Associate Counsel

the National Inventors Hall of Fame•North Canton, OH

18h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Associate Counsel is a key member of NIHF’s Legal and Risk & Compliance functions, providing practical, business-focused legal guidance across the organization. Reporting to the Chief Legal & Compliance Officer, the role supports contracts, regulatory compliance, organizational risk, educational programs, and general operations, with particular focus on nationally operated educational programs and a complex federal, state, and local regulatory environment. The Associate Counsel researches and interprets legal requirements, assesses risk, develops practical solutions, and strengthens organizational policies and processes. The role is intended to grow into a trusted legal partner across NIHF, working under the Chief Legal & Compliance Officer’s direction on matters involving significant legal, regulatory, reputational, or organizational risk.

Requirements

Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school.
Active license and good standing in at least one U.S. jurisdiction, with ability to satisfy applicable requirements for practice as in-house counsel in Ohio.
Approximately 3–5 years of relevant legal experience in a law firm, in-house legal department, government agency, nonprofit organization, or a combination thereof.
Experience independently conducting legal research, drafting legal documents, and advising clients or internal stakeholders.
Strong legal research, analytical, drafting, issue-spotting, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to quickly develop working knowledge in new and unfamiliar areas of law and apply it to practical organizational needs.
Sound judgment, ability to independently manage appropriate matters, and ability to recognize when an issue should be escalated.
Ability to explain complex legal and regulatory requirements clearly and practically to non-lawyers.
Practical, solutions-oriented approach that balances legal risk with NIHF’s mission and operational objectives.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills and ability to build trusted working relationships across departments and organizational levels.
Strong organizational, project-management, and time-management skills; ability to manage multiple priorities and drive matters to completion.
High attention to detail, professionalism, and commitment to confidentiality.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively on a small Legal team and in cross-functional settings.
Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft 365.
Ability to regularly work in the office and attend in-person meetings.
Ability to communicate effectively by email, chat, phone, and in-person meetings.
Regular, reliable, and punctual attendance.

Responsibilities

Research, analyze, and advise on federal, state, and local laws and regulations affecting NIHF programs and operations, and translate requirements into practical guidance.
Support development and maintenance of NIHF’s multi-state legal and regulatory framework, including monitoring developments and preparing compliance matrices, guidance documents, checklists, and other tools.
Provide legal guidance for educational programs and multi-state operations, including regulatory requirements, participant considerations, operational matters, and emerging legal issues.
Partner with Operations, Sales, Education, Customer Relations, and other teams on legal requirements for camps and youth programs.
Provide legal support on product safety and regulatory matters, collaborating with internal teams, technical resources, and outside counsel as needed.
Prepare, review, and negotiate agreements and other legal documents for programs, operations, partnerships, vendors, schools, funders, and other business relationships.
Advise on contractual and business matters, including risk allocation, insurance, confidentiality, privacy and data security, and intellectual property.
Draft and review organizational policies, procedures, waivers, releases, notices, training materials, participant-facing materials, and operational guidance.
Support identification and mitigation of emerging legal, regulatory, operational, and organizational risks, and development of safeguards, policies, processes, controls, documentation standards, and escalation protocols.
Help develop efficient Legal workflows, intake procedures, templates, trackers, knowledge-management resources, and organized legal and regulatory records.
Manage appropriate legal projects, including timelines, deliverables, budgets, and follow-up.
Stay current on relevant laws, regulations, and legal developments and proactively identify potential implications for NIHF.
Provide day-to-day legal support across the organization and assist with other legal matters and special projects as needed.

Benefits

Medical, dental, vision, and insurance plans
Flexible spending accounts
Company-paid life and disability coverage
401(k) plan with up to a 4% employer match and 100% vesting upon initial contribution
Paid time off and paid holidays
Year-end closure from December 24 through January 1
Critical illness, hospital, and accident supplemental income plans
Pet insurance
On-site workout facility
Alternate workday scheduling
Option for hybrid remote work after 90 days
Opportunities for growth and professional development