Job Description

The Role:

Reports to: Kitty Block, President & Chief Executive Officer

Location: DC Metro Area preferred, remote eligible

Overview: The General Counsel & Chief Legal Officer will be a key member of the Humane World for Animals and Humane World Action Fund leadership team and will direct, oversee, and control legal activities and functions to ensure the organization’s legal posture is developed and maintained.

Leadership responsibilities will include:

• Establish legal services required by the organization and ensure that the organization is protected from any legal action.
• Provide officers and directors with advice and guidance in identifying the critical problems to which the application of legal principals yield the greatest opportunities for minimizing risks and maximizing impact.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide oversight, leadership, and strategic direction for the counsel, representation, and overall management of the organization's legal affairs affecting the governance, programs, activities, employees, and other areas of the organization.
• Work with all departments on developing and modifying policies and procedures to conform to legal requirements.
• Provide legal counsel and advice on compliance with federal, state, local and institutional statues, regulations and policies related to risk management, contracts, agreements, and related matters.
• Advise on preventive proactive measures and services to monitor and resolve disputes and avoid litigation.
• Keep fully informed on all legislation affecting the organization's operations and of all new developments in corporate legal matters and keep all levels of management informed of applicable new laws and of the progress and results of court cases.
• Bring legal issues and concerns to the attention of Executive Management.Advise the President & CEO and Board of Directors on pending or contemplated legal matters keeping Board Counsel apprised of same.
• Provide representation in litigation and administrative proceedings on behalf of the organization.
• Resolve legal claims, and initiate and appeal lawsuits and proceedings.
• Prepare, review, and negotiate contracts, requests for proposals, and other legal documents.
• Develop and guide a professionally experienced staff of attorneys and legal and paralegal generalists and specialists.
• Serve as the liaison with carefully selected outside legal firms, and monitor and evaluate their activities.
• Maintain an appropriate framework of internal controls to monitor, protect and evaluate the organization's legal interests and reduce its legal risks.
• Perform other duties or responsibilities, as assigned.

The Leader:

Humane World for Animals seeks a seasoned, mission-driven leader and legal executive who understands the role of in-house counsel within a leading global nonprofit enterprise. Among other qualities and experiences, this role requires the following skills and competencies:

Experience:

• At least fifteen (15) years of experience in the practice of law with broad exposure and expertise in issues related to not-for-profit/exempt organizations – particularly public charities and social welfare organizations – is required, including corporate governance and Board relations, as well as the array of matters that the chief legal officer of a leading organization like Humane World For Animals faces e.g., labor & employment; enterprise risk management and compliance; and litigation management and dispute resolution.
• Experience supervising outside counsel is required.
• Prior tenure in a non-partisan nonprofit organization is required. Experience operating in an international nonprofit is preferred.
• Also preferred is experience with trust & estates law as well as international experience, policy and advocacy, c4 entity, and crisis management experience.
• Prior service as corporate secretary or otherwise having direct interaction with and responsibility for support of a board of directors is required.
• Management experience is required, including supervisory experience (solid-line reporting) of attorneys and other professionals; strategy development and execution; and fiscal and budget accountability.
• Demonstrated experience and ease managing across functional areas and interacting – effectively – with internal and external stakeholders from the most senior levels to the most junior staff throughout a complex organization.
• While prior tenure in an animal welfare organization is not a prerequisite, passion for the mission of Humane World for Animals and a strong interest in animal protection issues are preferred.

Knowledge, skills and abilities:

• Comprehensive knowledge of legislative statues of not-for-profit organizations.
• Proven ability to provide vision and leadership on legal matters with substantive evidence of success in effectively representing a not-for-profit organization with external constituents.
• Excellent analytical and decision-making skills with the ability to exercise sound judgment.
• Leadership ability in a professional setting while demonstrating flexibility, a willingness to learn, and consistently anticipating the needs of self and staff.
• Ability coach, develop and set a positive tone for employees.
• Flexible, adaptable, and comfortable in a fast-paced environment with frequent deadlines; high energy, self-motivated and proactive.
• Ability to manage issues requiring problem resolution and conflict management with excellent interpersonal and intervention skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Knowledge of business operations, including effective budget development and management processes.
• Attention to detail and commitment to excellence, demonstrated by the delivery of quality and timely outcomes.

Education:

• Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school required.
• Current license in good standing to practice law.

Our Values:

Our teams, partners, allies and supporters span geographies and cultures, backgrounds and skillsets.​ Our values guide our work and how we operate.

• Impact: We are advocates for system-wide and long-term impact, working strategically to improve the lives of animals. We take on the toughest, most institutionalized cruelties.
• Resilience: We lead with passion, perseverance and optimism, knowing that we are making meaningful change. Part of driving big change is facing big challenges. We never lose sight of a better world for animals.
• Respect: We believe in our mutual commitment to the mission, we act as each other’s allies and we help each other reach our full potential.
• Inclusion: We invite, welcome and amplify diverse voices within our family of organizations and in the communities with which we work. Advancing diversity and inclusion is not only the right thing to do, but it makes for better decision-making and greater impact for animals.
• One team: We work together, raising each other up and combining our unique skills and perspectives to become stronger together than we are apart. None of us will be able to achieve our mission alone.

Compensation:

• Salary range is $400,000 - $420,000

Priority will be given to applications submitted by August 4th 2025

although we will continue to receive and review applications until the position is filled

Job Tags

Similar Jobs