Litigation Associate Attorney

Company Description

By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.

Harvard University's Central Administration (CADM) is a 5,000+ employee organization that supports the university's overall excellence by understanding and serving the needs of its schools, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and surrounding communities. Through dynamic and collaborative partnerships, CADM provides high-quality and efficient services to the schools to help them achieve their goals.

The Associate Attorney position is primarily responsible for providing legal counsel directly to University clients on a wide range of matters related to complex litigation, investigations and disputes. The successful candidate will supervise outside counsel on large litigation, investigation, and other similar matters, independently will handle agency and court proceedings and responses to subpoenas and other demands for information, and also will partner with other OGC lawyers on complex and high-profile litigation and governmental and internal investigations, in addition to providing research on a broad range of legal topics and handling a wide array of legal matters.

• Providing legal advice/counsel on litigation and governmental and internal investigations, and other areas of law relevant to the University's mission and operations (e.g., corporate law, labor and employment issues, compliance, student and faculty affairs, University governance, research administration,etc.), often under tight deadlines.
• Representing the University in litigation, arbitration, mediation, or other disputes in court or before other government agencies or legal authorities.
• Supervising outside counsel in handling litigation matters, governmental agency proceedings, and internal university proceedings and investigations in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
• Liaising between internal clients and external legal counsel on complex legal matters as necessary.
• Researching, analyzing, and interpreting proposed and existing laws, statutes, and regulations.
• Identifying, evaluating, and addressing issues of legal risk, including with respect to emerging legal areas and novel or unusual factual situations.
• Structuring, drafting, negotiating and/or approving legal contracts, letters of agreement, policies, and other documents.

This position involves a hybrid work schedule (currently three days onsite/two days remote). The Office of the General Counsel may alter this schedule as the office’s needs and circumstances change. Employees will be expected to commute to the office in Cambridge as required.

Complying with the office’s work location requirements is a condition of continued employment.

JD; four to six years' experience in litigation or disputes law practice. Judicial clerkships may count toward years of experience. Admission to practice in Massachusetts or readiness to obtain admission to practice within one year.

Strong research, analytical, and writing skills; ability to manage a high volume docket and time-sensitive matters; good judgment and ability to work independently as well as cooperatively with others; fluency in the litigation process, including factual investigation, discovery, motion practice, and trial and appellate procedure; desire to devote substantial portion of working time to advising on University programs and activities, researching and analyzing a broad range of legal problems, handling litigation and other types of disputes, and drafting and reviewing various legal documents;

ability to manage a variety of legal matters that may arise at a large research university in addition to litigation and disputes; ability to provide legal advice on a timely basis, sometimes based on limited information and precedent; ability to adapt existing approaches to novel…