General Counsel

Department: Office of General Counsel
Reports To: President and Chief Executive Officer
Pay Grade: V

Position Summary:

The General Counsel is the vital leader of the Atlanta Housing’s(“AH”) in-house legal team devoted to preserving and creating affordable housing resources throughout the city of Atlanta. This legal support facilitates affordable housing resources for nearly 26,000+ low-income households comprised of approximately 50,000 people. The General Counsel serves as the primary legal advisor to the President and Chief Executive Officer in directing the legal affairs of The Housing Authority of the City of Atlanta, Georgia(“AH”), the AH Board of Commissioners and AH’s affiliated entities. This role and provides strategic guidance and legal counsel on high-profile, sensitive, complex and other legal matters impacting the activities of the organization and leads and manages the day-to-day oversight and execution of AH’s Office of General Counsel(“OGC”). The incumbent ensures maximum protection of the organization’s legal rights, utilizing a broad familiarity with most major legal disciplines including real estate development, real estate preservation, affordable housing, federal government law, state and local government law, transactions, corporate, sunshine laws, contracts, HUD programs, fair housing, personal/premises liability, human resources, litigation and other corporate and property related legal disciplines.

The General Counsel is a key member of the Executive Leadership Team and participates in executive and senior management policy deliberations. The incumbent also delivers strategic and legal advice to AH Business Units, directs the defense of the organization against suits and claims, prepares prosecution of the organization’s claims against others, supervises the provision of legal advice and assistance to the organization with outside law firms procured to provide general and specialized legal services. The General Counsel role requires direct execution and is also responsible for the professional leadership development of attorneys and administrative support staff within OGC.

• Performs high-level legal, policy and corporate counsel responsibilities related to AH’s governing Board of Commissioners, AH’s affiliates, AH’s Executive Team, other senior executives and AH’s Business Units.
• Acts as Assistant Secretary to the AH Board of Commissioners(“Board”) directing and overseeing the assigned Board Secretary functions for AH and its affiliated entities, including organizing and facilitating compliant monthly and annual Board meetings following Georgia’s Sunshine Laws, and corporate governance matters.
• Provides legal analysis and advice related to AH’s business activities and initiatives to ensure compliance with Federal, state and local laws, rulings and regulations, including United States Department of Housing and Urban Development(“HUD”) regulations and program guidelines.
• Provides legal services and outside counsel oversight related to AH’s high-profile, sensitive, complex and other routine matters, analyses and investigations involving employment, torts, real property, transactional, contracts, corporate, litigation, regulatory, insurance, fair housing, landlord/tenant, Georgia Sunshine Laws, HUD regulations and programs, Housing Choice Vouchers, Fair Housing, and other specialized matters, including recommendations for settlements, alternative dispute resolution, judicial action or other legal strategies.
• Coordinates and supervises the preparation and execution of legal documents, including various revitalization agreements, purchase and sale agreements, closing statements, declaration of trusts and restrictive covenants, corporate authority documents, legal opinions, escrow agreements, regulatory and operating agreements, intergovernmental agreements, easements, cooperation agreements, leases, licenses, affidavits, deeds, financing documents, memoranda, letters, transactional documents, legal opinions, data security, records retention, and other contracts or agreements.
• Provides strategic legal advice to formulate high-level policy and important strategic objectives associated with major AH real estate-related and other business and policy initiatives.
• Acts as Ethics Officer for AH.
• Hires, evaluates, and promotes subordinate attorneys, legal assistants, and paralegals, and provides overall leadership, mentoring and training to the OGC team.
• Performs such other related duties as required and/or assigned.

Knowledge & Skill Requirements:

• Judgment and Legal Skills : Superior judgment, reasoning and analytical abilities required to draft and review legal documents, filings and records, including an extreme diligence and a thorough understanding of all current legal issues.
• Leadership: Ability to lead and motivate teams, inspire confidence, and foster a positive work environment. Experience in managing professionals and guiding them towards common goals.
• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability effectively to convey complex ideas, build relationships, and represent AH’s interests to various legal and other stakeholders.
• Strategic Thinking: Demonstrated strong business acumen, strategic thinking and analytical skills and the ability to understand organizational challenges, identify opportunities, and develop actionable plans to achieve long-term objectives.
• Problem-Solving: Proven ability to analyze problems, generate creative solutions, and make sound decisions under pressure, including the adept ability to anticipate challenges and implement effective solutions.
• Project Management: Highly organized, meticulous, and capable of managing multiple projects simultaneously, including demonstrated experience in project management, including planning, execution, and monitoring of initiatives.
• Interpersonal Skills: Ability to build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including senior leaders, staff members, clients, and partners, including the ability to be diplomatic, approachable, possess superior judgment and tact and adept at conflict resolution.
• Collaboration: Demonstrated ability to work in a collaborative manner with colleagues, internal clients (across different departments and functions within the organization), partners and outside professionals, and the ability to facilitate communication and foster teamwork to achieve common goals.
• Adaptability: Demonstrated ability to exhibit flexibility and adaptability in a dynamic and fast-paced environment of multiple and possibly shifting priorities, including the ability quickly to adjust to changing priorities, navigate ambiguity, and thrive in uncertain situations or in an environment of multiple and shifting priorities.
• Ethical Integrity: Adherence to the highest standards of professional conduct and act with honesty, transparency, trust and credibility.
• Political Savvy: Demonstrated understanding of organizational politics and dynamics of the agency and key external partners and the ability to navigate complex relationships and influence decision-making processes effectively.
• Business Acumen: Knowledge of business principles, fiscal management, and industry trends for understanding the broader context in which the organization operates and makes informed strategic decisions.
• Technology: Requires a demonstrated proficiency of current office technology and software applications and demonstrated use of such technology/applications on a regular basis.

Education & Experience:

• Requires a Juris Doctorate degree(“JD”) from an accredited law school.
• Requires a bachelor's degree in business administration, management, public administration, economics, communications or a related field.
• At least twenty (20) years of related experience including leadership, executive-level advice and support, real estate and some general corporate work, and at least ten (10) or more years of management experience, preferably legal or regulatory management. Large law firm, government agency or in-house counsel experience a plus, but not required.
• Considerable experience providing legal advice to senior executives is required.
• Membership in the State Bar of Georgia in good standing.

Working Conditions:

Works in an office environment that is fast paced with multi-task working conditions. May require frequent bending, stooping, reaching and prolonged sitting and/or standing. May require regular lifting usually not exceeding 15 lbs. Some travel may be required. May require a valid State of Georgia driver's license and be fully insurable for the purpose of obtaining clearance on an authorized drivers list. May spend extended periods of time reviewing, reading and writing legal documents.