Staff Attorney

PURPOSE AND DESCRIPTION: The Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) is a 501(c)(3) that was founded in 1987 by a coalition of federally recognized Tribes to pursue and promote the conservation, development, and use of Tribes’ agricultural resources. Since our founding, the IAC has been guided by our member Tribes, and we have worked diligently to advance Tribes’ agricultural priorities on the more than 56 million acres of land in the United States that are under Tribal jurisdiction. In addition to elevating Indian Country’s agricultural priorities among policymakers, IAC also provides on-the-ground technical assistance, domestic and international marketing support, natural resource management, small agribusiness development, youth programming, and more to Tribes and individual producers across the United States and within Indian Country.

The Staff Attorney will provide day-to-day legal support and counsel across a broad range of matters affecting the IAC. Responsibilities include drafting and negotiating contracts; supporting compliance and governance needs, advising on employment, intellectual property, insurance, grant agreements and gift agreements; supporting legal aspects of major institutional partnerships and initiatives; and contributing to risk management policies and procedures. The ideal candidate will have experience working with nonprofit organizations and a strong understanding of the unique legal challenges faced by organizations like IAC.

The Staff Attorney will serve to support the Chief Legal & Policy Officer with legal matters across the organization.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Provide legal advice regarding matters in areas of assigned responsibility including corporate.

● Draft, review, negotiate, and interpret contracts, including those related to grants, sponsorships, services, and vendor agreements

● Assist in ensuring compliance with nonprofit regulations, including IRS requirements, charitable solicitation laws, and municipal procurement processes

● Provide legal counsel on employment/HR matters, including policy development, wage/hour compliance, and benefit plan compliance, in coordination with HR

● Provide legal support for fundraising initiatives, including gift agreements and donor restrictions

● Manage legal aspects of organizational partnerships — including service/vendor relationships, and other strategic arrangements — with responsibility for day-to-day contractual, governance, and compliance matters

● Assist the Chief Legal & Policy Officer with nonprofit governance issues as needed, including state nonprofit corporation law research and review of internal governance documents

● Contribute to institutional risk management by assisting in the development of policies and procedures to mitigate legal and operational risks

● Work effectively with outside counsel as necessary

● Perform additional duties as required

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

● Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school

● Admitted to practice in at least one state

● Demonstrated contract drafting and negotiation experience (vendor/services, licensing, exhibitions/loans, consultants, sponsorships)

● Excellent writing and judgment, with the ability to explain complex legal issues clearly to non-lawyers and collaborate across programs, operations, development, finance, and HR

● Strong organizational and project-management skills.

PREFERRED

● Five to Seven years’ experience practicing law, providing legal guidance

● Experience with legal requirements for nonprofit entities

● Experience with government and foundation grant agreements and compliance reporting

● Employment/HR support experience

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS :

● Location:

○ Primary location: Work from home office/remote or similar environment.

○ Secondary locations: Light travel is required for internal and external meetings. Examples include the IAC Annual

Conference or in-person team meetings at various times during the year.

● Physical Requirements: Must be able to remain in a stationary position, working at a desk, 50% of the time.

The job duties listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classification and are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Specific duties and responsibilities may vary depending on department or program needs without changing the general nature and scope of the job or level of responsibility. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned. Intertribal Agriculture Council has the right to revise this job description at any time. The job description is not a contract for employment, and either you or the Intertribal Agriculture Council may terminate employment at any time, for any reason.

Consistent with its obligations under the law (including the American Disabilities Act), the Intertribal Agriculture Council will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of their job.

Intertribal Agriculture Council is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.