NEW JERSEY SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION

“Our mission is the advancement of public education in New Jersey”

JOB TITLE: Legal Counsel (Member Services and Strategic Partnerships Division)

TERMS: Full-time

ABOUT THE ROLE

Provide training and information to school board members, board attorneys, and school administrators; provide direct representation for the Association and advocate for the interests of school districts before courts and administrative agencies.

RESPONSIBILITIES

· Provide legal information to school board attorneys, school administrators, school board members and Association staff as requested.

· Develop and deliver oral presentations on legal topics at events such as statewide conferences, county-wide and local district meetings.

· Summarize decisions issued by the federal and state courts, Commissioner of Education and other administrative agencies for presentations and publications.

· Analyze pending legislation and regulations affecting local school districts.

· Render legal advice and assistance to the Association on all governance and corporate matters as directed by the General Counsel.

· Draft proposed legislation and administrative regulations to implement Association policies and goals.

· Prepare amicus review memoranda and prepare amicus briefs as assigned by the General Counsel; orally argue Association positions in federal and state trial and appellate courts and administrative bodies.

· Represent the Association in direct litigation under supervision of the General Counsel.

· Analyze, research, and prepare background materials for Association action on resolutions before the Resolution Subcommittee, Board of Directors and the Delegate Assembly.

· Serve as liaison to Association committees as assigned.

· Provide ongoing review and input regarding the content of the legal department’s webpage.

· Serve as the Attorney of the Day and generally provide school law information in response to both internal and external inquiries

· Represents the Association as amicus in legal matters having a state-wide impact on public schools in New Jersey.

· Write articles on legal topics for NJSBA publications, including, but not limited to, School Board Notes, School Leader, Basic School Law

· Provides negotiations support and assistance to school districts on an as-needed basis (will include serving as a negotiator as needed).

· Reviews district labor contracts: Writecontract and salary guide analyses for districts.

· Consults with Government Relationsand other NJSBA departmentson various legal topicsas needed.

· Reviews proposed NJSBA policies, training materials and related documents to ensure legal compliance.

· Presents at NJSBA programs such as the Law Forums and various Labor Relations Workshops.

· Attend professional development events to stay apprised of the latest developments in school law.

· Presents at and attends PAA meetings.

· Delegate Assembly – reviews proposed resolutions and motions on the floor.

· Available to work evenings and weekends as required.

· Perform other dutiesas assigned.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

· Juris Doctor degree required

· Must be a member in good standing of the New Jersey Bar. Admission to practice before the New Jersey federal District Court and the courts of New Jersey required.

· Minimum three years practicing public educationlawor related field; knowledge of school governance preferred.

· Knowledge of virtual platforms like Zoom, Swoogo, Google meet, etc.

· Experience with on-line research resource, e.g.,Westlaw or Lexis-Nexis

· Proficient in office technology

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

Self-initiated, motivated, well organized, proven ability to prioritize and complete tasks efficiently. Demonstrated ability to work well with people, coordinate or facilitateprojects, communicate effectively and comfortablewith public speaking and training. Ability to foster and facilitatecollaborations creatively; excellent communication skills, particularly the ability to make complicated legal information understandable. Possession of a valid current New Jersey driver’s license. Ability to serve in a confidential capacity. Written – specifically, legal, and analytical writing; knowledge of court rules and general litigation practice; Computer/Technical skills like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Microsoft suite, also needs to be able to adapt to use of new programs; Math/Numerical skills to understand costs of labor contracts and discuss salary guides; Public Speaking; Management skills – program management; creative ideas for new programming; verbal communication; legal research.Litigation and Legal Practice, Training, Policy.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Prolonged period of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Ability to walk, stand and drive and carry items up to 20 lbs.

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and two letters of reference to jobs@njsba.org.

Issued: May 2021

Revised:

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Ability to commute/relocate:

• Trenton, NJ 08618: Reliably commute or planning to relocate before starting work (Required)

License/Certification:

• Bar (Preferred)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Trenton, NJ 08618

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