Part-Time In-House Counsel - Apex

Reports To : Superintendent / CEO

Contract Length: 225 Days

Reports To : Superintendent / CEO

Office / Location : Central Office (Superintendent's Office)

Salary Band : Band 1 - Sr. Executive / Regional ED

Salary Range : $93,000 - $150,800 (entry to step 30, before degree/certification/loyalty additions)

POSITION SUMMARY

The Part-Time In-House Counsel serves as TMSA's principal legal advisor for day-to-day operations across all campuses and central office functions. Working approximately 20 hours per week in a hybrid arrangement, the In-House Counsel provides timely, practical legal guidance to the Superintendent, executive leadership, the Board of Directors, principals, and HR, while coordinating with outside specialty firms for litigation, bond counsel, complex immigration, and labor disputes. This is a strategic role intended for an attorney who values mission-driven public education work and prefers a generalist, in-the-room counsel role over a transactional outside-firm practice. The Part-Time In-House Counsel reports to the Superintendent / CEO.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• 401 (k) with a company match of 7%
• Paid time off
• Retention, Returning Employee, and Winter Bonuses

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Active license to practice law in North Carolina (or eligibility for admission via comity within 6 months of hire).
• Minimum 5 years of substantive legal practice, with demonstrated experience in employment law and contract drafting.
• Working knowledge of nonprofit, education, or public-sector law.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate legal concepts for non-lawyer audiences.
• Demonstrated discretion, sound judgment, and ability to manage confidential matters.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience with K-12 charter schools, public education, or education nonprofits.
• Familiarity with North Carolina charter school law, EC/IDEA, Title IX, and FERPA.
• Prior in-house experience or experience supervising outside counsel.
• Working familiarity with employment-based immigration (H-1B, PERM, I-140, I-485).
• Experience advising boards of directors and supporting open-meeting governance.
• Reporting Relationships
• Reports directly to the Superintendent & CEO.
• Maintains a dotted-line advisory relationship to the Board of Directors and Board Chair, including attendance at board meetings as requested.
• Coordinates with the HR Director, CFO, COO, and Director of Compliance on cross-functional matters.
• Manages outside counsel relationships across litigation, bond, immigration specialty, and labor firms.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• A. Daily Legal Operations (approx. 50% of time)
• Provide rapid, practical legal guidance to school leaders, HR, and central office staff on day-to-day questions.
• Review and revise the Employee Handbook, Compensation Manual, board policies, and procedural manuals to ensure compliance with federal, state, and charter-specific law.
• Draft, review, and negotiate routine contracts: vendor MSAs, MOUs, professional services agreements, facilities and lease addenda, technology agreements, and consulting engagements.
• Maintain a contract template library and standard terms (limitation of liability, indemnification, data privacy, termination).
• Employment & HR Matters (approx. 20% of time)
• Advise on hiring, discipline, accommodation, leave (FMLA/ADA), wage-and-hour, and separation matters.
• Lead or oversee internal investigations involving harassment, discrimination, retaliation, Title IX, and workplace conduct, in coordination with HR.
• Prepare position statements, EEOC and OCR responses, and unemployment-hearing documentation; refer to outside labor counsel when matters escalate to litigation or formal proceedings.
• Coordinate routine immigration matters (H-1B, OPT extensions, basic green card timeline tracking) and serve as liaison to outside immigration firms for complex filings, RFEs, and PERM/I-140 matters.
• Manage dependent immigration matters on behalf of employees, including H-4 visas and extensions for spouses and children, H-4 EAD applications, dependent green card filings

(I-485 and related concurrent filings for derivative beneficiaries), and travel-document coordination. Serve as point of contact for affected employees and coordinate with outside immigration counsel on complex dependent cases.

• Charter Compliance & Governance (approx. 15% of time)
• Monitor compliance with the NC Charter School Act, State Board of Education rules, OCR/IDEA, FERPA, McKinney-Vento, and reporting obligations.
• Support charter renewal and amendment processes; coordinate with the Office of Charter Schools.
• Advise on Open Meetings Law, conflict-of-interest policies, board minutes, resolutions, and bylaws; attend board meetings as requested.
• Maintain corporate records, including minute books, registered agent filings, and 501(c)(3) compliance.
• D. Outside Counsel Management (approx. 10% of time)
• Serve as the single point of contact for all outside counsel relationships.
• Scope, retain, and manage specialty firms for: (1) litigation, (2) bond and facilities counsel, (3) complex immigration, and (4) labor disputes.
• Review legal invoices, enforce billing guidelines, and report quarterly outside counsel spend to the CFO and Superintendent.
• E. Risk, Insurance & Strategic Projects (approx. 5% of time)
• Coordinate with insurance brokers on D&O, EPLI, cyber, and general liability claims; manage claims intake and defense coordination.
• Lead or contribute to strategic projects: data privacy program, AI use policy, records retention, whistleblower program, vendor risk.
• Provide annual legal update and training to administrators, principals, and the Board.
• Compensation & Benefits
• Base salary: $93,000 - $150,800 annually, commensurate with experience (prorated to 0.5 FTE).
• Paid leave: pro-rated PTO and school holidays consistent with central office staff.
• Professional development: CLE allowance and bar dues reimbursement.
• Annual performance review tied to scope, response time, compliance posture, and outside-counsel cost containment.

Work Environment & Schedule

• Hybrid schedule: minimum two on-site days per week at TMSA central office; remaining hours flexible.
• Periodic evening hours for board meetings (approx. 10 per year).
• Occasional day travel to TMSA campuses across North Carolina.
• Physical & Other Requirements
• Ability to operate standard office equipment and review documents at length.
• Successful completion of pre-employment background check, including criminal history and education verification.
• Adherence to TMSA's Code of Ethics and Conflict-of-Interest Policy, and the Rules of Professional Conduct of the North Carolina State Bar.
• Equal Opportunity Statement
• TMSA Public Charter Schools is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected characteristic. We actively encourage applications from candidates whose backgrounds reflect the diverse communities we serve.

LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES

• Mission Alignment - Demonstrates strong commitment to TMSA's mission and Science Wisdom Peace values.
• Communication - Communicates clearly and professionally with students, families, colleagues, and supervisors.
• Collaboration - Works effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Integrity - Maintains the highest standards of confidentiality, professionalism, and ethical conduct.
• Continuous Improvement - Welcomes feedback and pursues ongoing professional growth.

To Apply

Submit a cover letter, current resume, and three professional references to .... Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. TMSA is an equal opportunity employer.