Deputy General Counsel

LDF seeks an experienced Deputy General Counsel to partner with the Chief Operations Officer & General Counsel to operate an effective and efficient in-house legal department. The Deputy General Counsel must be a highly effective attorney with the legal skills, judgement, and customer-service orientation to help support teams and staff at LDF to deliver on our mission and goals. The Deputy General Counsel will be principally responsible for day-to-day legal department activities, including but not limited to legal research, advice and guidance; contract review and management; and managing the operations of the General Counsel's office as set forth below. This role requires a dynamic approach to address the range of issues involved. The Deputy General Counsel reports to the Chief Operations Officer & General Counsel. LDF operates in a hybrid work environment where employees are expected to be in the office a minimum of two days per week, unless otherwise indicated. Responsibilities: High-quality legal advice and guidance 37 Serve as a legal advisor to senior management and teams across LDF 37 Conduct legal research and analysis to support decision-making and the resolution of business issues 37 Provide legal advice and guidance in areas such as employment law, non-profit law, corporate governance, real property, business transactions, state regulations, intellectual property, and others 37 Collaborate with the Risk & Compliance team on risk management and provide legal advice and research on multi-state compliance, lobbying and political activity restrictions, charitable solicitation, and insurance needs 37 Support responses to claims, lawsuits, subpoenas, and similar actions involving LDF when needed, protecting the legal interests of LDF in judicial and administrative proceedings 37 Assist in drafting and developing policies and procedures, including the personnel manual, employee policies, and volunteer policies 37 Conduct legal research and prepare memoranda, correspondence, and legal documents 37 Represent LDF on organizational issues before federal and state administrative agencies when needed 37 Review estates and bequests and follow up on issues regarding same, including compliance with NYPMIFA and related laws 37 Consult on employment matters including union negotiations and grievances, employee dispute resolution, employee disciplinary matters, investigations, and terminations 37 Support the operation of LDF's ethics, whistleblower, and conflict of interest policies 37 Support with respect to practice-of-law and legal ethics issues as needed Contract oversight 37 Negotiate, draft, and review contracts of all types, including but not limited to vendor agreements, consulting agreements, grant agreements, leases, and license agreements, protecting LDF's interests and advancing its mission 37 Collaborate with the Operations team to continually improve use of the contract management system and completeness of LDF's contracting records 37 Develop and update template contracts aligned to business needs 37 Develop and update contracting playbooks and processes General Counsel's Office Operations 37 Strengthen internal processes to advance effectiveness, efficiency, and internal client service 37 Supervise outside legal counsel, ensuring cost-effective representation 37 Proactively monitor legal trends to identify areas of risk 37 Assist with document retention protocols 37 Develop and update legal operations playbooks and processes 37 Develop and monitor departmental goals and metrics 37 Maintain familiarity with civil rights litigation in areas of race and social justice to provide effective support aligned with LDF's mission Additional duties as assigned Qualifications: 37 J.D. from an accredited law school 37 At least ten (10) years of experience practicing law, with a strong preference for prior in-house or nonprofit organization experience 37 Commitment to the racial justice mission of LDF 37 Substantial experience reviewing and negotiating contracts 37 Experience in non-profit governance and tax-exempt organization law 37 Experience in one or more of the following areas of law (and a willingness to learn areas in which you have less experience): labor and employment, regulatory compliance, charitable giving, tax, torts, privacy, data management, and intellectual property 37 Experience managing relationships with other attorneys 37 Strong written and oral communication skills 37 Ability to work both collaboratively and independently 37 A commitment to the highest standards of professional conduct and the ability to exercise exceptional judgment, integrity, and ethics 37 Ability to operate with discretion and maintain confidentiality 37 Ability to translate legal risks and requirements into practical, mission-aligned business strategies and risk assessments 37 Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced environment, meet internal and external deadlines, use good time management and organizational skills, and prioritize among competing tasks 37 Admitted to the bar in the jurisdiction (New York or D.C.) where the candidate is applying. The total salary range for this position (a minimum of 10 years post-law school graduation), inclusive of compensation for additional administrative responsibilities, starts at and will be commensurate with experience: New York: $184,000 Washington, DC: $177,000 This is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, skills, efforts, requirements, or working conditions associated with the job. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other or different tasks be performed as assigned. This description does not constitute a contract of employment, and LDF may exercise its employment-at-will rights at any time. LDF offers all eligible employees a generous benefits package. To learn more, click the following link: 2026 Benefits Overview.