REPORTS TO: Superintendent
SALARY RANGE: $272,541 - $320,760
WORK YEAR: Positive Work Year of 224 Days
QUALIFICATIONS:
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE
- Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an ABA-accredited law school;
- Active member in good standing with the State Bar of California;
- Eight (8) years of progressively responsible legal experience, including significant experience advising public agencies, educational institutions, or governmental organizations;
- Experience representing California school districts;
- Experience in education law, labor and employment law, public contracting, governance, litigation, and administrative law.
OVERVIEW:
Under the direction of the Superintendent, manage, oversee, coordinate, and provide professional legal counsel and representation for the District, the Governing Board, and assigned auxiliary organizations. Consistent with Board Bylaw 9124, serve as legal advisor to the Board of Education, maintaining Board access to counsel through the Board President or by majority vote of the Board. Conduct complex legal research and analysis, prepare legal documents, and render formal legal opinions concerning District legal powers, functions, jurisdiction, procedures, and related legal matters.
RESPONSIBILITIES (include, but not limited to, the following):
- Serve as chief legal advisor to the Board of Education, Superintendent, and District administration on governance, policy, and legal matters;
- Advise on Brown Act, Public Records Act, Education Code, employment and labor law, special education, civil rights/Title IX, student matters, contracts, privacy, and other laws affecting public education;
- Attend Board meetings and provide legal counsel on governance, policies, regulations, agenda items, and open and closed session matters;
- Monitor legal developments, identify emerging risks, and recommend proactive strategies to ensure compliance and minimize District liability;
- Manage District litigation and direct outside counsel; appear in administrative proceedings as appropriate;
- Select and oversee outside counsel, including litigation strategy, performance, legal expenditures, and settlement recommendations;
- Keep the Board and Superintendent informed regarding pending litigation, claims, legal risks, and significant legal developments;
- Direct and oversee investigations, including retention of independent investigators where independence or privilege requires;
- Draft, review, and negotiate contracts, MOUs, settlements, interagency agreements, resolutions, policies, regulations, procurement documents, leases, and other legal agreements;
- Advise on labor and employment matters, including collective bargaining, personnel actions, discipline, grievances, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, leave, and workplace investigations;
- Develop and provide legal and compliance training for Board members, administrators, and District staff;
- Develop and manage the legal services budget and monitor outside counsel and legal services expenditures;
- Perform other duties consistent with the role of General Counsel as assigned by the Superintendent.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & ABILITIES:
- Comprehensive knowledge of legal areas affecting public education, with a strong emphasis on Special Education law, California Education Code, Brown Act, California Public Records Act, and relevant sections of the Government Code;
- Knowledge of labor and employment law, collective bargaining processes, student discipline, student rights, public contracting, procurement, risk management, board governance, administrative law, civil litigation, and constitutional law affecting public education;
- Knowledge of legal management practices, such as discovery, document production, depositions, briefing, trial procedures, investigation techniques, and computerized legal case management systems;
- Knowledge of school district organization, operations, policies, procedures, objectives, and state/federal rules and regulations applicable to school districts;
- Solid legal research methods, quality report and legal document writing techniques, and effective oral and written communication skills;
- Knowledge of the principles and practices of management, supervision, training, and evaluation approaches, strategies, and techniques;
- Proficiency in operating computers, legal software, scanners, and standard office equipment;
- Interpersonal skills using tact, patience, courtesy, and professionalism, alongside strict adherence to health and safety regulations;
- Ability to understand, analyze, interpret, and apply board policies, administrative regulations, state and federal laws, and specialized statutes governing public education;
- Ability to provide sound legal analysis, manage risk, exercise analytical and independent judgment, and adopt effective courses of action on complex legal matters;
- Ability to manage multiple legal priorities and tasks simultaneously with highly developed organizational skills, precise attention to detail, and frequent interruptions;
- Ability to research, analyze, compile, verify legal data, and prepare comprehensive legal reports, correspondence, and documents independently;
- Ability to plan, prioritize, and organize work to consistently meet critical legal schedules, filing windows, and statutory deadlines;
- Ability to work confidentially with discretion, handling sensitive district legal matters with high professional integrity;
- Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with legal counsel, board members, district officials, and regulatory bodies;
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with District office administrators, site administrators, staff, legal representatives, and the public;
- Ability to train, guide, and supervise the performance of assigned legal or administrative staff.
- Ability to prepare and deliver clear presentations and legal compliance trainings;
- Ability to lift light objects according to safety regulations and meet state and District standards of professional conduct as outlined in board policy.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
- Legal Authorization to work in the U.S.;
- Ability to pass a Department of Justice (DOJ) fingerprint clearance;
- Possession of a valid California Driver's License;
- Within 60 days of hire, provision of TB (tuberculin) clearance, as mandated by the California Education Code.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
- The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
- This role is primarily performed in an office environment requiring prolonged sitting, computer use, and attendance at meetings. This position requires regular travel between District sites and attendance at evening Board meetings.
- During the execution of this role, the employee will regularly engage in verbal communication or auditory activities. Additionally, the employee will frequently need to manipulate objects, tools, or controls using their hands and may also be required to extend their hands and arms. Occasionally, the role may entail standing, walking, sitting, climbing, balancing, as well as stooping, kneeling, crouching, or crawling.
- The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds or more. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
- WORK ENVIRONMENT:
- The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
- The work environment is primarily administrative and professional, involving frequent interaction with Board members, District administrators, employees, legal counsel, government agencies, and members of the public. The position requires independent judgment, discretion, confidentiality, and the ability to manage sensitive legal matters. The employee frequently works at a computer in an office environment. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to the risk of electrical shock.
- The job entails potential for exposure to adverse weather conditions and temperature extremes; exposure to blood-borne pathogens and communicable diseases; and interaction with disruptive and/or unruly individuals.
- The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY:
The Palo Alto Unified School District does not discriminate in any program, activity, or employment on the basis of actual or perceived race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, veteran status, gender, sex, or sexual orientation.
PAUSD is an equal-opportunity employer in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and all other applicable federal, state, and local laws.
PAUSD Website: www.pausd.org
PAUSD Salary Schedules: www.pausd.org/hr/salary-schedules
PAUSD Benefits: www.pausd.org/hr/benefits
Pay: $272,541.00 - $320,760.00 per year
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
