Job Summary: The General Counsel and Senior Vice Chancellor serves as chief legal counsel to the Board of Trustees (Board) of the University of Alabama System (UA System), which includes the University of Alabama, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and the UAB Health System. As the state's largest higher education and healthcare enterprise, the UA System collectively educates 70,000 students, conducts over $1 billion in research, serves millions of patients, and provides approximately 67,000 employment opportunities. The successful candidate will, therefore, advise the Board and fellow senior leadership on myriad legal matters in a complex, fast-paced environment. As an officer of the Board, the General Counsel is appointed by the Board and serves at its pleasure. The General Counsel reports administratively to the Chancellor, to whom the three university presidents report, and serves as a key member of the Chancellor's senior leadership team at the System Office, which coordinates among the component units of the UA System as appropriate and manages centralized System functions, including audit, legal, and external affairs.
Essential Duties
- Provide quality legal representation and advice to the Board, senior leadership, and the universities and entities that comprise The University of Alabama System
- Manage the Office of Counsel, which is comprised of approximately 28 attorneys and 12 legal support professionals
- As authorized by the Board, prosecute and defend claims and engage all outside counsel as necessary to represent the University's interests
Other Duties
- The position may be required to perform other duties as assigned
Supervisory Responsibilities
- Direct reports include UA Chief University Counsel, UAB Chief University Counsel, UAH Chief University Counsel, System Counsel, and Director of Legal Operations
Minimum Qualifications
- Graduate of an accredited school of law and licensed to practice law in the State of Alabama or become so licensed prior to the start date
- At least 20 years of legal experience
- Excellent academic credentials and legal reputation
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience advising governing boards
- Broad knowledge of legal issues related to higher education and healthcare, including without limitation statutory and regulatory compliance, employment, intercollegiate athletics, constitutional, intellectual property, corporate governance, real property, and research compliance
- Experience working with senior management teams to solve complex problems
- Experience managing a team of attorneys and legal support professionals
License and/or Certification requirements
- Licensed to practice law in the State of Alabama or become so licensed prior to the start date
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (Competencies)
- Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to build trust and credibility with a broad range of stakeholders
- Demonstrated ability to interact and influence at the most senior levels of the organization while working collaboratively, cooperatively, and strategically across all functions, levels, and departments
Application Instructions - Applications (to include a letter of interest, resume, and three professional references) must all be submitted online. You may be asked to provide additional application material, such as an unofficial law school transcript. To apply, please visit: