General Counsel

The Foothills Land Conservancy (FLC) is a regional land conservation organization dedicated to protecting, preserving, and enhancing the lands and environment of the Southern Appalachian region. Through partnerships with landowners, FLC stewards more than 500 conservation easements covering over 200,000 acres across Tennessee and surrounding states.

The General Counsel serves as FLC’s chief legal officer and principal legal advisor, providing strategic, practical, and mission-aligned legal counsel to the Executive Director, staff, and Board of Directors. This role is central to conservation easements, real estate transactions, nonprofit governance, compliance, and risk management.

In addition to serving as FLC’s chief legal officer, this position is embedded in the day-to-day life of a small, mission-driven conservation organization. The General Counsel is expected to be adaptable, collaborative, and willing to engage beyond traditional legal work as needed. This is not a strictly desk-based role; FLC operates with a hands-on, all-staff approach to conservation, stewardship, and problem-solving.

• Serve as primary legal advisor to the Executive Director, senior staff, and Board of Directors.
• Provide legal oversight for conservation easements, land acquisitions, amendments, stewardship, and enforcement matters.
• Draft, review, and interpret legal documents including conservation easements, deeds, contracts, policies, resolutions, and memoranda.
• Advise on nonprofit governance, fiduciary duties, bylaws, and board processes.
• Ensure compliance with nonprofit law, IRS regulations, Land Trust Alliance Standards & Practices, and accreditation requirements.
• Identify, assess, and manage legal and organizational risk across programs and operations.
• Manage and coordinate outside legal counsel to ensure efficient, mission-aligned legal services.
• Lead or manage special projects and one-off initiatives requiring legal, contractual, or intergovernmental coordination.
• Lead or support special projects and one-off initiatives that extend beyond traditional legal work, particularly where legal, operational, land stewardship, or partnership considerations intersect.
• Serve as a flexible, mission-aligned contributor in a small-team environment where roles may shift based on organizational needs, project timelines, or field conditions.
• Participate, as appropriate, in on-the-ground activities related to conservation, stewardship, or organizational operations, recognizing that FLC staff often work collaboratively across functions to advance mission-critical goals.
• Coordinate with staff, board members, municipal partners, consultants, and external stakeholders to keep projects on scope and aligned with FLC’s mission.
• Monitor legal and regulatory developments affecting land trusts and conservation organizations.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
• Active admission to at least one U.S. state bar (Tennessee preferred but not required).
• Significant experience in nonprofit law, real estate, land use, conservation, or environmental law.
• Experience working directly with boards of directors and senior leadership.
• Ability to translate complex legal concepts into clear, practical guidance for non-lawyers.
• Strong judgment, discretion, communication skills, and collaborative approach.

This position involves a mix of office-based work, field engagement, site visits, meetings, and travel. While much of the role is strategic and professional in nature, FLC operates as a collaborative, hands-on organization; staff are occasionally called upon to assist with field-based or operational activities as part of team-wide efforts. Evening or weekend availability may be required for board meetings, closings, site work, or time-sensitive matters.

Compensation is commensurate with experience. Benefits include health insurance support, simple IRA retirement match, paid time off, paid holidays, and other benefits consistent with Foothills Land Conservancy employment policies.