Western Governors University - Staff Attorney

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 **Current WGU employees must submit their internal application before 03-07-23 to be considered for the position.**​

The Corporation of Western Governors University seeks to fill the position of Staff Attorney I in the University’s Office of General Counsel (OGC). Reporting to a Senior Associate General Counsel (or Director, OGC), the Staff Attorney I will provide a wide range of legal services to support the University’s mission to improve quality and expand access to post-secondary educational opportunities.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

  • Provides legal research, analysis, and project support on a wide variety of client issues including intellectual property, student affairs, privacy, employment, regulatory compliance, and other issues impacting WGU and its affiliate entities. 

  • Assists in drafting and reviewing contracts for a variety of business transactions, ensuring alignment with university standards and business goals.

  • Evaluates and drafts potential responses and/or legal memorandum on specific questions of law.

  • Provides timely respond to all inquiries

  • Performs other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skill and Abilities:

  • Sound independent judgment and professional integrity

  • Prompt and effective research, analytical, and writing skills.

  • Ability to build relationships within the OGC and the University 

  • Ability to accurately prioritize and respond to issues and requests.

  • Ability to identify solutions that combine legal considerations with institutional needs.

  • Ability to think creatively and offer informed opinions.

  • Prompt development of knowledge in a wide range of legal areas.

  • Ability to monitor and manage multiple, concurrent matters.

Competencies: 

Organizational Impact:

  • Works to achieve operational targets within job areas that impact on the overall achievement of results for the job area.

  • Work is limited in scope and typically task-related or less complex. Work is closely supervised.

Problem Solving & Decision Making:

  • Responsible for employing minor changes in system and processes to solve problems.

  • Identifies, defines, and addresses problems that are not immediately evident but typically not complex. Issues generally are within the immediate job area and solved through prior experiences or standard procedures.

Communication & Influence:

  • Collaborates with contacts typically within the job area to obtain information or provide explanations and interpretation. ​

Job Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Juris Doctorate degree from an ABA-accredited law school.

  • Licensed and in good standing to practice law in Utah, or admissible at the earliest opportunity (no later than 6 months from the position start date).

  • Up to 3 years of experience in active legal practice or other related experience or a combination of related learning and experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Experience or desire to learn about legal practice in higher education or nonprofit organizations.

  • Broad educational and professional interests illustrating intellectual curiosity.

Here’s the link to apply.