About the position
The ACLU seeks applicants for the full-time position of Senior Associate Corporate Counsel in the Corporate Counsel's Office of the ACLU's National office in New York, NY. This is a hybrid role that has in-office requirements of two (2) days per week or eight (8) days per month. The ACLU leverages the resources of outside contractors to supplement the talents of its own staff and maximize its impact. To protect its tax-exempt status and its fundraising, advocacy, and litigation capabilities, the ACLU must maintain rigorous compliance with a myriad of federal, state, and local laws and regulations. The Office of Corporate Counsel provides the primary support for both of those efforts. We draft and negotiate contracts that vastly expand the organization's reach and support the functions of every department. We create compliance programs, train staff, and provide compliance advice, all with the goal of maintaining the highest standards of professional and business conduct.
Responsibilities
- Advise regularly on all compliance matters related to tax-exempt organization federal tax law issues, particularly focusing on managing political campaign intervention and lobbying definitions, and other important principles for 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), and 527 organizations.
- Advise staff across the organizations on federal tax law principles including unrelated business income tax, private benefit and commerciality analyses, Form 990 completion, formation and control of additional entities, and cost sharing protocols and processes.
- Support the Co-Chief Corporate Counsel for Regulatory Compliance in managing compliance with a variety of other regulatory regimes, specifically focusing on charitable solicitation law and consumer protection regulations.
- Assist as needed with contract drafting and negotiation, particularly contracts involving tax law or charitable solicitation law components.
- With the Co-Chief Corporate Counsels, lead development of training programs and processes for federal tax law compliance, as well as charitable sales promotion and cause marketing trainings and materials.
- Partner and advise on all federal tax law timekeeping, budget coding, and other tax compliance reporting for the organizations.
- Assist the Co-Chief Corporate Counsels with nonprofit governance issues as needed, including state nonprofit corporation law research and review of internal governance documents.
- Work effectively with outside counsel as necessary.
Requirements
- A JD degree from an accredited university.
- Admitted to practice in at least one state (NY preferred).
Nice-to-haves
- Three to four years' experience practicing in the areas of U.S. federal tax law for tax-exempt organizations, in an in-house or law firm environment.
- Experience with charitable solicitation regulation and commercial co-ventures.
- Experience with other regulatory regimes, including consumer protection regulation, trade sanctions, and state and local tax law, and with nonprofit corporate governance issues.
- Ability to navigate a complex organization and work in a fast-paced environment.
Benefits
- Generous paid time-off policy.
- Comprehensive healthcare benefits (including medical, dental and vision coverage, parental leave, gender affirming care & fertility treatment).
- 401k plan and employer match.
- Annual professional development funds, internal professional development programs and workshops.
