Major, Lindsey & Africa (MLA) has been exclusively retained by Wake Forest University (“Wake Forest” or the “University”) to conduct a search for a Vice President & General Counsel. Wake Forest is an equal opportunity employer.
University: Founded in 1834, Wake Forest is a private research university located in Winston-Salem, NC, with more than 8,000 students and 6,280 full-time faculty and staff. The undergraduate population of more than 5,400 hails from 47 states and more than 45 foreign countries. Wake Forest is a vibrant and diverse academic community in which students pursue learning in one or more of the 45 majors, 60 minors, and additional programs offered within seven colleges and schools. Wake Forest's undergraduate and graduate colleges and schools include the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Law, the School of Divinity, the School of Business, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Medicine, and the School of Professional Studies.
Position: The Vice President & General Counsel is the principal legal officer for the University, with overall responsibility for the vision and leadership of the University’s legal strategy. As a valued member of the Wake Forest leadership team and the President’s Cabinet, the General Counsel provides advice and counsel to the President, Board of Trustees, and other members of the University community on all significant legal matters. The General Counsel is also responsible for leading and managing the University’s Office of the General Counsel (“OGC”).
Experience: The successful candidate will have at least 15 years of legal experience, with a solid and broad-based understanding of matters related to higher education law. Candidates will have extensive experience interacting with senior leadership teams and boards of trustees with varied interests and areas of responsibility. Candidates will have the ability to exercise sound judgment on challenging and sophisticated legal issues and to act with the highest ethics, integrity, and professionalism. The successful candidate will be forward-thinking, will move expeditiously and proactively on numerous fronts, will possess a world-class intellect, and will have demonstrated collaborative leadership in their prior roles. Experience in the higher education space is strongly preferred. Experience handling litigation matters is a plus. Familiarity with academic medical issues and college athletics is an advantage.
Location: Winston-Salem, NC. This is an in-office role. Remote candidates will not be considered.
Compensation: Competitive salary and excellent benefits.
Founded in 1982, Major, Lindsey & Africa is the world’s largest and most experienced legal search firm. Combining local market knowledge and a global recruiting network, MLA has earned recognition for its track record of successful General Counsel, Corporate Counsel, Partner, Associate and Law Firm Management placements. With offices throughout the U.S., Hong Kong, London, and Tokyo, MLA recruiters are dedicated to understanding and meeting clients’ and candidates’ needs while maintaining the highest degree of professionalism and confidentiality. MLA considers every search a diversity search, and has been committed to diversity in the law since its inception. For these reasons, MLA was voted “Best Legal Search Firm in the U.S.” in the most recent national survey of America’s top law firms. To learn more about MLA, please visit our website at www.mlaglobal.com.