Associate General Counsel

UCF; Orlando (FL); On-site; USD 160,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

Paid time off

Retirement options

Education assistance

Job summary

University of Central Florida is seeking an experienced Associate General Counsel focused on labor and employment matters. The role provides strategic guidance across a large university, advising on employment law, collective bargaining, and related litigation.

The attorney will collaborate with university leaders, departments, and compliance offices to ensure practical, lawful solutions. The position requires a strong judgment, clear communication, and a collaborative approach within a complex,

Qualifications

• Law degree from an accredited school.
• Active or eligibility to become a member of the Florida Bar within 12 months.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day labor and employment guidance to campus units and compliance offices.
• Manage employment-related litigation and administrative proceedings with outside counsel as needed.
• Advise bargaining teams and interpret collective bargaining agreements.
• Track and communicate legal developments impacting higher education and draft relevant policies.
• Review contracts and other agreements for labor and employment implications.
• Serve as counsel on garnishment matters involving university employees.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Vice President and General Counsel.

Skills

Labor & employment law

Litigation management

Regulatory compliance

Legal research and writing

Cross‑functional collaboration

Education

J.D. degree

Florida Bar admission

Tools

LexisNexis

Westlaw

Job description

Office of the General Counsel

The Office of the General Counsel is the legal office of the University of Central Florida and is responsible for the coordination and management of all legal issues and matters affecting the University. We provide legal services to UCF across a range of issues, manage UCF’s legal affairs, and are responsible for protecting UCF’s legal interests. Our mission is to support the University as a public research institution and provide practical, timely, and strategic advice and legal services to unleash the potential within every individual.

The Office’s services cover a wide range of issues, including governance, corporate matters, regulatory compliance, employment law, intellectual property, foreign influence, student conduct, academic affairs, litigation, data privacy, real estate, construction, and much more.

The Opportunity

The University of Central Florida's Office of the General Counsel is seeking an experienced attorney to join its legal team as Associate General Counsel, with a primary focus on labor and employment matters. This role offers the opportunity to serve as a trusted legal partner to university leaders and stakeholders, providing practical, strategic counsel on complex and often sensitive workplace matters. The Associate General Counsel will advise on employment and labor issues, support collective bargaining, manage employment-related litigation and administrative proceedings, and help the university navigate an evolving legal and regulatory environment.

The ideal candidate will bring sound legal judgment, strong communication skills, and a collaborative, solutions-oriented approach to legal practice. This is an opportunity for an attorney who enjoys working across a large, complex organization and translating legal requirements into thoughtful, actionable guidance.

Responsibilities

Employment Law

• Provide day-to-day employment advice to University departments and DSO’s including but not limited to all central units and to all colleges. Provide legal guidance to Office of Nondiscrimination and Accommodations Compliance and/or Student Accessibility Services regarding civil rights laws covering discrimination, harassment, retaliation and accommodations. Train units on Human Resources related matters.

Litigation and Administrative Proceedings

• Represent the University in administrative proceedings, including but not limited to OCR, EEOC, and FCHR. Manage outside counsel assigned to litigation for the University and all direct support organizations and/or serve as counsel of record for the University in litigation not covered by State Risk management, as assigned. Provide pre-litigation support and advice to University departments including but not limited to Risk Management.

Labor

• Advise the bargaining teams for all campus unions, including attendance at bargaining sessions, pre-bargaining strategy sessions and status communications with university leadership. Advise on labor matters, represent university in labor proceedings, and provide day-to-day advice to university leadership on collective bargaining agreement interpretation.

Legal Developments

• Track state and federal legislative updates and case law development in area of subject matter specialties, including sharing updates with colleagues and drafting, reviewing, and revising University regulations and policies as needed.

Contracts

• Review university contracts and other commercial activities, including drafting labor and employment related instruments.

Garnishments

• Serve as counsel of record on garnishment matters involving University and DSO employees.

• Other duties as assigned by the Vice President and General Counsel or designee.

Minimum Qualifications

Law degree and 4+ years of experience as an attorney. Must be a member of the Florida Bar or become a member within twelve months of employment

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience providing legal counsel within, or representing, a higher education, public‑sector, government, or similarly complex organization.
• Five or more years of progressively more responsible experience.
• Knowledge of federal and state laws and regulatory requirements affecting higher education, with experience in Florida higher education preferred.
• Demonstrated experience advising clients on labor and employment matters, including employee relations, discipline, termination, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, accommodations, and/or other workplace matters.
• Experience handling employment‑related litigation and administrative matters, including matters before agencies such as the EEOC, FCHR, OCR, or comparable federal or state agencies.
• Demonstrated ability to provide practical, clear, and responsive legal counsel to leaders and stakeholders on complex or sensitive matters.
• Strong legal research, analysis, writing, and communication skills, including experience drafting legal memoranda, responses, policies, agreements, and other legal documents.

Special Instructions to the Applicants

• This role requires the successful candidate to work on-site at UCF's Main Campus in Orlando, FL, as their primary work location. On‑site presence is an essential function of this role.
• All applicants must be authorized to work for any U.S. employer. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position, and the university cannot accommodate H‑1B transfers or employment‑based visa processing for individuals currently sponsored by another employer.

Are you ready to unleash YOUR potential?

As a next-generation public research university and Forbes‑ranked top employer in Florida, we are a community of thinkers, doers, creators, innovators, healers, and leaders striving to create broader prosperity and help shape a better future. No matter what your role is, when you join Knight Nation, you’ll play an integral role at one of the most impactful universities in the country. You’ll be met with opportunities to connect and collaborate with talented faculty, staff, and students across 12 colleges and multiple campuses, engaging in impactful work that makes a positive difference. Your time at UCF will provide you with many meaningful opportunities to grow, you’ll work alongside talented colleagues on complex projects that will challenge you and help you gain new skills, and you’ll have countless rewarding experiences that go well beyond a paycheck.

Working at UCF has its perks!UCF offers:

• Benefit packages, including Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending, and Employee Assistance Program
• Paid time off, including annual and sick time off and paid holidays
• Retirement savings options
• Employee discounts, including tickets to many Orlando attractions
• Education assistance
• And more…

Unless explicitly stated on the job posting, it is UCF’s expectation that an employee of UCF will reside in Florida as of the date the employment begins.

Department

General Counsel

Work Schedule

Monday‑Friday, 8:00AM to 5:00PM; evenings and weekends as required

Type of Appointment

Regular

Expected Salary

Negotiable

Job Posting End Date

11-17-2026-12-00-AM

The University of Central Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.

As a Florida public university, the University of Central Florida makes all application materials and selection procedures available to the public upon request.

UCF is proud to be a smoke‑free campus and an E‑Verify employer.