What are the responsibilities and job description for the Law Fellow - Office of the General Counsel position at Vanderbilt University?
The fellowship will provide an excellent opportunity to develop legal research and writing skills and will expose the Fellow to a broad variety of legal fields including education law, federal and state regulation, commercial and corporate law, employment and student affairs, and litigation, all within the context of a major not-for-profit research university. Work will include legal and fact research; the drafting of memoranda, contracts, correspondence, and other legal documents; and other tasks conducted under the supervision of and with feedback from the office’s attorneys. The Fellow will have the opportunity to assist the General Counsel and other attorneys on special projects. Strong academic credentials and excellent oral and written communication skills are important qualifications for this position.
About Vanderbilt University:
Vanderbilt is a renowned private institution founded in 1873. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, the university’s students, faculty, staff, and visitors frequently cite Nashville as one of the perks of living and working at Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt University is a place where expertise is valued, knowledge expanded, and abilities challenged. It is a place where diversity is sought and celebrated, and where employees know they are part of something bigger than themselves, take exceptional pride in their work, and never settle for what was ‘good enough’ yesterday. In 2023, Vanderbilt University was ranked number one by the Princeton Review for “Their Students Love These Colleges” and “Great Financial Aid,” and number two for “Best Quality of Life,” “Happiest Students,” “Best Athletic Facilities,” and “College City Gets High Marks.”
About the Department:
The Office of the General Counsel is comprised of twelve attorneys and ten professional staff and provides timely and responsive legal advice to support Vanderbilt’s goals in research and education. The Office advises all Vanderbilt University departments in areas covering contracts, intellectual property, taxation, business matters, and student- and personnel-related issues. The Office of the General Counsel manages all litigation proceeding on behalf of the university. In addition, the Conflict of Interest and Commitment Management and the Risk Management teams report to the General Counsel.
Key Functions and Expected Performance:
- Draft, edit, and review various legal documents such as contracts, memoranda, correspondence, policies, and procedures.
- Conduct legal and factual research on various matters, addressing a wide array of issues relevant to higher education.
- Attend and report back on university meetings on topics of special interest.
- Complete additional special projects as assigned by supervising attorneys.
Education and Qualifications:
- New law school graduate (Class of 2023), or those who have recently completed a clerkship.
- Interest in learning about higher education and related legal services.
- Strong oral and written communication skills.
- The ability to handle urgent and sensitive issues in a timely and ethical manner.
- Proficiency in basic and common technology, including the Microsoft Office suite.
- J.D. is required with a preferred 3.5 GPA or above, where applicable.
Submission Requirements:
- Resume
- Recent writing sample (approx. 3-5 pages; 10 pages max.)
Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and InclusionPlease note, all candidates selected for an offer of employment are subject to pre-employment background checks, which may include but are not limited to, based on the role for which they have been selected: criminal history, education verification, social media review, motor vehicle records, credit history, and professional license verification.
Vanderbilt is a renowned private institution founded in 1873 located a little more than a mile from downtown Nashville, TN. The university’s students, faculty, staff and visitors frequently cite Nashville as one of the perks of Vanderbilt. VU is a place where your expertise will be valued, your knowledge expanded, and your abilities challenged. It is a place where your diversity is sought and celebrated. It is a place where employees know they are part of something that is bigger than themselves, take exceptional pride in their work and never settle for what was good enough yesterday. Vanderbilt was recently ranked #2 in the Princeton Review among 382 top colleges and universities for “best quality of life” and “great financial aid,” #5 for “best run colleges” and “beautiful campus,” and #6 for both being in a “college city that students love” and having “great campus/city relations.”
