General Counsel (Washington DC-Baltimore Area)

Our client is a mission-driven nonprofit serving immigrants and working class people in the DC metro area as well as other states. This role is hybrid and is expected to be in the office 2-3 days per week. Bilingual speaker (English/Spanish) preferred.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The General Counsel will serve as the organization’s primary legal officer, advising senior leadership on key institutional decisions, ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations. The General Counsel protects the organization’s legal interests while advancing mission through practical, values-based guidance that balances legal compliance, organizational strategy, and risk management. This position oversees critical legal risk and compliance matters across the organization and affiliate entities, including but not limited to nonprofit, advocacy, and political matters, ensuring compliance and application of federal, state, and local laws while supporting growth and advancement of the organization’s mission and values.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

In-House Counsel

Strategic Legal Advisor

• Serve as the organization’s primary in-house organizational legal adviser on all legal matters affecting the organization operations, governance, and strategic initiatives
• Build relationships and lead partnerships with pro bono and industry specific external counsel
• Oversee and guide teams on organizational protection and defense work ensuring compliance protocols across all departments and programs are developed, implemented and monitored
• Provide timely, practical legal advice that supports mission-driven decisions while managing organizational risk
• Advise executive leadership on emerging legal risks and opportunities
• Develop proactive legal strategies that strengthen resilience and operational effectiveness
• Provide legal guidance, leading and/or collaborating execution with other relevant staff, during organizational crises and emergency response situations

People & Culture Partnership

• Partner closely with People & Culture department and executive leadership to support and advise on union relations, employment law, personnel policies, and all other employment-related legal matters
• Provide legal support during internal workplace investigations involving employee complaints, harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and misconduct.
• Counsel leadership regarding severance agreements and other relevant contracts
• Serve as legal advisor on collective bargaining agreement negotiations - including strategy development, labor-management relations, union engagement, grievance processes, arbitrations, and contract implementation

Compliance and Risk Management

• Lead organization wide legal compliance initiatives including relevant policy creation, updates, and staff trainings
• Advise leadership on nonprofit governance requirements, charitable compliance, lobbying regulations, political activity restrictions, campaign finance considerations, and tax-exempt compliance
• Oversee document retention, records management, and information governance policies
• Monitor and advise on changes in laws affecting the organization, immigrant rights, employment, elections, privacy, technology, election and advocacy issues
• Review organizational insurance coverage and advise on claims and risk mitigation

Litigation

• Manage actual, threatened, and potential litigation directly involving the organization, particularly where the organization is a named party
• Manage potential threats of investigations assessing risk, likelihood, protection measures, and communications and trainings for all staff
• Advise on and develop litigation strategy in partnership with executive leadership
• Establish and administer document preservation efforts and litigation hold procedures
• Ensure collection, organization, review, and production of records in response to litigation, subpoenas, administrative investigations, and government inquires
• Create and maintain systems that ensure records are properly retained, organized, protected, and readily accessible for legal and operational purposes
• In partnership with organization colleagues, support the Legal Department’s impact litigation efforts to advance mission and protect members

Governance and Other

• Advise the Board and executive leadership on governance matters
• Prepare and review board resolutions, governance policies, bylaws, and corporate records
• Lead on relevant disclosures and governance best practices ensuring compliance
• Draft, negotiate, and review contracts, memos of understanding, consulting agreements, grant agreements, leases, licensing agreements, and partnership agreements
• Develop contract standards and approval processes
• Advise on legal and organizational risks in contractual relationships
• Advise on privacy laws, confidentiality obligations, cybersecurity incidents, and data governance
• Partner with Information Technology department regarding incident response planning and data breach response
• Lead legal review of relevant organizational policies and procedures ensuring they reflect current legal requirements and organizational values
• Perform other duties consistent with the responsibilities of the General Counsel role

EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS:

• J.D. degree with a minimum of 8 years legal experience
• Civil litigation experience preferred, ideally including experience in one or more of the legal areas where the organization works
• Active membership in good standing with the Maryland State Bar
• Significant legal experience supporting nonprofit organizations, labor and employment law, governance

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:

• Creative, movement oriented lawyer with deep expertise in organizational governance and protection, risk management, and compliance
• Deep commitment to social change through a lens that protects and strengthens the organization
• Significant experience in and strong commitment to workers’ and immigrants’ rights, including experience working with immigrant communities
• Strong interpersonal communication, conflict resolution and negotiation skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to work independently with minimal supervision and manage multiple ongoing projects simultaneously
• Valid US Driver’s License and own transportation is a must
• Bilingual English/Spanish (preferred but not required)

COMPENSATION: $120,000 - $130,000