Posting Number: SF02195
Position Type: Professional Staff
Union: Non-Union Non-Classified Staff
Pay Grade Level: Grade Level: 16
Pay Grade Range: Hiring Salary Range: $160,000 - $180,000
Department: Office of General Counsel
Campus Location: Kingston
Job Description Summary
The search will remain open until the position has been filled. First consideration will be given to applications received by September 26, 2026. Applications received after September 26, 2026 may be reviewed depending on search progress and needs but are not guaranteed full consideration.
About URI: The University of Rhode Island enrolls approximately 17,000 students across its graduate and undergraduate programs and is the State's flagship public research university, as well as the land grant and sea grant university, for the state of Rhode Island. The main campus is located in the historic village of Kingston, and the Bay Campus is located in Narragansett. Both campuses are near major beaches in a beautiful coastal community. URI is just 30 minutes from Providence, RI and within easy reach of Newport, Boston, and New York City.
THE POSITIONS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR HYBRID OR IN-PERSON WORK SCHEDULE.
POSITION SUMMARY
Assists the General Counsel of the University in providing legal services to the University community and the University President and Board of Trustees as may be required. Performs standard legal work and/or participates in the performance of wide-ranging, fast-paced, and complex legal work involving multiple stakeholders to include such areas as governance and open meetings, research and sponsored programs, policy review, legal compliance issues, contract reviews, real property, employment, labor, intellectual property, privacy and confidentiality, complex transactions, student affairs, athletics, public records, purchasing, civil rights, and academic affairs. Participates and/or assists in the conduct of litigation as assigned.
Duties and Responsibilities
KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
This job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification at the direction of the General Counsel. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties and responsibilities required of employees assigned to the job.
Essential Functions:
- Review and maintain currency with laws, rules, and regulations affecting higher education and changes to University policy and keep current with legal implications of those changes. Anticipate, identify, and help to resolve legal and strategic risk management issues.
- Provides well-rounded expert advice to management in order to develop legal strategies and solutions.
- Draft and review policies and procedures, regulations, bylaws, and other documents within legal specialty areas.
- Research and analyze laws and regulations and prepare legal documents that include memoranda and correspondence.
- Educate and train University community about legal issues.
- Conduct and supervise legal research and analysis. Prepare written and verbal opinions of counsel as needed.
- Review, prepare, and approve for legal sufficiency contracts, including form and template agreements.
- Coordinate legal services to departments and divisions within areas of legal specialty.
- Represent the University before agencies, boards, committees, commissions, and courts in administrative hearings and litigation and/or oversee such representation.
- Negotiate settlements involving legal issues or transactions on behalf of the University in conjunction with other University officials and the General Counsel.
- Supervise support staff, law student interns or externs, and/or outside counsel on a project basis.
- Represent the Office of General Counsel at meetings and on committees, task forces and work groups as assigned.
- Assist the General Counsel by providing client-focused and mission-oriented legal services to the departments, colleges, officials and employees of the University and perform such other and related duties as directed by the General Counsel.
OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Perform other related duties as required.
LICENSES, TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT:
Individually assigned computers, printers; word processing, spreadsheet, and database software; Westlaw and other online legal research platforms. License to practice law in the state of Rhode Island and be a member of the Rhode Island Bar Association at the time of appointment, or eligible and willing to obtain such admission if also a member in good standing of the bar of any other state and eligible to register with the Rhode Island Supreme Court as an "in-house counsel".
Posting Date: 08/26/2026
To apply, visit https://jobs.uri.edu/postings/16998.