POSITION IDENTIFICATION
TITLE Deputy General Counsel
CLASSIFICATION NUMBER 1007
GRADE Unclassified
CLASSIFICATION Exempt
IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR General Counsel & Vice President for Legal Affairs & Compliance
GENERAL FUNCTION
The Deputy General Counsel provides legal advice and consultation to the Board of Governors, University President, the Administration, and faculty. The Deputy General Counsel reviews and recommends institutional policies and procedures, reviews or prepares contracts and other legal documents, and provides legal opinions to University committees and councils as directed by the Board of Governors, the University President, or the General Counsel & Vice President for Legal Affairs & Compliance (“General Counsel”). The Deputy General Counsel supervises the Director of the Disability Resource Center and serves as the primary legal liaison and support for student affairs/services on both the Springfield and West Plains campuses.
MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE QUALIFICATIONS
Education: A Juris Doctorate degree from an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law school is required. Superior academic standing is preferred.
Experience: At least three (3) years of professional legal experience as an attorney is required. General legal experience, including litigation, is required. Prior legal experience in the state of Missouri is preferred. Prior experience in higher education is preferred.
License: Membership in the State of Missouri Bar is required.
Skills: Effective verbal and written communication skills are required in order to communicate legal advice/opinions and provide consultation to people from all constituencies of the University. The ability to provide effective legal representation within time constraints is required.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Assists the University’s General Counsel for the University by providing legal advice or consultation to the Board of Governors, the University President, the administration, and faculty through administrative channels and reviewing and recommending institutional policies, procedures, guidelines and other documents as needed. Serves as primary legal liaison and support for student affairs/services on both the Springfield and West Plains campuses.2. Serves as the second-ranking officer for the Division for Legal Affairs & Compliance and supervises the personnel and functions of the Division for Legal Affairs & Compliance in the event that the General Counsel is on leave or otherwise not reasonably available.
3. Reduces the likelihood for inappropriate, unnecessary, or costly institutional liability in contractual agreements and terms or business arrangements by reviewing and/or preparing contracts and other legal documents for execution by or on behalf of the University.
4. Supervises the Director of the Disability Resource Center.
5. Represents the University system during administrative or judicial proceedings by serving as legal counsel, advising in the representation or overseeing the representation of the University system before University system hearing bodies as well as administrative and judicial bodies of the United States and the State of Missouri.
6. Provides requested legal opinions and advice to University committees and councils by serving as a resource person to the President's Cabinet and such other bodies as directed by the Board of Governors, the University President, or the General Counsel.
7. Contributes to the overall success of the University by performing other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the University President, the Board of Governors, or the General Counsel.
SUPERVISON
The Deputy General Counsel is supervised by the General Counsel & Vice President for Legal Affairs & Compliance. The Deputy General Counsel supervises the Director of the Disability Resource Center. The Deputy General Counsel also supervises the personnel within the Division for Legal Affairs & Compliance in the event that the General Counsel & Vice President for Legal Affairs & Compliance is on leave or otherwise not reasonably available.
OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES
REVISED JUNE 2026