; admission to the NY bar preferred.
• Expertise in IP, licensing, and transactional law related to philanthropy.
• Experience advising nonprofit organizations and handling complex transactions.

Responsibilities

• Review, negotiate, and draft complex grant agreements and PRIs with IP rights.
• Advise on IP issues and patent status in grants and PRIs.
• Develop training and guidance on legal issues for staff; liaise with outside counsel.

Skills

Intellectual property

Commercial law

Negotiation

Due diligence

Nonprofit advisory

Training and guidance

Team collaboration

Legal writing

Policy development

Education

J.D.

Tools

Outlook

Word

Excel

PowerPoint

SharePoint

Job description

Position Summary

The Associate General Counsel will be a key part of a collaborative legal team that supports Helmsley’s philanthropic work and will focus on Helmsley’s contractual arrangements with third parties, including program-related investments and grant making in health-related endeavors and on intellectual property issues. The position includes ongoing work as well as short and long-term projects such as policy development, and research and analysis.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Review, negotiate, and draft agreements, including but not limited to complex grantmaking and program-related investments (PRIs) involving intellectual property rights.
• Advise on intellectual property issues with respect to grants and PRIs, including detailed review of patent status.
• Troubleshoot issues with staff and assist in finding and implementing effective legal solutions and monitor as needed.
• Assist in developing and delivering training on legal issues.
• Represent Helmsley effectively internally and externally, including with outside counsel.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across Helmsley to develop and support trust-wide initiatives and to advance Helmsley’s overall impact.
• Support and improve Helmsley’s internal processes and systems and implement and communicate changes.
• Special projects and other duties, as assigned.

Desired Qualifications

• Minimum 7-10 years of transactional intellectual property and/or commercial law experience at a major law firm, government agency, and/or in-house, preferably engaged in advice related to biomedical research and/or tech transfer responsibilities.
• J.D. from an accredited institution; admission to the New York bar is strongly preferred or eligibility to sit for the New York bar exam.
• Demonstrated expertise in several of the core areas of work listed below:
  • Intellectual property, content management, and licensing.
  • Negotiation and drafting of loans, investment deals, and/or program-related investments.
  • Corporate transactional experience, including conducting due diligence, both corporate and IP, for transactions and providing legal support for monitoring of investments.
  • Knowledge regarding tax and other laws applicable to tax exempt organizations including those specific to private foundations.
  • Contract review and contract management and related vendor and risk management review.
  • Policy development and legal advice and support with implementation and training on core organizational policies, including regarding data security and privacy, procurement, and investments.
• Experience advising nonprofit organizations.
• Strong analytical skills and demonstrated ability to understand complex and nuanced legal concepts and analysis and explain such topics to non-lawyers and create practical processes, guidance, and training.
• Demonstrated excellent research, writing, and verbal communication skills.
• Impeccable integrity and excellent judgment as reflected in a professional record of successfully providing counsel to clients.
• Demonstrated ability to anticipate information needed by others as projects and situations develop; manage multiple demands, and organize time and resources effectively.
• Strong teamwork and client-service skills; solution-oriented and able to incorporate user feedback as needed.
• Presentation and training skills.
• Comfort with ambiguity and the ability to work through challenging complex situations.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Interacts well with all in a courteous, culturally sensitive, and tactful manner.
• Administratively self-sufficient with demonstrated skill with Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and SharePoint.

Salary, Health, Well-being, and Living Our Mission

Helmsley is dedicated to creating stronger, healthier futures for communities in the U.S. and around the world. Helmsley colleagues are intelligent, creative, forward thinking, and strongly committed to working productively with each other and with our grantee partners. Each was drawn to Helmsley by the same opportunity: to help build this young organization into a leading global charitable institution that will drive meaningful and measurable positive change in lives throughout the U.S. and around the world for years to come.

Helmsley is committed to offering competitive and equitable compensation commensurate with experience. The targeted starting salary range for this position is $280,000-$320,000.

Comprehensive benefits currently offered to employees (subject to change) include:

• Employer-paid medical, dental, and vision for employees and their families
• Hybrid work schedule (up to two remote days a week)
• 23+ paid vacation and sick days
• 13+ paid holidays
• End of year office closure
• Summer Fridays
• Personal and team professional development opportunities

The position is based at Helmsley’s main office in New York City. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

All persons hired must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the need for employment-based visa sponsorship now or in the future. Helmsley will not sponsor applicants for U.S. work visa status for this opportunity (no sponsorship is available for H-1B, L-1, TN, O-1, E-3, H-1B1, F-1, J-1, OPT, CPT or any other employment-based visa).

Except when working remotely as permitted by Helmsley’s temporary hybrid work policy, the ability to work and collaborate in person with colleagues at Helmsley’s office is an essential function of this job.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the incumbent(s) of this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and activities required for the position. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Helmsley provides equal employment and promotional opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment based upon individual capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as established under law.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.