• Job Description

  Req#: WDR-00038563

  The Office of General Counsel (“OGC”) includes approximately 20 attorneys and seven staff who provide legal services and advice to all Cornell campuses and units in the United States and abroad. The office operates from two locations: the main Cornell campus in Ithaca, New York, and the Weill Cornell Medicine campus in New York City.

  Attorneys in the OGC collaborate with campus colleagues across a broad range of disciplines, providing advice and counsel on all legal matters affecting the University. The office is organized into four main practice groups – Litigation, Administrative Proceedings, and Regulatory Compliance; Research, Technology and Academic Innovation; Business, Charitable Giving, and Transactions; and People and Belonging.

  The OGC also provides university and departmental trainings and workshops on legal and regulatory matters, and attorneys write and speak regularly at state and national conferences on higher education law and related matters.

  What you will do:

  The Law Fellow provides general legal research and technical support for the attorneys in the Office of General Counsel with particular emphasis on programs and initiatives that enhance the university’s commitment to an equitable academic community.

  This one-year appointment is suggested for a recent law school graduate or an early career attorney with fewer than two years of practice experience who has an interest in higher education law. The one-year appointment may be renewed or extended for one additional year.

  This position is intended to be in-person, based in Ithaca, New York. The successful candidate will be expected to work primarily in the Ithaca office. OGC staff currently have the option to work remotely two days a week.

  The Law Fellow will work across the OGC’s four practice groups to conduct comprehensive legal research and benchmarking surveys; provide legal review of policies; assist in policy development; prepare educational content and training materials; and draft and review contracts and agreements. While the Law Fellow will receive projects across the breadth of practice specialties in the office, the Law Fellow may also have the opportunity to pursue additional subject matter experience in timely and emerging areas of law relevant to higher education.

  Minimum Requirements.

  • J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school by July 1, 2024.

  • Letter of recommendation from a member of the legal profession who can personally comment on the candidate’s aptitude for one or more of the core competencies for the position.

  Core Competencies.

  • Demonstrated interests in higher education law and creating equitable and inclusive academic communities.

  • Demonstrated ability to organize information with an analytical mindset to create clear and professionally designed written deliverables.

  • Demonstrated ability to maintain exceptional ethical standards and consistently demonstrate sound professional judgment.

  • Demonstrated ability to practice discretion, maintain professional confidences, and protect privileged communications.

  • Superior and professional writing, communication, and presentation skills.

  • Capacity to thrive professionally in a vibrant academic community and to approach complex legal challenges with a growth mindset, flexibility, creativity, and with measured temperament.

  • General knowledge of Microsoft Office suite of applications and other software programs to develop presentations and work product in a variety of formats to meet client expectations. Experience with Mac operating system is preferred.

  Compensation

  • $75,000/year with benefits.

  Rewards and Benefits

  • This position is situated in picturesque Ithaca, New York, the heart of the Finger Lakes. Ithaca is home to two academic institutions, state parks, waterfalls, gorges, and a wide range of art galleries, theaters, eateries, wineries, and breweries. Ithaca has something to suit all ages and interests.

  • Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, sustainability, and diversity initiatives.

  • Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. We invite you to follow this link to get more information about our benefits: https://hr.cornell.edu/benefits-pay.

  • Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: https://hr.cornell.edu/jobs/your-total-rewards.

  • Our leave provisions include health and personal leave, vacation and paid holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1.

  Living and Working in Ithaca

  Tompkins County is one of Upstate New York’s most naturally beautiful, economically prosperous, and intellectually engaging places. For more information about living and working in Ithaca and Tompkins County, please visit: https://www.liveinithaca.org/

  No employment visa sponsorship is available for this position.

  Familiarize yourself with Cornell's COVID-19 workplace guidance as well as the university's COVID-19 services and information .

  University Job Title:

  Law Fellow

  Job Family:

  Temporary Teaching

  Level:

  No Grade - Annual

  Pay Rate Type:

  Salary

  Pay Range:

  Refer to Posting Language

  Remote Option Availability:

  Hybrid Remote

  Company:

  Contact Name:

  Brenda Joly

  Job Titles and Pay Ranges:

  Non-Union Positions

  Noted pay ranges reflect the potential pay opportunity for each job profile. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

  • Prior relevant work or industry experience

  • Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position

  • Unique applicable skills

  • Academic Discipline (faculty pay ranges reflects 9-month annual salary)

  To learn more about Cornell’s non-union staff job titles and pay ranges, see Career Navigator.

  Union Positions

  The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined in accordance with the rates in the respective collective bargaining agreement. To learn more about Cornell’s union wages, see Union Pay Rates.

  Current Employees:

  If you currently work at Cornell University, please exit this website and log in to Workday using your Net ID and password. Select the Career icon on your Home dashboard to view jobs at Cornell.

  Online Submission Guidelines:

  Most positions at Cornell will require you to apply online and submit both a resume/CV and cover letter. You can upload documents either by “dragging and dropping” them into the dropbox or by using the “upload” icon on the application page. For more detailed instructions on how to apply to a job at Cornell, visit How We Hire on the HR website.

  Employment Assistance:

  For general questions about the position or the application process, please contact the Recruiter listed in the job posting or email mycareer@cornell.edu.

  If you require an accommodation for a disability in order to complete an employment application or to participate in the recruiting process, you are encouraged to contact Cornell University's Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX at voice (607) 255-2242, or email at equity@cornell.edu.

  Applicants that do not have internet access are encouraged to visit your local library, or local Department of Labor. You may also visit the office of Workforce Recruitment and Retention Monday - Friday between the hours of 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. to use a dedicated workstation to complete an online application.

  Notice to Applicants:

  Please read the required Notice to Applicants statement by clicking here . This notice contains important information about applying for a position at Cornell as well as some of your rights and responsibilities as an applicant.

  EEO Statement:

  Diversity and Inclusion are a part of Cornell University’s heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, and we do not tolerate discrimination based on any protected characteristic, including race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex/gender, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.

  Cornell University embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff to all identities and backgrounds. We encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply.

  2023-08-03

• About the company

  Cornell University is a private Ivy League and statutory land-grant research university, based in Ithaca, New York.

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