Senior Legal Counsel – Employment

The Community Solution Education System

Senior Legal Counsel providing strategic legal counsel on employment matters for nonprofit higher education systems. Collaborating with Human Resources and institutional leaders for effective legal guidance.

Posted 7/29/2026full-timeRemote • California • 🇺🇸 United StatesSeniorWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

Use this summary to align your resume positioning with the role.

Demonstrates extensive expertise in employment law, providing legal counsel and risk assessment while ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations. Proven ability to manage litigation, workplace investigations, and labor relations within a higher education context.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Employment Law ExpertiseLitigation ManagementRegulatory ComplianceWorkplace InvestigationsLabor Relations

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Legal CounselRisk AssessmentDispute ResolutionPolicy ImplementationLitigationWorkplace InvestigationsSettlement NegotiationInsurance Claims ManagementEmployment Law ComplianceRegulatory Law

Soft Skills

Advisory SkillsNegotiation SkillsAnalytical ThinkingCommunication SkillsProblem-Solving

Certifications & Qualifications

Juris Doctor (J.D.)Active License to Practice Law in California

Industry Keywords

Higher EducationFLSAADAFMLACalifornia Employment LawsCollective BargainingWorkforce ConsiderationsDiscriminationHarassmentRetaliation

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Providing practical legal counsel and risk assessment on day-to-day operational, administrative, and strategic matters supporting higher education system and institutional operations
Serving as lead counsel on employment-related disputes, including pre-litigation and litigation matters involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage and hour, workers’ compensation, and reasonable accommodation claims
Conducting and advising on complex workplace and student-related investigations and recommending legally sound, practical resolutions
Negotiating settlements, managing insurance claims, and partnering with outside counsel as appropriate to support effective case resolution
Advising on compliance with federal and state employment laws and regulations, including FLSA, ADA, FMLA, California employment laws, and matters involving state and federal regulatory agencies
Supporting labor relations matters, including collective bargaining and related workforce considerations

Requirements

What you’ll need

Minimum of 10 years of experience practicing employment law as a litigator or within a higher education environment
Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an ABA-accredited law school
Active license to practice law in California
Experience providing legal counsel and risk assessment on employment, labor, and workplace matters
Experience advising organizational leaders on complex employment issues, including workplace investigations, regulatory compliance, and dispute resolution
Strong knowledge of federal and state employment laws, including FLSA, ADA, FMLA, and California employment laws
Experience in litigation and general corporate and/or regulatory law (preferred)
Combined experience in both law firm and in-house legal environments (preferred)
Experience drafting, reviewing, and implementing policies and procedures within an organization (preferred)

Benefits

Comp & perks

Comprehensive health and welfare benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage
Voluntary benefit options
Employer-paid life and disability insurance
Retirement plan contributions
Employee assistance program
20 PTO days and 11 paid holidays annually
Distributed workforce model with remote work flexibility and a biweekly remote work stipend
Tuition reimbursement for eligible external degree programs
Tuition waivers at participating colleges within the System