Senior Associate General Counsel

Brown University; Providence (RI); Hybrid; USD 218,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Brown University is seeking a Senior Associate General Counsel to provide legal and risk management guidance across a wide range of university operations from student life to regulatory compliance.

The role involves advising senior leadership, coordinating with outside counsel, and maintaining preventative law practices while advancing university initiatives. Onsite hybrid work in Providence, RI is required, with a salary range reflecting senior legal leadership.

Qualifications

• Minimum 15 years of work experience in law with progressively complex leadership
• BA/BS from college or university; JD from ABA-accredited law school
• Member in good standing and licensed to practice law; RI admission within 1 year
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Demonstrates discretion, collaboration, and ability to manage competing priorities
• Experience with federal/state regulatory bodies and higher education environment
• Advanced knowledge of federal/state laws and regulatory interpretation
• Ability to draft memos, opinions, and correspondence on legal issues
• Excellent judgment, verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to multi-task and work with senior leadership across campus

Responsibilities

• Provide legal, risk management and general advice to university officers and departments
• Collaborate with outside counsel and manage discovery, briefs, motions and settlements
• Provide compliance counseling on federal, state and local laws affecting higher education
• Maintain preventative law practices with presentations, templates and checklists for efficiency

Skills

Leadership

Discretion

Communication

Critical thinking

Negotiation

Policy analysis

Education

BA/BS

JD (ABA-accredited)

Job description

Position Overview

The senior associate general counsel provides legal and risk management advice and counsel on issues relevant to higher education. At the discretion of the general counsel, the position may focus on one or more of the following areas: student affairs and campus life, civil rights and equal opportunity, the research enterprise, regulatory compliance, campus safety and security, athletics, Title IX, admissions, labor and employment, immigration, intellectual property, museum collections, real estate, capital projects, tax matters, data privacy and security, environmental health, advancement, government and community relations, and academic issues.

The position requires comprehensive knowledge of federal and state laws, regulations, and guidance documents and the ability to respond to inquiries, subpoenas, and complaints from federal and state agencies on compliance issues. It selects, oversees, and interacts with the university’s outside counsel. This is a senior attorney position responsible for handling highly specialized and complex practice areas, and possesses advanced knowledge in numerous practice areas. The scope of influence is high with senior university leaders among the President’s Cabinet and Executive Committee.

This position is distinguished from the associate general counsel position by the level of responsibility and the independence of action involved in advising and counseling senior leadership, by familiarity with the higher education environment enabling effective partnerships with business units across campus, and by senior-level experience leading teams across a range and depth of issues. The senior associate general counsel serves on high-profile university task forces, working groups and committees.

Primary Responsibilities

1. Provides legal, risk management, and general advice to assigned university officers and departments on a wide range of issues impacting the university on a daily basis. The Senior Associate General Counsel is assigned campus partners in the major divisions of the university and its schools, libraries, departments, centers and institutes based on the attorney’s areas of expertise and experience. It is expected that the attorney learns the goals and initiatives of the campus partner units and understands the complexities of the operations, challenges, opportunities, projects, transactions, and strategies. The attorney is expected to develop positive and trusted professional relationships with the pertinent senior leaders in their assigned areas. For non-litigation matters, the attorney is responsible for identifying and assessing issues, challenges and opportunities for each project area and provides advice on transactions, deals, negotiations, affiliated entities’ creation and governance, and other business matters that are highly specialized and complex.
2. Selects, oversees and collaborates with outside counsel on specialized areas of the law and on pending and threatened litigation and government enforcement action. The attorney is the point of contact with outside counsel and is responsible for reviewing and advising on all discovery, briefs, motions, and settlement negotiations on behalf of the university, for generating briefings for university leadership, and for engaging relevant units as needed (e.g., Communications, Advancement, UHR). For grievances and administrative complaints or investigations, the attorney is responsible for handling or managing.
3. Provides compliance counseling and advice on the voluminous federal, state and local laws and regulations that impact higher education. Monitors developments in relevant and assigned areas of the law by keeping current on legal developments, legislative and regulatory changes, networking with other attorneys, and attending legal conferences, webinars, and seminars. Drafts, interprets and advises on university policies and procedures.
4. Maintains a strong preventative law practice, informing key campus partners on relevant legal trends and compliance issues, including but not limited to presentations, workshops and newsletters, and creating templates and checklists to enhance university efficiencies and effectiveness.

Required Qualifications

• A minimum of 15 years’ work experience or a comparable level of performance and leadership in the practice of law, progressively more complex, and substantial expertise in multiple practice areas relevant to higher education, in a well-known, reputable firm and/or in‑house counsel legal department. May substitute relevant experience in federal judicial clerkships or other federal government legal service.
• B.A./B.S. from college or university; J.D. from an ABA accredited law school.
• Member in good standing and licensed to practice law for a state bar association (to be admitted in R.I. within 1 year of hire).
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Demonstrates discretion, flexibility, collaboration, and the ability to manage projects with competing interests.
• Demonstrates high ethical standards, mature judgment and discretion.
• Experience with federal and state regulatory bodies on the interpretation and application of statutes, regulations and administrative codes.
• Demonstrates understanding of unique and complex‑decision‑making dynamics associated with working in a private elite university.
• Possesses advanced knowledge of federal and state laws and regulations and ability to provide advice.
• Researches and drafts memorandum, opinions, and correspondence on legal and risk management issues.
• Excellent judgment and ability to balance legal risks with business and policy strategy.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to interact with university personnel and third parties.
• Excellent critical thinking and problem‑solving skills and demonstrated ability to resolve difficult and complex issues.
• The ability to multi‑task.
• Has or develops understanding of the unique and complex‑decision‑making dynamics working for a private elite university.

Application Instructions

Please submit a resume and cover letter. In your cover letter, briefly describe your experience with federally sponsored research law, research compliance, or higher education legal practice, and explain why this role aligns with your background.

This position may be structured at the Associate General Counsel level based on relevant experience. A background check satisfactory to Brown University is required.

Location and Remote Work

Hybrid Position: Onsite attendance in Providence, RI required at least three days per week.

Salary & Benefits

The Senior Associate General Counsel is a Grade 13 position. The salary range for this position is $218,000.00 to $240,000.00, commensurate with relevant experience.

Benefits of Working at Brown: Please review additional information on the Benefits of Working at Brown.

Recruiting Details

Start Date: 2026‑07‑10

Job Posting Title: Senior Associate General Counsel

Department: Office of the Vice President and General Counsel

Grade: Grade 13

Worker Type: Employee – Regular – Full time

Scheduled Weekly Hours: 37.5

Position Work Location: Hybrid

Submission Guidelines: To be considered for a staff position at Brown University, you must submit a separate application for each position you wish to be considered for. Applications are reviewed only for the specific position to which they are submitted and are not automatically considered for future openings. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

EEO Statement

Brown University provides equal opportunity and prohibits discrimination, harassment and retaliation based upon a person’s race, color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law, in the administration of its policies, programs, and activities. The University recognizes and rewards individuals on the basis of qualifications and performance. The University maintains certain affirmative action programs in compliance with applicable law.

Additional Information

Founding in 1764, Brown is a leading institution for education, discovery, and global intellectual progress as well as one of the largest employers in Rhode Island. Working at Brown brings more than just a paycheck and generous benefits; it offers an opportunity to contribute to a greater good.

More information about our salary ranges can be found here.