About the Office of General Counsel
The Office of General Counsel (OGC) at Cornell University is a general practice law office that proactively advances the university’s mission by providing timely and trusted legal services and by diligently protecting the university’s resources. The office acts as the university’s legal advocate in various matters, including litigation, regulatory compliance, and business transactions.
OGC includes approximately 25 attorneys and ten staff who provide legal services and advice to all Cornell campuses and units in the United States and abroad. The office operates from two locations: the main Cornell campus in Ithaca, New York, and the Weill Cornell Medicine campus in New York City.
OGC attorneys collaborate with campus colleagues across a broad range of disciplines and provide advice and counsel on all legal matters affecting the University. The office is organized into four main practice groups – Litigation, Administrative Proceedings, and Regulatory Compliance; Research, Technology and Academic Innovation; Business, Charitable Giving, and Transactions; and People and Inclusive Excellence. The OGC also provides university and departmental trainings and workshops on legal and regulatory matters. Attorneys write and speak regularly at state and national conferences on higher education law and related matters.
The Opportunity
Are you a motivated self-starter? Eager to learn? A successful candidate will be highly organized and technically proficient in office-based and presentation software programs.
This position will provide a wide range of administrative support to attorneys within the Office of General Counsel, handling highly confidential and/or sensitive situations on a daily basis. Major responsibilities include:
- Providing general administrative support for 3-5 attorneys, including managing calendars, arranging complex meetings and conference calls, proofreading/updating documents, organizing and assembling working files.
- Drafting and managing routine and confidential correspondence, meeting minutes, reports, presentations, and spreadsheets, and organizing and preparing exhibits to correspondence and legal filings.
- Interacting with a wide variety of clients and others in person, on the phone, via email, and video conferencing.
- Maintaining electronic and hard copy files and databases; maintaining integrity of information.
- Handling arrangements for travel, conference registrations and continuing legal education (CLE). Organizing itinerary, makes appropriate reservations for travel and accommodations.
- Maintaining inventory of supplies and equipment. May order supplies/equipment as authorized or ensure that needs are escalated appropriately. Receives supply orders and confirms accuracy of delivery. May assist with cost control.
- Maintaining unit website, including assisting in redevelopment and making routine updates.
- Serving as a functional liaison with campus departments such as IT or Facilities.
- Analyzing and evaluating workflows to ensure maximum efficiency.
While position responsibilities vary, every member of our community is expected to foster a culture of belonging and a healthy work environment by communicating across differences; being cooperative, collaborative, open, and welcoming; showing respect, compassion, and empathy; engaging and supporting others regardless of background or perspective; speaking up when others are being excluded or treated inappropriately; and supporting work/life integration of oneself and others.
Success Factors
You are considered a competitive candidate if you are a/an:
- Proactive and resourceful teammate who is energized by supporting multiple attorneys, managing shifting priorities, and taking initiative to move tasks forward without needing detailed instructions.
- Detail-oriented and tech-savvy problem solver who learns systems quickly, navigates legal software with agility, and brings curiosity and persistence to troubleshooting issues and improving workflows.
- Strong communicator with sound judgment who interacts confidently and professionally with people at all levels-both inside and outside the university-and handles confidential matters with discretion and care.
- Adaptable and collaborative contributor who thrives in a dynamic legal office, balances complex and mundane tasks with equal diligence, and willingly cross-trains to support team and office-wide needs.
Hours and Location
The core hours of the Office of General Counsel are Monday through Friday, 8:00AM-5:00PM. The administrative team works together to ensure all hours are covered. This role can typically be performed in a hybrid format of 1 day remote and 4 days on campus. However, in order to ensure mutual success, we’d like for you to be on campus Monday through Friday during the orientation and onboarding period of at least the first 90 days in the role, after which, the hybrid format can be discussed and determined. The OGC site offers free parking to employees as an added bonus.
What You Need to be Considered
- A cover letter and resume outlining your interest and how your experience and goals align with the potential for mutual success in the role are required for consideration.
- Associate’s degree or equivalent, plus 2-4 years of relevant legal or project management experience
The individual in this position must have sound judgment and reasoning skills, and the ability to handle sensitive and confidential matters. The person must be adept at multi-tasking and able to synthesize and analyze complex facts. While paralegal experience or training may be helpful, it is not required.
Core Competencies Required for Competitiveness:
- Strong organizational skills.
- Sharp attention to detail.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, with the ability to prepare charts and reports, edit, and proofread.
- Ability to practice discretion and maintain professional confidences.
- Capacity to thrive professionally in a vibrant academic community and to approach challenges with a growth mindset, flexibility, creativity, and with measured temperament.
- Demonstrated expertise in Microsoft Office products, especially Word, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat Professional, and data management systems.
- Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.
If you have all those things, great! We have a few more things that we would prefer you to have, but it’s ok if you don’t.
- Bachelor’s degree.
- Notary Public certification or become certified within one year of appointment.
Rewards and Benefits
- This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement. Employees typically perform this role remotely 1 day per week and on-campus 4 days per week. The university reserves the right to modify, suspend, revoke or terminate the hybrid work arrangement at any time.
- Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, and sustainability.
- Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. We invite you to follow this link to get more information about our benefits: Understand Your Benefits | Working at Cornell.
- Our leave provisions include health and personal leave, three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1. To offer greater flexibility for observing faiths and traditions we also offer two additional floating holidays. Learn more about our generous leave provisions: Holiday and Accrued Time Off | Working at Cornell
- Cornell’s impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children’s Tuition Assistance Program. Learn more about our extensive educational benefits: Education Benefits | Working at Cornell
- Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell:Total Rewards | Working at Cornell.
Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
University Job Title:
Administrative Asst IV
Job Family:
Administration
Level:
D
Pay Rate Type:
Hourly
Pay Range:
$26.41 – $30.69
Remote Option Availability:
Hybrid
Company:
Contact Name:
Carolyn Chow
Contact Email:
Job Titles and Pay Ranges:
Non-Union Positions
Noted pay ranges reflect the potential pay opportunity for each job profile. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:
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Prior relevant work or industry experience
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Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position
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Unique applicable skills
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Academic Discipline
To learn more about Cornell’s non-union staff job titles and pay ranges, see Career Navigator.
Union Positions
The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined in accordance with the rates in the respective collective bargaining agreement. To learn more about Cornell’s union wages, see Union Pay Rates.
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Employment Assistance:
For general questions about the position or the application process, please contact the Recruiter listed in the job posting or email [email protected].
If you require an accommodation for a disability in order to complete an employment application or to participate in the recruiting process, you are encouraged to contact Cornell Office of Civil Rights at voice (607) 255-2242, or email at [email protected].
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EEO Statement:
Cornell welcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world-class education and career opportunities, to further the founding principle of “… any person … any study.” No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
Cornell University embraces diversity in its workforce and seeks job candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We hire based on merit, and encourage people from historically underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply. Consistent with federal law, Cornell engages in affirmative action in employment for qualified protected veterans as defined in the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRRA) and qualified individuals with disabilities under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.
2025-09-16
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