JOB TITLE: Legal Counsel

POSITION CLASSIFICATION:Senior Director

SALARY BAND: A and B

REPORTS TO:General Counsel

LOCATION:Washington, DC Area (Preferred)

About American Rivers

American Riversis championing a national effort to protect and restore all rivers, from remote mountain streams to urban waterways. Healthy rivers provide people and nature with clean, abundant water and natural habitat. For 50 years, American Rivers staff, supporters, and partners have shared a common belief: Life Depends on RiversSM.

The beauty of rivers is that they connect all people and communities including within our organization. The life experiences, knowledge, innovation, and talent that different people bring to our work provides perspectives, experiences, and competencies which are critical to our effectiveness in protecting wild rivers, restoring damaged rivers, and conserving clean water for people and nature.

JOB SUMMARY

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Legal Counsel for American Rivers, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and its affiliated 501(c)(4) organization, and a potential third tax-exempt or advocacy affiliate.

Candidates must have demonstrated experience advising and supporting 501(c)(4) organizations, including knowledge of permissible advocacy, lobbying activities, and the interplay between 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) entity compliance and governance.

As a critical member of the legal team, this in-house attorney will be responsible for ensuring that the organization complies with all relevant laws and regulations, providing legal advice to management, and protecting the organizations interests in various business matters. This role involves creating and managing preemptive risk tools and policies, and advising and supporting the organization in legal disputes and negotiations. In collaboration with the General Counsel, the Legal Counsel shall proactively address the unique legal and governance challenges inherent in a multi-affiliate structure, ensuring each entity operates within the scope of its exempt purpose, while leveraging permissible collaboration to advance shared mission goals.

This role requires a proactive approach to risk management, excellent communication skills, and the ability to handle a broad range of legal matters relevant to the organizations operations.

The successful candidate will have a collaborative mindset, excellent communication skills, and the proven ability to work across departments and with external partners.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Committing to American Rivers core values.
• Delivering accurate, timely legal counsel to executives and management on a broad range of topics including contracts, employment, partnerships, corporate finance, and compliance with particular emphasis on the legal intricacies that involve or impact the 501(c)(3) and 501 (c)(4) tax-exempt organizations and any additional affiliates by ensuring strict adherence to permissible collaborations, financial separations, and reporting obligations unique to each entity type
• Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating a variety of legal documents, including inter-organizational agreements, memoranda of understanding, and shared service contracts, to ensure full regulatory compliance
• Leading legal review on all joint projects, advocacy campaigns, fundraising efforts, and resource-sharing arrangements to ensure that program expenses, staff roles, and communications are properly allocated and documented to prevent impermissible subsidization or commingling of activities between affiliates
• Developing and implementing internal governance policies, and regularly monitoring compliance with these policies and applicable laws
• Conducting research and evaluating legal risks related to organizational decisions and operations, and offering proactive solutions and pathways to minimize exposure in areas such as corporate, political, and employment matters
• Monitoring and facilitating mission-related litigation, working with conservation staff, the board committee, declarants, and outside counsel
• Supporting the General Counsel in guiding the organization through third-party disputes and internal litigation, as necessary
• Executing ongoing management of transactional risk, vendor performance, project-life bonding and insurance
• Assisting with the preparation, review, and management of programmatic project documents, including contracts, RFPs (Requests for Proposals), and bid evaluations, to ensure compliance with organizational standards, governmental compliance, and project goals.
• Keeping abreast of changes in local, state, and federal laws and regulations, and integrating relevant updates into the organizations operations
• Advising the board and staff on conflict-of-interest policies, ensuring transparency through proper disclosure, recusal procedures, and alignment with the organization’s fiduciary responsibilities
• Supporting the protection of intellectual property, including trademarks and…