Corporate Counsel

Overview

Job Title: Corporate Counsel

Department: Legal

Location: Hybrid based in Washington, DC, or Durham, NC; or Remote based in Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina or Virginia

Today’s societal challenges are more complex, interconnected, and urgent than ever. Sunflower Services is comprised of over 240 professionals with deep expertise in the philanthropic sector. We provide support services to fiscal sponsors and intermediaries—and their hundreds of mission-driven projects—that are creating meaningful change. We welcome job-seekers who are motivated by results and driven by impact. For a list of current job openings at Sunflower, please visit our Linked In page.

Sunflower Services is an independent, nonprofit-owned Public Benefit Corporation dedicated to providing operational excellence to nonprofit and social impact organizations. Sunflower delivers integrated solutions in finance, HR, grants management, compliance, and other administrative areas, helping mission-driven organizations and changemakers focus on what matters most: their impact.

Contracts and Corporate Support

• Serve as the primary lawyer on a broad range of contracting matters, working in coordination with the legal and compliance teams. This work will involve leading the evaluation, drafting, and negotiating process for a broad range of agreements, including independent contractor agreements, vendor contracts, technology, employment and non-disclosure agreements.
• Advise clients on a variety of transactional and operational corporate matters, including intellectual property, data privacy, AI, and employment law.
• Liaise with outside counsel as necessary on specific projects and to develop additional in-house expertise.
• Develop and conduct training for nonprofit staff and Sunflower Services operations staff on legal rules and compliance procedures.

Compliance

• Work with the legal and compliance teams to identify legal risks and ensure corporate compliance with state and federal laws and regulations and legal policies.
• Work with the legal and compliance teams to streamline, develop, and manage corporate policies, systems, operations, and processes.
• Support on an as-needed basis on federal and state laws related to tax-exempt organizations, especially as they may relate to contracting.
• Provide general support to the legal and compliance teams to resolve routine legal or regulatory-related issues or questions.
• Conduct research and perform other duties as assigned.

Project Leadership and Service

• Provide excellent service, including being able to address complex service matters, implement and communicate service changes to everyone involved, and to coach teammates on how to apply the firm’s service standards
• Manage large-scale and cross-firm projects, including delegating and managing all resources, identifying and implementing improved processes, monitoring consistency across project teams, and providing direction and support to teammates.
• Facilitate and negotiate among stakeholders with conflicting needs and to generate consensus among decision makers.
• Effectively communicate difficult messages. Adapt style, tone, and content to meet various needs, and coach teammates on crafting content.
• Work cooperatively and inclusively with others to achieve shared goals, including encouraging and facilitating effective compromise, drawing on the capabilities of all team members, and leading team-level knowledge sharing.

Employment Law

• Work closely with the People team to provide legal support on the full range of employment matters.
• Provide practical legal guidance on federal, state, and local employment laws, including wage and hour compliance, worker classification, work visas, etc.
• Prepare and negotiate confidentiality agreements, separation agreements, and other employment-related contracts.
• Develop and update internal HR policies, handbooks, and procedures to align with legal requirements and best practices.
• Support the People team and management in investigating employee complaints, disciplinary issues, and grievances.
• Manage employment-related litigation as requested by the General Counsel.
• Provide training on employment law…