Assistant General Counsel

Special Instructions to Applicants: Rice University has retained Lindauer, an executive search firm, to assist in this search. Consideration of candidates will continue until the position is filled. Candidates should submit, in confidence, a resume and cover letter. Communications, nominations, applications, and inquiries concerning this search should be directed to Raegan Harvey, Senior Consultant, rharvey@lindauerglobal.com and Alex Barber, Senior Consultant, abarber@lindauerglobal.com. 
 

About Rice:

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice’s culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name — RICE — Responsibility, Integrity, Community and Excellence.

Position Summary:

Nobel Prizes. MacArthur “Genius Grants.” Poets Laureate. Groundbreaking cancer research. A world-class opera hall. An unmatched culture of care. The celebration of our multicultural and multinational community in the heart of the nation’s most diverse city. 

In the Office of General Counsel, we serve a preeminent research university whose excellence is established and whose ambitions, under President Reginald DesRoches, are courageous, transformational, and global. To help us serve Rice’s bright future, we seek an Assistant General Counsel who will provide high-level strategic gift assistance and policy advice to development leadership, fundraisers, and other colleagues, and to communicate on Rice’s behalf with prospects, advisors, donors, and donor families. 

Reporting to the Vice President and General Counsel, with a dotted-line relationship to the Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations (DAR), the candidate will collaborate across the campus-wide fundraising enterprise, including with frontline fundraisers and leadership in DAR, and with each school, institute, and unit. The candidate will also develop and maintain relationships within the Office of the General Counsel, as well as with Rice’s treasury and the Rice Management Company (RMC, the university’s endowment office).

But no single day is typical for a top-tier research university, so our commitment is to provide or, when necessary, develop the substantive expertise our clients need. Therefore, the ideal candidate will also have the experience and versatility to solve problems in other areas of practice, including contracts, general business law, nonprofit law, and corporate law. As a team, we value versatility, attention to detail, discretion, and curiosity. Our collective aim is to represent Rice with the highest standards of civility and creativity.

The ideal candidate is a highly collaborative leader and strategic thinker with a demonstrated fundraising track record and expertise in navigating complex situations and projects.

Workplace Requirements:

This position is offered as a hybrid role, combining both in-office and remote work to provide flexibility and support collaboration. Per Rice Policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change. 

Hiring Range: $175-200K annually 

*Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.

Minimum Requirements: 

• J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school