Senior Associate General Counsel

Clemson University is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Senior Associate General Counsel to provide expert legal advice and counsel on complex legal matters. This position requires an attorney who can work independently or as the lead attorney of a legal team, with a primary focus on strategic public-private relationships and related transactions driven by intellectual property law and business law.

The Office of General Counsel provides legal advice to the Board of Trustees, the president, the administration, faculty and staff on legal matters involving or affecting Clemson University. To learn more about the Office of General Counsel, please visit our website.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Legal Guidance: Provide legal guidance and advice regarding strategies, procedures, and policies that facilitate the achievement of all three Clemson Elevate pillar goals with efforts primarily focused on research, entrepreneurism, and the management/commercialization of intellectual capital. Guidance and advice should be based on applicable law, including intellectual property and business law, and be the result of the exercise of sound legal judgment.

Transactional Legal Support: Provide transactional legal support to the Offices of External Affairs, Development, Research, and Athletics, among others, in the creation of strategies, structures, and deal terms for specific public-private collaborations.  Transactional support includes deal ideation, structure, negotiation, and transactional-based document production.

Entrepreneurial Culture Development: Provide legal guidance and advice for the creation and growth of an entrepreneurial culture on campus for students, faculty, and staff, including support for the Brook T. Smith Launchpad and related initiatives.

Additional Legal Duties: Perform such other legal duties as assigned by the General Counsel.

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) or equivalent from an accredited law school.
• Member of the S.C. Bar or ability to obtain a limited certificate of admission under S. C. App. Ct. R. 405.
• Work experience of 15 years, primarily in areas of intellectual property law, public-private collaborations, and entrepreneurism. 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in a scientific field.
• Experience as a researcher with peer-reviewed publications/patents.
• Experience negotiating collaborative agreements between higher education entities, NGO’s, government entities, and the private sector.
• Licensed patent attorney (USPTO).