Associate Vice Chancellor and Senior Litigation Counsel

About the position This position may be eligible for a hybrid work arrangement that may include a partially remote work location, consistent with System Office and University policy. UNC -Chapel Hill employees are generally required to reside within a reasonable commuting distance of their assigned duty station. This position leads, coordinates, and supervises all aspects of litigation for the University, including internal investigations, administrative proceedings, federal and state regulatory enforcement risk mitigation and compliance with the Freedom of Information Act and the Public Records Act. The role also requires preventive work to avoid litigation, and/or regulatory enforcement. This role oversees the application of the University’s electronic discovery platform and provides strategic legal counsel on high-profile and emerging legal issues. The role includes serving as a leader, mentor, advisor, and supervisor for attorneys and paralegals to handle these responsibilities, while maintaining a high level of client service in litigation matters.

Responsibilities

• Manage all phases of litigation. Mitigate the University’s litigation exposure both before and after litigation is filed. Manage internal processes, including intake, tracking, and reporting systems and provide strategic oversight for growth and improvement as needed.
• Manage all phases of internal hearing processes, including the presentation of the University’s case in faculty hearings.
• Provide legal advice and counsel to University clients.
• Identify, select, and manage outside counsel.
• Manage litigation counsel and oversee work performed by all counsel and paralegals that may impact the legal reserves of the University.
• Forecast litigation risks and exposure for senior leadership at regular intervals.
• Advise colleagues within the office on pre-litigation matters to assure that the University is appropriately considering litigation risk and mitigation in issues arising from other practice areas (e.g., transactions, employment and student matters).
• Coordinate with the UNC System Office and the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office with respect to ongoing litigation matters.
• Develop and guide a robust document preservation, review, and production system.
• Expand system functionality to support other University offices and UNC System institutions.
• Leverage AI tools to reduce litigation costs and improve operational efficiency.
• Lead legal engagement with large language models and AI technologies.
• Evaluate legal implications and advise on responsible implementation across the University and UNC System.
• Advise senior leadership and the Board of Trustees on nationally significant legal matters including, but not limited to, admissions, academic integrity, and accreditation. Attend and report to the Board of Trustees on pending University litigation.
• Become expert in all System and University Code/Policy/Memoranda that affect the proper governance approvals for litigation and other appropriate matters.
• Lead the University’s antitrust legal practice.
• Provide strategic guidance, client education, and compliance oversight.
• Serve as a legal consultant and mentor to other UNC System institutions.

Requirements

• Relevant post-Baccalaureate degree (or foreign equivalent) with 3+ years of related professional experience; or a relevant Bachelor’s degree with 5+ years of experience.
• Law degree from an accredited institution.
• Member in good standing of the North Carolina Bar or eligible within one year of hire.

Nice-to-haves

• Minimum of five years of experience as an attorney in a higher education setting focused on litigation.

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