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Job Descriptions:

Position Summary:

The General Counsel serves as the principal legal advisor for The Chicago Community Trust and manages all its legal affairs. The General Counsel provides counsel to the Trust’s senior leadership and board on a wide range of legal, policy and operational matters. Responsibilities include legal matters related to nonprofit corporate structure and governance, trust law compliance, employment, contracts, fundraising, and grant-making. The General Counsel serves as the Corporate Secretary to the Executive Committee, the Trust’s governing board and also supports the Trustees Committee, a co-fiduciary to the organization’s endowment. The General Counsel reports to the President & CEO and serves on the Trust’s senior leadership team.

Success in this role will require a creative, solutions-orientated approach to helping the organization address legal issues. The General Counsel will be a team player who brings a strategic mindset to their work: anticipating legal, operational, and reputational risks; integrating the Trust’s long-term vision into legal decision-making; and guiding others through ambiguity and risk in a manner that advances the Trust’s mission.

Position Responsibilities:

Legal Affairs & Risk Management

+ Lead and manage all legal affairs of the Trust; manage outside counsel and legal strategy for the organization.

+ Advise on compliance with all applicable law, including nonprofit, tax, employment, contract, trust, data privacy, and philanthropic law.

+ Represent the Trust in regulatory and legal matters.

+ Serve as the custodian of records and respond to legal inquiries.

+ Support executive leadership in conducting regular organization wide risk assessments and reporting to the Executive Committee.

+ Demonstrate outstanding judgment and overall maturity when handling highly confidential information.

Governance & Board Relations

+ Serve as Corporate Secretary to the Executive Committee, the Trust’s governing board.

+ Act as advisor to President, Executive Committee, and leadership team on matters of public policy.

+ Maintain governance records, prepare Board resolutions, and manage conflicts of interest. Ensure compliance with nonprofit corporate law and board policies.

+ Lead material preparation for Executive Committee and Trustees Committee meetings in collaboration with leadership team with support from paralegal.

Philanthropy & Grant Making

+ Consult with colleagues from philanthropic services and finance teams, as needed, on legal matters pertaining to charitable giving, including complex gift agreements.

+ Manage and review fund agreements.

+ Negotiate, evaluate, and prepare provisions of grant letters, agreements, and other grant-related documents.

Policies, Compliance & Training

+ In collaboration with business partners, develop policies, training, templates, and workflows to allow business teams to move quickly while addressing key risks in substantive areas.

+ Review all contractual arrangements and provide guidance and assistance in negotiations with service providers, consultants, and vendors.

+ Work closely with Human Resources team to ensure compliance with employee policies and procedures and manage employee issues.

+ Maintain regulatory compliance, monitor changes in relevant legislation, and train staff on emerging legal issues.

+ Ensure corporate documents are updated and in full compliance.

Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

+ Serve as an integral member of the Trust’s senior leadership team, providing strategic counseling with a focus on delivering workable solutions.

+ Provide legal and strategic guidance in service of the Trust’s mission, with emphasis on equity, inclusion, and community impact.

+ Provide supervision, guidance, and workload management for the paralegal to ensure they have the resources and training needed to perform their duties effectively.

Salary Range:215k - 250k annually

Required Experience:

Job Qualifications:

+ Juris Doctor (JD) degree and active license to practice law in Illinois.

+ Minimum of 10 years relevant experience working as a lawyer, preferably as in-house counsel in the corporate or nonprofit sector.

+ Experience with nonprofit legal principles, tax-exempt law, planned giving, and charitable organizations.

+ Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, including exceptional negotiation and presentation skills.

+ Experience in community foundations, public charities, or private foundations preferred.

+ Proficient in Microsoft Office; familiarity with Salesforce preferred.

This description should not be construed to contain every function or responsibility that may be required to be performed by an incumbent in this job. Incumbents are required to perform other related functions as assigned.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are fundamental to achieving our impact

Our vision is a Chicago region where equity is central—and opportunity and prosperity are in reach for all.

We acknowledge the specific role discrimination and systemic barriers based on race, ethnicity, and other varied identities and differences have played in limiting opportunities for too many. A commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is at the core of who we are and guides us in our work to strengthen the communities we serve and advance our strategic focus to narrow the racial and ethnic wealth gap in the Chicago region.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Trust is committed to creating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. The Trust does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, disability, parental status, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable laws. We encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply. If you are a qualified candidate with a disability, please e-mail us at [email protected] if you require a reasonable accommodation to complete this application.

The History of The Chicago Community Trust

The Chicago Community Trust was founded in 1915 by Norman and Albert Harris, father and son duo of the Harris Trust and Savings Bank (now BMO Harris Bank). The Trust was the fourth community foundation ever created. There are now 750 community foundations in Canada and the U.S.

As a community foundation, the Trust is committed to effect lasting change that moves our entire region forward. Our approach centers on tackling the region’s immediate needs and addressing challenges that stand in the way of a thriving Chicago region. As part of that mission, the Trust will always support meeting people’s critical needs such as secure housing and healthy food, public safety, and regional response to crises. We also know our region’s racial and ethnic wealth gap is a major contributing factor to issues including health disparities, gun violence, and uneven economic growth. We are committed to reducing this gap so that our region and its residents can meet their potential.

For 110 years, The Chicago Community Trust has convened, supported, funded, and accelerated the work of community members and changemakers committed to strengthening the Chicago region. From spearheading our response to the Great Depression and Great Recession to building up our civic infrastructure to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Trust has brought our community together to face pressing challenges and seize our greatest opportunities. Today, that means creating pathways that build wealth and well-being for all Chicagoans.

With assets of more than $6 billion, the Trust, in partnership with its donors, distributed more than $1.5 billion in the last fiscal year. The Trust team seeks to match the passion and commitment of donors, grant recipients, residents, and community leaders who continue to work tirelessly to make the Chicago region one where everyone has opportunities.

Keyword: (Hybrid) General Counsel

From: The Chicago Community Trust