idealist.org

DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:
To provide legal counsel and assistance to all areas of the organization (its subsidiaries and affiliates) including executive and senior management, the Board of Directors, Program, Social Innovations, Global Engagement, Resource Development, and Finance and Administration as well as the corporate governance services to the Board of Directors.

GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY:
The Legal Counsel is responsible for assisting the Assistant General Counsel in ensuring that the Agency’s legal risks are appropriately managed in the most expeditious, efficient, and practical way possible.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
• Draft, review and/or revise contracts and agreements for clients throughout the Agency
• Provide routine advice on established compliance programs.
• Work with outside trademark counsel to ensure that Mercy Corps’ intellectual property is appropriately protected.
• Provide legal assistance, as necessary, to Agency’s Administration Function with respect to state authorizations to do business and domestic leases.
• Draft and revise template documents for the Digital Library and material for Mercy Corps’ intranet.
• Review and respond to bankruptcy and class action notices and respond to Freedom of Information Act requests.
• Assist field offices with routine country registrations.
• Work with outside counsel to ensure that all necessary corporate formalities for certain Mercy Corps affiliates are observed.
• Other tasks as assigned.

Organizational Learning
As part of Mercy Corps’ agency-wide Organizational Learning Initiative, all team members are responsible for spending 5% of their work time in formal and/or non-formal professional learning activities.

Accountability to Beneficiaries
Mercy Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability, specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our field projects.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: None

ACCOUNTABILITY:
The Assistant General Counsel, who is the Primary Supervisor. The Legal Counsel will also be accountable to internal clients throughout the Agency, both at HQ and in the field. The Legal Counsel will be supported by Assistant for Legal and Risk Management.


REPORTS DIRECTLY TO:
Assistant General Counsel

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
Juris Doctor degree and membership in Oregon State Bar or ability to qualify for admission to the Oregon State Bar pursuant to Rule 16.05 of the Rules for Admission of Attorneys of the Supreme Court of the State of Oregon; minimum of 3 years of experience in transactional practice, including contract drafting and review, and general corporate work; knowledge of one or more foreign languages is a plus; good general knowledge of current events, particularly international affairs; previous foreign travel is a plus.

SUCCESS FACTORS:
Good sense of humor; creativity, adaptability and flexibility; ability to work collaboratively; common sense; ability to absorb and apply new information rapidly.

LIVING CONDITIONS/ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS:
Position is located in Portland, Oregon. Mercy Corps Team members represent the agency both during and outside of work hours when deployed in a field posting or on a visit/TDY to a field posting. Staff are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner and respect local laws, customs and MC's policies, procedures, and values at all times and in all in-country venues

Apply @http://www.mercycorps.org/jobs