Assistant General Counsel, Legal Strategy & Team

Assistant General Counsel, Legal Strategy & Advancement Team

Position Description The RAND Corporation’s Office of the General Counsel (OGC) seeks a highly motivated attorney to join as Assistant General Counsel focusing on Government Contracting & Business Agreements. The role reports to the Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary.

The Successful Candidate Will Have

• Expertise in federal government contracting under FAR, DFARs, and other US Government Agency regulations.
• Capacity and interest in engaging on a variety of U.S. and international business agreements and providing legal advice in other substantive legal areas.
• Experience or interest in emerging fields important to RAND, such as export compliance, human subjects research compliance, and IP.
• Focus on helping clients identify risks and opportunities, finding innovative solutions.
• Passion for the legal subjects advised and a continuous improvement mindset.
• Excitement for exploring leading-edge AI tools in service of the RAND community.

About RAND OGC We are a small, mission-focused department that supports the entire enterprise. Our highly collaborative approach enables thoughtful advice on OGC’s core functional areas:
Legal Services, Corporate Governance, Ethics & Compliance, Investigations, and Privacy.

The Role

Responsibilities Primary responsibilities include:

• Working with RAND’s research division leadership to navigate legal complexities in federal government contracting and pursuing new opportunities.
• Drafting and negotiating business agreements and other legal documents.
• Advising the contracts department and other RAND operations personnel on federal, state, and municipal government contracts, international contracts, IP/data use/licensing agreements, and other business agreements.
• Collaborating with the Director of Contracts to establish and update high-quality, agile processes for reviewing and negotiating contracts and agreements.
• Proactively identifying potential areas of vulnerability and risk and designing and implementing solutions.
• Tasking and directing outside counsel as required.
• Advising staff on compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
• Special projects assigned by the General Counsel.

Other Responsibilities May Include

• Advocacy with research sponsors, including periodic in-person visits to sponsor locations.
• Advising and training on international trade controls such as FCPA, sanctions regimes, and export regulations (primarily ITAR).
• Responses to FOIA requests and state and local disclosure laws such as California Public Records Act.
• Advising RAND’s Institutional Review Board on human subjects protection under the Common Rule.
• Advising RAND’s Development function with respect to charitable gifts and grants.

Qualifications

Required

• At least six years of experience as a practicing attorney with substantive experience in the primary responsibilities.
• Detail-oriented, works well under pressure, and has an affinity for RAND’s Mission.
• Proven problem-solver who takes ownership of assigned areas of responsibility.
• Demonstrated ability to provide sound judgment in ambiguous situations.
• Collaborative, collegial, and skilled at building consensus.
• Drive for continuous improvement and interest in building systems and practices that enable agility, including AI tools.
• Demonstrated desire to take on increasing responsibility and confidence to engage in novel legal issues outside prior experience.
• Ability to identify priorities and adjust as necessary to meet unanticipated needs.
• Ability to travel occasionally to other RAND offices (primarily in the U.S.).

Preferred

• Substantive experience in one or more of the additional responsibilities described above.
• Prior employment with an organization that contracts with the U.S. Federal Government or in the government contracts department of a law firm.
• Experience working for (or with) a non-profit organization.

Education & Licensing J.D. and licensed to practice law in good standing. Must qualify under Supreme Court of Virginia Rule 1A:5 or requirements for Registered In-House Counsel for California if not licensed in state of employment. Licensure in California, Virginia, Pennsylvania, D.C., or New York is a plus.

Security Clearance Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Security Clearance and DHS Fitness. U.S. citizenship required.

Location Based in either Arlington VA or Santa Monica, CA. Hybrid work environment; work from RAND office about three days per week.

Salary Range: $177,500 - $235,000. This includes base pay plus RAND’s sabbatical pay and strong benefits including health insurance, life and disability insurance, savings plan, paid time off and more.

Equal Opportunity Employer