Senior Corporate Counsel

Company Description

Covista is America's largest healthcare educator, serving more than 97,000 students and supported by a community of 385,000 alumni across five accredited institutions. Through personalized, tech-enabled education powered by 10,000 faculty and colleagues, Covista expands access to healthcare careers and addresses the U.S. healthcare workforce shortage at scale. Covista is the parent company of American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Chamberlain University, Ross University School of Medicine, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and Walden University.

Our colleagues come from a wide range of backgrounds, business, academia, healthcare, government and nonprofits, and are part of a culture where doing exceptional work and making a meaningful difference for students and society aren't separate goals—they're one and the same. This means creating an environment where colleagues can develop new skills, build careers that match their ambitions and see the tangible impact of their work on healthcare education and workforce development. Colleagues who deliver results and embrace new tools to work smarter are valued for their contributions. But what makes working at Covista distinctive is our impact. Our faculty and colleagues don't just support healthcare education—they shape it. This isn't abstract purpose work. It's solving real problems for real people in real communities while advancing careers.

We operate on a hybrid schedule with four in-office days per week (Monday–Thursday). This approach enhances creativity, innovation, communication, and relationship-building, fostering a dynamic and collaborative work environment.

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Job Description

The Sr. Corporate Counsel, Higher Education serves as a strategic legal advisor to Covista’s higher education institutions and corporate business functions. Reporting to the VP, Senior Associate General Counsel, this role partners closely with institutional and corporate leaders to advise on a broad range of legal, regulatory, academic, student, operational, and strategic matters.

This role supports Covista’s five Title IV higher education institutions, including institutions located in the U.S. and the Caribbean and will handle a diverse array of legal matters arising from Covista’s corporate functions and higher education institutions with a combined enrollment of 100,000 students.

Qualified candidates will exhibit exceptional experience and a practical, solution-driven, business-oriented approach to problem solving and exceptional interpersonal skills that facilitate prompt, constructive solutions for Covista’s institutions.

• Provides strategic legal counsel on day-to-day administrative, academic, operational and strategic matters for Covista’s Title IV higher education institutions.
• Works collaboratively and advises institutional departments, including student affairs, deans and registrar, to provide legal research, writing (including policy writing) and guidance on higher education-related matters, such as, student conduct, academic integrity, disability accommodations, student records and academic policy requirements.
• Interprets and applies higher education-related laws, regulations, rulings and guidance to Covista’s higher education institutions, and Covista’s business functions, including the Office of Nondiscrimination and Access and Office of Student Disability Services.
• Provides business support and legal guidance on domestic and international strategic partnership agreements, including negotiating, drafting and advising on agreements for complex initiatives.
• Creates proactive strategies to ensure compliance with relevant and contemplated institutional initiatives.
• Supports institutional reviews of student matters and prepares written responses to federal and state agencies and other external stakeholders.
• Oversees and supports the negotiation of institutional clinical affiliation agreements and other institution specific agreements. 
• Monitors emerging legal developments affecting for-profit higher education.
• Develops and delivers training on higher education-related legal and compliance matters for Covista’s higher education institutions and business functions.
• Actively collaborates with other legal department verticals, including Regulatory Affairs, Data Privacy and Litigation, in providing legal guidance to Covista’s institutions.
• Performs other duties as assigned
• Complies with all policies and standards

Qualifications

• J. D. from an accredited law school required.
• 10+ years prior experience as a practicing attorney with substantive experience in education required.
• Experience with U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights, state human rights departments and higher education accreditors and regulators required.
• Experience negotiating partnership agreements and/or clinical affiliation agreements required.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Must be licensed and an active member in good standing with a State bar within the United States.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex legal concepts into practical guidance for diverse audiences
• Strong client relationship management skills with the ability to build trusted relationships across all levels of the organization. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to work well in a fluid/fast-paced, highly collaborative, team environment.
• Demonstrated ability to advise leaders, exercise sound judgment and address complex legal issues.
• Demonstrated understanding of the laws, regulations and legal issues affecting higher education, including Title IX, Title VI, Section 504, FERPA and federal higher education policy.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to quickly evaluate legal risk and identify opportunities. 
• Possesses strong work ethic and customer service orientation.
• Must be a proactive self-starter with strong leadership skills and ability to work independently and efficiently, meeting deadlines with consistently high-quality work product in a fast-paced environment.

Additional Information

In support of the pay transparency laws enacted across the country, the expected salary range for this position is between $185,000 and $205,000. Actual pay will be adjusted based on job-related factors permitted by law, such as experience and training; geographic location; licensure and certifications; market factors; departmental budgets; and responsibility. Our Talent Acquisition Team will be happy to answer any questions you may have, and we look forward to learning more about your salary requirements. The position qualifies for the below benefits. 
Covista offers a robust suite of benefits including:

• Health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance
• 401k Retirement Program + 6% employer match
• Participation in Covista’s Flexible Time Off (FTO) Policy
• 12 Paid Holidays
  For more information related to our benefits please visit:
  You are also eligible to participate in an annual incentive program, subject to the rules governing the program, whereby an award, if any, depends on various factors, including, without limitation, individual and organizational performance.

Equal Opportunity – Minority / Female / Disability / V / Gender Identity / Sexual Orientation