Associate General Counsel

The University of Alaska invites applications from experienced and highly productive licensed attorneys to serve as an Associate General Counsel within the Office of the General Counsel. The Office of the General Counsel provides legal advice to and administers the legal affairs of the Board of Regents and the University of Alaska system, including its major administrative units in Fairbanks, Anchorage, Juneau, and various community campuses statewide. The Associate General Counsel is a senior administrator reporting to the General Counsel who in turn reports directly to the President and Board of Regents of the University of Alaska.

The Office of the General Counsel offers a challenging environment and a unique opportunity to play a critical role in the life and success of an institution serving the needs of the people of Alaska. The AGCs work in a complex, yet collaborative environment analyzing and advising on a wide variety of legal issues (e.g., employment, collective bargaining, constitutional issues, contractual, law enforcement, environmental, finance, immigration, intellectual property, labor, litigation, and a unique regulatory environment). An AGC must have the ability to establish and maintain cooperative relationships, including with client representatives, colleagues, and outside counsel; and must be able to quickly gain a working knowledge of federal and state regulatory schemes, policies, programs, procedures and problems unique to the academic community and particularly to public higher education.

The Office of the General Counsel alternates between independent and collaborative working environments. The successful applicant will be able to function and thrive in both settings and will be able to establish and maintain cooperative relationships with a wide variety of constituencies and colleagues while maintaining a full professional level of skill as an attorney and advocate. In providing direct and indirect legal support to senior leadership and system-wide administrators tasked with managing institutional operations, the successful applicant should be able to approach and respond to any legal concerns which are raised with an eye to both the fiscal and operational impacts that such concerns may create.

As an AGC, you will need the ability to: analyze complex legal problems and apply legal principles, facts and precedents to a broad range of issues; effectively conduct complex legal research; present statements of fact, law and argument clearly and logically in written and oral form; draft rules, regulations and proposed legislation; analyze situations accurately and take effective action; plan, organize and coordinate with the work of others; analyze trends in legal interpretations; and effectively represent the University of Alaska in various legal forums including court, grievance proceedings and negotiations.

Minimum Qualifications:

A J.D. or LL.B. from an accredited law school and five or more years of experience as a practicing attorney with the ability to practice in Alaska or eligibility for and successful immediate admission by reciprocity. The practicing experience requirement may also be met through three years of experience as a practicing attorney combined with additional specialized experience within higher education or in related regulatory compliance areas. A demonstrated record of achievement handling complex legal undertakings and serving in positions requiring a high level of legal skill, judgment, interpersonal relations and planning, as well as a demonstrated interest in living in a sub-Arctic environment is required.

Position Details:

At the president's discretion, this position has been designated as an officer/senior administrator of the university and is therefore at-will as defined in University Regulation  04.01.050.C.

This position is located at the University of Alaska system office in Fairbanks, AK. This is a full-time, exempt executive officer position with both a competitive salary and a full employee benefits package. UA provides a generous compensation package that includes retirement options, annual leave, 12 paid holidays per year, tuition waivers for employees and family members, and affordable medical, dental, and vision care coverage. Compensation is commensurate with the experience required for the job.

Please submit a cover letter, resume, professional writing sample, and three (3) professional references.

Application review will begin on 10/11/2024, to ensure consideration, please apply by 11:55 PM, Alaska Standard Time on DAY BEFORE REVIEW DATE (10/10/2024).

*To be eligible for this position, applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without restriction.  Applicants who now or may in the future require visa sponsorship to work in the United States are not eligible.

The University of Alaska (UA) is responsible for providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities throughout the applicant screening process. If you need assistance in completing this application or during any phase of the interview process, please contact UA Human Resources by phone at 907-450-8200.

UA is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer, educational institution and provider and prohibits illegal discrimination against any individual: www.alaska.edu/nondiscrimination.

The successful applicant is required to complete a background check. Any offer of employment is contingent on the background check.

Your application for employment with the University of Alaska is subject to public disclosure under the Alaska Public Records Act.

If you have any questions regarding this position, please contact Sarah Morisky, UA SO HR Coordinator, at ua-so-hr@alaska.edu or (907)450-8245.

All employees at the University of Alaska are expected to uphold the highest standards of ethics and professionalism when conducting or engaged in university business.

*Each university within the University of Alaska system publishes an Annual Security and Fire Safety Report which contains information regarding campus safety and security including topics such as: campus law enforcement authority; crime reporting policies; campus alerts (Timely Warnings and Emergency Notifications); fire safety policies and procedures; programs to prevent dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking; the procedures the University will follow when one of these crimes is reported; and other matters of importance related to security on campus. The report also contains information about crime statistics for the three most recent calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus; in On-Campus Student Housing Facilities; in Noncampus buildings or property owned or controlled by the University or a recognized student organization; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus.  The report also contains fire statistics for any fires occurring in an On-Campus Student Housing Facility during the three most recent calendar years.  

Access to the reports is available at:

UAA: (Addresses Anchorage campus, Aviation Technology Complex, JBER - Elmendorf Extension, JBER - Richardson Extension, Kenai Peninsula College - Kachemak Bay campus, Kenai Peninsula College - Kenai River campus, Kodiak College, Kodiak High School Extension, Matanuska-Susitna College, Prince William Sound College, and Prince William Sound College - Cordova Extension) Online: https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/students/safety. Request a paper copy in person: UAA Police Department Office at Room 114 of Eugene Short Hall on the Anchorage campus / UAA Dean of Students Office at Room 122 of Rasmuson Hall on the Anchorage campus. Request a paper copy by mail: 907-786-1120 or police@uaa.alaska.edu / 907-786-1214 or uaa_deanofstudents@alaska.edu. 

UAF: (Addresses Fairbanks Campus, Bristol Bay Campus, Chukchi Campus, Community and Technical College, Kasitsna Bay Campus, Seward Marine Center, Tok Campus, Kuskokwim Campus, and Northwest Campus) Online: https://www.uaf.edu/orca/files/ASFSR.pdf. Request a paper copy in person: UAF Office of Rights, Compliance and Accountability on the 3rd Floor of Constitution Hall. Request a paper copy by mail: 907-474-7300 or uaf-orca@alaska.edu.

UAS: (Addresses the Juneau Auke Bay Campus, Juneau Technical Education Center, Sitka Campus, & Ketchikan Campus) Online: https://uas.alaska.edu/equity-and-compliance/docs/clery/UAS_ASFSR.pdf. Request a paper copy in person: Hendrickson Building, Suite 202 on the Juneau campus. Request a paper copy by mail: 907-796-6371 or emailing uas.clery@alaska.edu.