In-House Counsel

Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh & Allegheny County; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 85,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

The Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County seeks an In-House Counsel to provide strategic legal support across land use, construction, civil litigation, and administrative matters. The role reports to the Executive Director and supports SEA Board decisions.

Ideal candidates will have a law degree from an ABA-accredited school, PA bar licensure, and at least six years of progressively responsible legal experience, including complex commercial work.

Qualifications

• Law degree from an ABA-accredited school.
• Six years progressively responsible experience in law, including land use, transactions, civil and administrative litigation.
• Valid license to practice law in Pennsylvania (or eligible during probation).
• Membership in PA and Allegheny County Bar Associations and AAC.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal and strategic advice to the Executive Director and SEA Board.
• Advise on contracts, litigation, mediation, administrative processes, and legislation affecting operations.
• Manage real estate transactions and ensure compliance with laws.
• Review contracts, resolutions, memoranda of understanding, settlements, and other instruments.
• Coordinate preparation of Board agendas and meeting minutes.
• Seek process improvements in the Legal Department.
• Serve as Open Records Officer and respond to Right-to-Know requests.
• Oversee litigation with outside counsel; draft pleadings, motions, orders, and related documents.
• Work independently with limited supervision and coordinate with SEA team and outside counsel.

Skills

Negotiation

Drafting documents

Legal communication

Stakeholder management

Education

ABA-accredited law degree

Six years of legal experience

PA bar license

Bar association memberships

Job description

SPORTS & EXHIBITION AUTHORITY OF PITTSBURGH AND ALLEGHENY COUNTY

JOB TITLE: In-House Counsel

DATE UPDATED: 08/18/2026

EXEMPTION STATUS: Exempt

The Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County (SEA) develops first class sports, entertainment, recreational, and convention venues to benefit Pittsburgh’s economy and improve quality of life.

GENERAL

The In-House Counsel is responsible for finding sophisticated legal solutions to a variety of matters, including land use, construction law, civil litigation in the areas of tort, and administrative hearings and appeals. Your work will be a key component in delivering superior in-house legal services. The In-House Counsel reports directly to the SEA Executive Director.

Our ideal candidate for In-House Counsel has:

• Experience negotiating and drafting documents for complex commercial transactions, including, but not limited to, commercial and financial transactions.
• The demeanor to work with other lawyers, government officials, and managing internal client expectations while aligning competing priorities within a demanding portfolio.
• The ability to translate technical legal concepts into oral and written communication that connect with the intended audience.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Main areas of responsibility include but are not limited to the following:

1. Provides prompt legal and strategic advice to the Executive Director and SEA Board.
2. Advise the Authority, Boards, Department Heads and Authority Staff regarding contracts, litigation, mediation, administrative process and appeals, statutory interpretation, constitutional questions, court orders and opinions, and legislation affecting the Authority’s operations.
3. Manage real estate transactions and seeks process improvements while maintaining compliance with the Authority's enabling legislation and all other applicable state and federal laws.
4. Review for legal sufficiency the following types of documents: contracts, resolutions, memoranda of understanding, settlement agreements, and other instruments.
5. Coordinates the preparation of the Authority Board agenda and meeting minutes.
6. Seeks process improvement strategies for managing workflow in the Legal Department.
7. Serve as the Authority’s Open Records Officer and respond to all “Right-to-Know” requests.
8. Supervises and oversees litigation on behalf of the SEA with support from outside counsel:
   1. Litigate suits and appellate proceedings in state and federal courts, as well as before administrative agencies
   2. Draft pleadings, motions, orders, agreements, summaries, correspondence, policies and other legal documents and memoranda.
   3. Work with insurance companies as appropriate.
9. Work independently with limited supervision, exercise good professional judgment, and work well with outside counsel, as well as SEA team members.
10. Complete other duties as assigned.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, AND SKILLS REQUIRED

1. Law degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.
2. Six (6) years progressively responsible experience in the practice of law, specialized legal experience in land use, legal transactions, civil litigation, and administrative litigation.
3. A valid license, in good standing, to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and before the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, or in another state, subject to attainment of a valid license to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania during initial probationary period.
4. Member of the Pennsylvania and Allegheny County Bar Associations and the Association of Corporate Counsel.

SALARY RANGE: $85,000 – $115,000

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT: Must live or be willing to relocate to Allegheny County