Assistant General Counsel

American Farmland Trust•Washington, DC

2d•Remote

About The Position

Under the direction of the General Counsel, the Assistant General Counsel handles routine to moderately complex legal projects and is a member of AFT’s three-person Legal Department. The position provides comprehensive legal guidance across the nonprofit’s corporate and governance, program, government relations and advocacy, development, communications and marketing, and land project activities. It supports legal compliance, risk mitigation, and AFT’s mission through practical legal strategy and counsel. The role advises staff and management on program matters, contracts, lobbying and ethics compliance, grants, fundraising, intellectual property, employment, privacy, cybersecurity, records retention, litigation, and real estate and conservation projects. It drafts, reviews, and negotiates agreements; conducts legal research; coordinates outside counsel; supports workplace investigations and internal policies; and develops staff training on compliance topics. The position works remotely, has no supervisory responsibility, and may require occasional evening or weekend work to meet deadlines. Travel is not expected to exceed 5%. The position is funded in whole or in part through grant funding, and its continuation is contingent on the availability and adequacy of that funding.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and Juris Doctor.
Admission to a state bar.
At least 3 years of legal experience or commensurate general legal and contracting experience.
Experience advising for-profit or nonprofit organizations on a wide range of business matters.
Ability to work effectively within a structured, collaborative organization and enterprise-wide decision-making processes.
Demonstrated adaptability, sound judgment, accountability, professionalism, emotional intelligence, and a solutions-oriented approach.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Ability to draft quality legal documents quickly and respond promptly and helpfully to staff needs.
Ability to work independently and use good judgment to manage legal risk within broadly defined policies and practices.
Ability to manage complex and substantially important assignments across multiple jurisdictions and multiple projects in a decentralized environment.
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work cooperatively and constructively as a team member.
Ability to gain acceptance of others in sensitive situations and anticipate problems and issues of concern.
Ability to maintain composure when working with colleagues with diverse personalities and work styles.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with OMB Uniform Guidance.
Familiarity with working with public agencies.
Experience with real estate transactions and conservation easements.
Familiarity with agricultural land protection and agricultural conservation easements.

Responsibilities

Act as the legal liaison for AFT programs and draft, review, and negotiate program-related legal documents.
Advise on advocacy and lobbying efforts and compliance with local, state, and federal lobbying and ethics laws.
Provide advice on nondisclosure agreements and support departments with legal research.
Manage entity formations, management, and dissolutions.
Draft, review, and negotiate contracts, subawards, memoranda of understanding, donor agreements, and other agreements.
Advise staff on federal and state grant compliance, including OMB Uniform Guidance requirements.
Advise development staff on commercial co-ventures, corporate sponsorships, and other fundraising matters.
Support management of contract templates and contracting processes.
Advise on protection and management of AFT intellectual property, including trademarks and copyrights.
Review and negotiate intellectual property licensing agreements and oversee trademark registration, maintenance, and infringement matters.
Advise management and human resources on employment law, employment policies, and compliance with federal and state employment laws.
Coordinate with outside employment counsel on complex matters.
Support workplace investigations and advise on appropriate remedial action.
Provide legal support for internal controls and policies, and address data privacy, cybersecurity, and records-retention matters.
Manage litigation, including engaging and overseeing outside litigation counsel.
Evaluate legal claims and defenses, make strategic recommendations, and coordinate discovery responses and document preservation.
Support and advise program staff on land projects, including conservation easement acquisitions, Buy-Protect-Sell transactions, Farm Legacy real property gifts, leasing, and other real property transactions.
Draft agreements and contracts for land projects and review partner documentation.
Advise on conservation easement stewardship, enforcement, and defense.
Support preparation and review of materials for the Land Projects Committee of AFT’s Board of Directors.
Research real property law issues and other legal issues affecting AFT.
Serve as a trusted legal advisor to all departments and provide practical, mission-aligned counsel.
Develop and deliver staff training on legal compliance topics.
Support special projects and initiatives requiring legal input and stay current on relevant legal developments.
Perform other legal duties as assigned.

Benefits

Medical and prescription coverage
Dental coverage
Vision coverage
Company-paid life insurance and long-term disability
Voluntary life insurance
Healthcare and dependent-care flexible spending accounts
Health savings account
401(k) plan
13 sick days per year for regular full-time employees
15 vacation days during the first year, increasing by one day per year up to 20 days per year
Twelve fixed holidays
A week off between Christmas and New Year’s when all offices are closed
Up to three floating holidays, depending on hiring month
Remote work opportunity