General Counsel

Serve as a member of ORAU’s senior leadership team to not only advise the Corporation on legal matters, but shape discussion and debate around strategic business direction, corporate risk, ethics, and compliance. The General Counsel is expected to exercise strong analytical, communication, and leadership skills that appropriately weighs the legal risk of business decisions that impact ORAU’s liability potential and overall strategic business direction. The General Counsel serves in a demanding role that oversees the legal aspects of the Corporation’s internal business processes and practices. As such, the General Counsel must be intrinsically involved in analyzing complex business transactions, reviewing contracts, protecting intellectual property, and managing the Corporation’s risk culture. Finally, the General Counsel must have the experience and insight to act as a guide for the Corporation’s conscience with the ability to make decisions that both protect and enable the value of ORAU’s core capabilities, strategic business direction, and its reputation.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:  

Structures and manages ORAU’s internal legal activities including oversight of and responsibility for the legal and contract administration staff.
Serves as the General Counsel and manages the risk culture for ORAU and the ORAU Foundation on all matters related to corporate affairs and contract oversight responsibilities. Develops and manages a program that properly balances risk minimization with potential future business benefits.
Serves as key legal advisor to ORAU management on all legal matters confronting the corporation including major business transactions, including acquisitions and joint ventures.
Assumes primary responsibility for matters involving intellectual property law, including patent law, licensing of IP rights, and IP due diligence. 
Serves as ORAU’s Chief Ethics Officer. Promotes a corporate culture that maintains the highest possible standards of legal and ethical behavior.
Provides the ORAU President and Board of Directors with continuing counsel on legal and operational risks that protects ORAU’s business reputation while positioning it for better growth.
Assumes primary responsibility for representing ORAU’s interests in potential litigation cases including coordinating protecting those interests by employing an outside counsel when required.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

Graduate degree in law, Juris Doctorate or LLM, from an ABA accredited school and 6-10 years’ experience as a practicing attorney in legal fields relevant to the position. Additionally, a blend of legal and business experience is required so the individual can provide strategic advice to ORAU’s senior management and Board of Directors on issues that appropriately weigh legal risk alongside opportunities that provide future benefit to the corporation.

Must have a thorough understanding of laws and regulations related to ORAU activities (i.e., government contracts, appropriations, corporate governance, health and safety, etc.) Must have excellent legal research skills. Strong communications skills (both written and oral) required. Must have the ability to manage a legal and contracts administration department. Must have strong analytical and problem solving skills in balancing risk mitigation with emerging business opportunities. Ability to collaborate and contribute value in multi-disciplinary teams at every level of the organization and with key stakeholders required.

The position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q and/or Top Secret Clearance. Must be a licensed attorney in the State of Tennessee or have the ability to obtain a license to practice law in Tennessee (refer to the Tennessee Board of Law Examiners for requirements).