Assistant General Counsel

 

Background

The Public Interest Network operates more than 15 organizations — including U.S. PIRG, Environment America, Green Corps, and the National Environmental Law Center — that are committed to a cutting-edge vision of a better world, a set of core values, and a strategic approach to change. We’re transpartisan. We value dialogue over polarization. We invest in people and strategies that deliver results, including advocacy, lobbying, campaigning, litigation, policy research and grassroots organizing. And over the past 45 years, our coordinated approach has won hundreds of victories.

We focus on tackling some of the big questions facing our country – how to make sure the next generation has clean air, clean water and a livable climate; how to transform our energy and transportation systems to meet the needs of today, not the last century; how to grow and raise our food in ways that leave both people and our environment healthier, and more. If our approach to change and the issues we work on sound exciting to you, apply to join our team.

 

Current campaigns include: defending clean car standards, protecting the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, stopping the overuse of antibiotics in factory farms, banning Roundup, getting big money out of politics, reining in the high costs of healthcare and prescription drugs, and closing corporate tax loopholes to ensure corporations are paying their fair share. We also work closely with the Fund for the Public Interest, which conducts fundraising, membership-building, and other organization-building efforts on behalf of organizations both inside and outside the network.  

Job Description

We are seeking an Assistant General Counsel who is passionate about the issues we are working on and committed to helping organizations achieve real change.

Representative responsibilities include:

  • Corporate and Tax Compliance: Fostering sound corporate governance practices, maintaining the organizations’ good standing with federal and state corporate and tax regulators, and ensuring compliance with IRS guidelines relating to lobbying and political activities of nonprofit organizations.
  • Employment Practices: Advising on employment matters and benefits systems, ensuring compliance with employment laws, training of all staff managers and review of employment materials, and defending against employment-related claims.
  • Election Law & Campaign Finance: Advising groups on options & structures for election-related work, including formation of PACs, 527s, & ballot issue committees; advising on non-partisan voter registration drives, neighborhood voter contact programs, tracking & reporting to FEC & state agencies, and guidelines for fundraising & communications.
  • First Amendment & Charitable Solicitation: Representing the organizations’ right to conduct door-to-door and street canvassing in cities and towns across the country.
  • Contracts: Drafting and reviewing contracts, leases, grant agreements, and other legal documents.
  • Risk Management: Working with the organization’s’ leaders to reduce liability risk through adopting policies that protect the organizations from legal exposure.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have a J.D., excellent academic credentials, ideally one to five years of legal experience working in one or more of the practice areas described above, and a strong desire to commit to nonprofit and political work.

Successful candidates will also bring the following skills and attributes to the position:

  • Excellent verbal & written communication, research and negotiation skills;
  • Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously in diverse legal subject areas;
  • A team orientation that combines strong leadership, congeniality and creativity to drive and motivate others;
  • An outstanding work ethic and the ability to drive organizational change;
  • Enthusiasm for the mission of The Public Interest Network and its member organizations to effect grassroots social change, and a goal-oriented, activist orientation;
  • Comfort working with both the most senior staff (CEO, Executive Directors, other senior management staff) on major organizational strategies, and with training brand new staff on basic relevant legal principles in an understandable way; and
  • Prior experience working with or advising nonprofit organizations. Firsthand experience doing organizing, issue advocacy, or political work is a plus.

Salary & Benefits

Target annual compensation for this position is commensurate with the relevant professional experience and/or advanced degrees that a candidate has.

 

Location

Denver, CO preferred. Candidates in Boston, MA, or Washington, DC, also considered.

Application

To apply online, click here: https://publicinterestnetwork.org/application.html?utm_source=other&utm_medium=web-ad&utm_campaign=FUND-TPINfall2018&utm_term=214&utm_content=LAT_F_11-8.

Please direct your cover letter to Betsy Grossman, General Counsel, and specify that you are applying for the Assistant General Counsel position.

The Public Interest Network is a group of organizations that share a vision of a better future, a set of core values, and a strategic approach to making positive change. Click here for things you should know about our network when you apply.

The Public Interest Network is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, religion, age, sex, disability, pregnancy or veteran status.