The RAND Corporation’s Office of the General Counsel (OGC) is seeking a highly motivated, professional attorney to join our team in the role of Assistant General Counsel focusing on Government Contracting & Business Agreements.  The Assistant General Counsel role reports directly to the Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary.

The successful candidate will have:

• Expertise in federal government contracting under the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARs), and other US Government Agency regulations;

• Capacity and interest in engaging on an array of other U.S. and international business agreements and in providing legal advice and counseling in a variety of other substantive legal areas.

• Experience or interest in developing expertise in emerging fields and areas of importance to RAND, like export compliance, human subjects research compliance, and Intellectual Property (IP);

• A focus on helping clients identify risks and opportunities, and on finding innovative solutions to problems;

• Passion for the legal subjects on which the attorney advises; and

• A “continuous improvement” mindset.

About RAND OGC

We are a small, mission-focused department that supports the entire enterprise – everything we do is for the purpose of enabling RAND to deliver on its mission.  Our highly collaborative approach enables us to confidently provide thoughtful advice on OGC’s core functional areas, which include Legal Services, Corporate Governance, Ethics & Compliance, Investigations, and Privacy.  While each of our team members has specialist skills, we are each also intellectually curious generalists who engage across the full range of issues and opportunities experienced by RAND.

RAND OGC has three levels of attorney positions: Counsel, Assistant General Counsel, and Associate General Counsel.  All attorney roles report to the Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary and reflect progressively increasing levels of established skill and experience, as well as responsibility. 

The Role

As part of a three-person OGC team focused on advancement of RAND’s mission through innovative solutions, primary responsibilities of the role will include:

• Working with RAND’s research division leadership to navigate legal complexities, primarily (but not exclusively) in the area of federal government contracting, thus enabling pursuit of new opportunities to advance RAND’s mission through sound legal advice and creativity;

• Drafting and negotiating business agreements as well as other writings and legal documents;

• Advising our contracts department and other RAND operations personnel with respect to federal, state, and municipal government contracts, international contracts, IP/data use/licensing agreements, and other business agreements;

• Collaborating with the Director of Contracts to establish and update high-quality, agile processes for the review and negotiation of contracts and agreements;

• Proactively identifying potential areas of vulnerability and risk for the organization and working with relevant stakeholders to design and implement solutions. 

• Tasking and directing outside counsel as required;

• Advising staff on compliance with applicable laws and regulations; and

• Special projects assigned by the General Counsel or Associate General Counsel.

Other responsibilities may include:

• Advocacy with research sponsors on behalf of RAND in conjunction with research division leadership, including periodic in-person visits to sponsor locations;

• Advising and training on a variety of topics potentially including international trade controls such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), sanctions regimes, and export regulations (primarily ITAR);

• Responses to requests under the Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) and state and local disclosure laws such as California’s Public Records Act;

• Advising RAND’s Institutional Review Board on human subjects protection under the Common Rule; and 

• Advising RAND’s Development function with respect to the terms of charitable gifts and grants.

Qualifications

The requirements for this Assistant General Counsel role are as follows:

Required:

• At least six (6) years of experience as a practicing attorney with substantive experience in the primary responsibilities set forth above;

• Detail-oriented, works well under pressure, and has an affinity for RAND’s Mission;

• Proven problem-solver who takes ownership of assigned areas of responsibility;

• Demonstrated ability to confidently provide sound judgment even in ambiguous situations;

• Collaborative, collegial, and skilled at building consensus with diverse professional groups;

• Drive for continuous improvement and interest in building systems and practices that enable agility throughout the organization;

• Demonstrated desire to take on increasing levels of responsibility and confidence to engage in novel legal issues that may be outside prior experience;

• Ability to identify priorities and adjust as necessary to meet unanticipated needs; and

• Ability to travel occasionally to other RAND offices (primarily in the U.S.).

Preferred:

• Substantive experience in one or more of the additional responsibilities described above.

• Prior employment in the government contracts department of a law firm or for an organization that contracts with the U.S. Federal Government.

• Effective use and management of outside counsel; and

• Experience working for (or with) a non-profit organization.

Education & Licensing

J.D. and licensed to practice law (in good standing).  If not licensed to practice law in the state of employment, must qualify under the Supreme Court of Virginia’s Rule 1A:5 or the requirements for Registered In-House Counsel for the State of California (as applicable).  Licensure in California, Virginia, Pennsylvania, D.C., or New York is a plus.

Security Clearance

The ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Security Clearance and DHS Fitness is required for this position.  U.S. citizenship is required to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Security Clearance. 

Location

This role is based in either RAND’s Arlington VA (Washington DC area) office or Santa Monica, CA (Los Angeles area) headquarters and is eligible for RAND’s hybrid work environment, which enables a blend of on-site and remote work.  Given the nature of this role, Candidates should expect to work from a RAND office (on average) about three days per week. 

Salary Range:  $172,800 - $225,000

RAND considers a variety of factors when formulating an offer, including, but not limited to, the specific role and associated responsibilities; a candidate’s work experience, education/training, skills, and expertise; and internal equity.  In addition, RAND provides strong benefits, including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, a savings plan, paid time off, and more.

Equal Opportunity Employer: race/color/religion/sex/sexual orientation/gender identity/national origin/disability/vet