Deputy General Counsel

Position Summary:

The Deputy General Counsel provides legal guidance to the General Counsel, Superintendent, School Board and school district administrators on both litigation and transactional matters regarding, but not limited to: (i) school law; (ii) employment matters; (iii) police matters; (iv) torts; (v) breach of contract; (vi) civil rights; (vii) constitutional law; (viii) teacher tenure; (ix) commercial law; (x) real estate; (xi) transactions; (xii) financing and bonds; (xiii) contract preparation, drafting, negotiation and review; (xiv) partnership and memorandum of understanding ("MOU") agreement preparation, negotiation, drafting and review; (xv) charter schools; (xvi) statutory and regulatory interpretation.

The Deputy General Counsel must be able to: (i) serve as the administrator in charge in the absence of the General Counsel; (ii) provide guidance and management to the Civil Rights and Compliance Department; (iii) assist with drafting and updating of District policies; (iv) assist the General Counsel in the preparation of the annual budget for both the Office of the General Counsel and the Civil Rights and Compliance Department, including expenditures for outside counsel and consultants; (v) provide in-service training to staff; (vi) assist in the assignment, and monitor the assignment and handling of both litigation and transactional matters as assigned by the General Counsel and make recommendations regarding same; (vii) establish and refine departmental processes and metrics and manage/tracking same; and (viii) complete other tasks as assigned by the General Counsel.

The Deputy General Counsel must have an active and extensive understanding of (or a demonstrated aptitude and willingness to quickly learn) the above facets of law. A Deputy General Counsel should possess expert interpersonal relationship, critical thinking, organizational, writing and researching skills, exhibit high attention to detail, the ability to prioritize tasks, initiative and a willingness to complete varied tasks.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education

• Law Degree (Juris Doctor) from an accredited law school (Required)
• License in good standing to practice law in the State of Michigan (Required)
• Additional graduate level education (e.g., Master of Business Administration) is desirable

Experience

• Ten (10) to fifteen (15) years of experience as a practicing attorney including experience in a law firm, corporation, governmental agency, non-profit business, school district or institution of higher learning (Preferred)
• Experience in trial work
• Experience in civil litigation (researching, drafting and arguing pleadings, discovery, trial and appeal)
• Experience litigating employment matters (Preferred)
• Experience in special education law (Preferred)
• Experience with statutory construction, research, review and interpretation
• Experience in conducting research via traditional means and using computer-based legal research systems (e.g., Westlaw or LexisNexis) and knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, including Word and Excel
• Experience working with and supervising outside counsel (Preferred)
• Experience in contract preparation, negotiation, review, drafting and editing
• Experience in real estate (leases, purchase agreements, land contract agreements, deeds and conveyance documents)
• Experience in drafting and revising policies
• Experience in bond/finance and other transactional matters
• Experience with charter schools laws and matters
• Strong interpersonal, excellent verbal and written communication skills and executive presence necessary to effectively interact with Board Members, Superintendent, senior level managers, individuals throughout the school system and individuals external to the school district
• Experience with Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and other privacy statutory compliance (preferred)
• Experience with Freedom of Information Act and other statutory compliance (Preferred)
• Ability to quickly and accurately respond to school-based issues and questions (Preferred).

Required Attributes for Success in Position

• Strong interpersonal skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Professional presence necessary to effectively interact with individuals throughout the school system and external to the district
• Strong analytical skills
• Excellent organizational skills
• Able to work under pressure and assume/complete several tasks at a time
• Self-motivated with demonstrated ability to organize and prioritize work and meet strict deadlines
• Exhibit a professional, positive attitude
• Detail-oriented and self-motivated
• Able to work autonomously and as part of a team
• Regular Attendance is critical; must have an exemplary attendance record
• Demonstrated proactive approaches to problem-solving with strong decision-making capability
• Proven ability to handle confidential information with discretion
• Demonstrated ability to achieve high performance goals and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Able to work in a cross-departmental fashion

Essential Functions:

• Provides legal advice and counsel to administrators
• Represent the district in lawsuits, alternative dispute resolution and administrative hearings
• Prepare, draft, review all pleadings and submit to General Counsel for approval before filing
• Negotiate, prepare, draft, review agreements (MOUs, MOAs, Partnership Agreements, etc.) relating to the school district and submit recommendation to the General Counsel for approval
• Review and interpret statutes and regulations
• Provide oral legal advice and written opinions to the General Counsel, senior management, and Superintendent and/or School Board
• Act as Hearing Officer in the Student Code of Conduct Due Process Hearings
• Draft and review FOIA responses
• Review documents, policies, regulations, action items within the school district for accuracy, consequences and legal policy implications
• Conduct legal research
• Manage and/or provide guidance regarding Civil Rights, Title IX and Compliance matters
• Design, manage and track department operating procedures, processes and metrics.
• Perform additional duties as assigned by the General Counsel (or Designee)

Security Clearance:

If you are a current Detroit Public Schools Community District employee, you do not have to submit to a new security clearance, unless your new role requires a different type of criminal background check. In alignment with Michigan law, if you are hired to fill a position, you will be required to submit to a criminal background check.

Method of Application:

Applicants must apply through the online application system. Successful candidates are required to submit official transcript(s) at point of offer to hire. Applicants requesting assistance during the application process should contact the Office of Human Resources.

DPSCD does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, religion, height, weight, citizenship, marital or family status, military status, ancestry, genetic information, or any other legally protected category, in its educational programs and activities, including employment and admissions opportunities.