Overview
Administrative Assistant, Legal Services Jobs in Cleveland, OH at Cuyahoga Community College
Company Description
Ravinia® is both North America’s longest-running not-for-profit music festival and its most artistically diverse. Over 100 different events by a mix of classical, rock, pop, jazz, R&B, indie, and country performers make up a typical summer season on our two open-air and two indoor stages. Each year the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is featured in six weeks of concerts, many with Chief Conductor Marin Alsop. During the same summer months, Ravinia’s Steans Institute provides young professional classical and jazz musicians with career-advancing training and concert settings.
Offstage and year-round, Ravinia’s Reach Teach Play education programs engage 50,000 children and adults—in schools with little to no music curriculum, in our Chicagoland communities, and at our 36-acre park—in our mission to make music equitably accessible to all.
Job Description
Position Summary
Ravinia Festival Association seeks an experienced General Counsel—on a part-time basis—to provide expert and strategic legal advice to its Senior Leadership and Trustees to mitigate risk, ensure regulatory compliance, and strengthen its business foundation for future success. This role manages all legal matters as well as the support provided by external counsel (pro bono, insurance, and paid). Reports to Ravinia’s President and CEO.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
STRATEGIC BUSINESS & LEGAL COUNSEL
Strategic Advisor to Leadership: Provide forward-looking legal counsel to executive leadership on evolving legal landscapes, translating complex legal concepts into actionable insights that align with business objectives. Facilitate a clean understanding of legal rights and obligations across the leadership team.
Develop & Implement Legal Strategies: Maintain a comprehensive understanding of Ravinia’s operations and key legal documents to prepare strategic legal approaches that support the organization’s goals. Lead the review, drafting, and negotiation of critical legal documentation to align with business priorities.
Dispute Resolution & Lead Litigation Strategy: Serve as the strategic point of contact for all litigation matters, coordinating with external counsel to achieve optimal outcomes for Ravinia while maintaining a proactive risk management and litigation strategy.
REGULATORY, COMPLIANCE & GOVERNANCE
Corporate Compliance Programs: Assess, design, and enhance compliance programs related to corporate governance and human resources, ensuring alignment with best practices and industry standards.
Corporate Governance & Oversight: Partner with the CEO, Finance, Human Resources, and the Ravina Board of Directors to provide strategic oversight in governance matters, aligning corporate governance practices with Ravinia’s strategic vision.
BUSINESS MATTERS
Optimize Contract Management Processes: Lead the contract management practices with organizational goals, ensuring contracts are negotiated, executed, and managed effectively from inception through renewal. Implement metrics and controls to monitor contract compliance and enhance efficiency.
Develop & Implement Legal Strategy through Process & Procedure: Maintain a comprehensive understanding of Ravinia’s operations and key legal documents to prepare strategic legal approaches that support the organization’s goals. Lead the review, drafting, and negotiation of critical legal documentation to align with business priorities.
Trademark Portfolio Management & IP Enforcement: Work with the Marketing & Communications team to proactively protect Ravinia’s intellectual property, in particular its trademarks on an international basis.
Dispute Resolution & Lead Litigation Strategy: Serve as the strategic point of contact for all disputes and litigated matters, including managing external counsel to achieve optimal outcomes for Ravinia while maintaining a proactive litigation strategy.
PERSONNEL
Employment & Volunteer Policies: Ensure compliance with nonprofit employment laws and advise on legal matters related to volunteers, contractors, and staff.
Visa & Immigration Compliance: Assist appropriate staff with visa applications, work permits, and immigration-related matters for international artists and staff.
RISK MANAGEMENT
Litigation & Risk Management: Develop and execute strategic responses to disputes and litigation, working closely with internal teams and external counsel. Balance risk management with Ravinia’s long-term interests and values. Serve as a key collaborator with Ravinia’s CISO and Emergency Watch Office.
Audit & Risk Committee: Serve as a liaison, along with the CFO, to the Chair and members of the Audit & Risk Committee. Collaborate with the other Senior Leadership Team members whose areas fall under this Committee’s work (e.g., CEO, Finance, IT, Park Ops, Communications).
Safety Committee: Serve as a member of the Safety Committee to help Ravinia reduce claims and operational risk.
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS (optional)
Elected Representative Offices: Serve as a primary point of contact for related offices of elected representatives.
Legislative Affairs: Track and manage legislative affairs affecting Ravinia.
Civic Relations Committee: Serve as a key staff advisor to this staff-Trustee group.
QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS
Education: Juris Doctor (JD) degree and active license, in good standing, to practice law in the State of Illinois.
Experience: A minimum of ten (10) years of legal practice experience is required. Ideally, such experience includes a mix of nonprofit law; corporate governance; labor, employment & immigration law; and entertainment & intellectual property.
In-house experience is not required; however, prior experience working in a nonprofit environment will be prioritized.
Experience advising boards of directors and senior leadership on governance, compliance, and fiduciary responsibilities is required.
Skills: Excellent negotiation, analytical, and problem-solving skills are required. Ability to be self-directed while collaborating with senior leaders, board members, and external legal partners also required.
Communication: Strong communication and leadership abilities to assist those without a legal background. Polished writing that can distill complex legal issues into succinct plain English.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
This is a hybrid position that would require 50% of the work based at Ravinia’s offices in Highland Park, IL, so that the position is well-engaged with the people and operations on-site. Employees embrace and actively support Ravinia’s culture of integrity, professionalism, collaboration, mutual respect, and customer focus.
Benefits
Eligible for the Illinois Paid Leave plan.
Ravinia is an Equal Opportunity Employer
As an equal opportunity employer, Ravinia strongly believes that diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives is essential to our success. We strive to create and sustain an equitable and inclusive environment for all our employees. Ravinia does not discriminate on the basis of any protected status under federal, state, or local law. We encourage individuals of all identities and abilities to apply.
All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
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Title: Administrative Assistant, Legal Services
Company: Cuyahoga Community College
Location: Cleveland, OH
