Legal Counsel & Board Legal Advisor

Company Description Apex Para Athletics is an organization dedicated to advancing inclusive, high-performance sports opportunities for para athletes. The organization works with athletes, coaches, and partner institutions to create accessible training environments, fair competition structures, and supportive athletic communities. Apex Para Athletics focuses on integrity, safety, and compliance across all programs, ensuring that para athletes can train and compete within clear regulatory and ethical frameworks. Team members collaborate remotely across regions to support growth, community outreach, development and operational excellence. The organization values equity, transparency, and respect for diverse abilities and backgrounds.

The ideal candidate will be responsible for in-house legal matters including drafting agreements, addressing compliance issues, and participating in negotiation discussions. In order to succeed, this candidate should feel comfortable working with in-house and outside counsels on a variety of legal matters.

Time & Schedule Expectations

• Weekly Commitment: 2–4 hours per week (advisory, project-based)
• Term Length: 1-year minimum commitment (aligned with board meeting or fiscal calendar cycles)
• Schedule Flexibility: Asynchronous & On-Demand
  • Core work consists of reviewing documents and providing written/verbal guidance on your own schedule.
  • Standing Meetings: Attendance at quarterly Board of Directors meetings (approx. 1.5–2 hours each, remote) and a monthly 30-minute check-in with the Executive Director or Board Chair.

Work Location & Modality

• Format: 100% Remote
• Collaboration Tools: Remote communication via email, phone/Zoom, and shared cloud document storage (e.g., Google Drive, SharePoint).

Core Advisory Scope & Deliverables + Area = Specific Commitment

Board Governance: Review board meeting minutes, bylaws, conflict-of-interest disclosures, and corporate governance practices.

Contract Review: Review vendor contracts, partner MOUs, liability waivers, and commercial leases prior to execution.

Risk & Ethics: Serve as a sounding board for executive leadership on legal risk, employment policy questions, and ethical considerations.

Outside Counsel Coordination: If specialized litigation or formal legal representation is needed, assist in scoping issues and selecting external pro bono/paid counsel.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal support to the various internal departments
• Work with other in-house counsels and outside counsels, as required
• Negotiate and draft complex transactional agreements
• Taking preemptive measures to avoid legal risks and conflicts

Onboarding Requirements:

• Legal Guardrails: Clarification in the volunteer agreement that advice provided is in an advisory/volunteer capacity to the organization, not creating an attorney-client relationship for individual staff/board members.
• Prerequisites: Execution of a Volunteer Advisor Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) and a 1-hour orientation on the non-profit's mission, bylaws, and current strategic goals.

Qualifications

• J.D. qualified to practice law
• 3+ years' legal work experience
• Admission to any United States State Bar or Active license to practice law in Minnesota (or relevant jurisdiction)
• Background in Nonprofit Law, Sports & Entertainment Law, Corporate Governance, or Risk Management
• Passion for para athletic development sports and community inclusion