Director of Legal Affairs

Good Faith Pay Range: In accordance with Virginia law, the good-faith pay range for this position is $135,000 - $225,000 per year. Actual compensation will be determined based on the candidates qualifications, education, experience, skills, and other legitimate business factors.

Since 1966, ECPI University has been dedicated to improving lives through career-focused education. Today, ECPI is one of the nations leading private universities, serving students through associate, bachelors, masters, and professional programs while maintaining an unwavering commitment to academic quality, innovation, regulatory excellence, and student success.

As the University continues to grow, ECPI is creating a new executive legal leadership position that will help shape the future of the institution.

The Director of Legal Affairs will become a key advisor to executive leadership, working across employment law, higher education regulation, contracts, governance, compliance, strategic initiatives, and institutional operations. This position offers the opportunity to work alongside a long-tenured executive team with deep higher education experience while helping build the Universitys long-term legal function.

This role is intended to grow over time as responsibilities evolve and institutional needs expand.

Position Summary

The Director of Legal Affairs serves as the Universitys primary in-house legal counsel and strategic advisor on a broad range of institutional matters.

Working closely with the President, Chief Regulatory Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Technology Officer, and Human Resources Vice President, this individual will provide practical legal guidance that supports institutional objectives while managing legal and regulatory risk.

This position requires sound legal judgment, strong business acumen, and an appreciation for the operational realities of a highly regulated university.

Primary Responsibilities

Employment & Human Resources

• Advise Human Resources and executive leadership on employment law matters.
• Provide legal guidance related to employee relations, workplace investigations, accommodations, wage and hour issues, policy development, and litigation avoidance.
• Partner with Human Resources on employment practices and organizational policy.

Higher Education & Regulatory Affairs

• Provide legal counsel regarding matters affecting private higher education institutions.
• Advise executive leadership on issues involving federal and state regulatory compliance, accreditation, institutional governance, consumer protection, student matters, and other legal issues affecting higher education.
• Partner with executive leadership on legal matters involving institutional eligibility, regulatory compliance, and interactions with governmental agencies and accreditors.

Contracts & Business Transactions

• Draft, negotiate, and review commercial agreements.
• Advise on procurement, technology contracts, software licensing, real estate matters, vendor relationships, and strategic partnerships.
• Support institutional transactions and other business initiatives.

Governance & Risk Management

• Advise executive leadership regarding institutional legal risk.
• Coordinate outside counsel as appropriate.
• Support Board governance activities.
• Assist with litigation management and legal strategy.

Strategic Initiatives

Partner with executive leadership on major institutional initiatives including:

• Enterprise technology modernization
• ERP and Student Information System implementation
• Artificial intelligence governance and policy
• New academic programs
• Campus expansion
• Institutional partnerships
• Corporate governance initiatives

Qualifications

Required

• Juris Doctor from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Active membership in good standing with at least one state bar.
• Significant legal experience advising organizations in complex regulatory environments.
• Strong employment law and contract experience.
• Excellent written, analytical, negotiation, and communication skills.
• Ability to provide practical, business-oriented legal advice to executive leadership.

Preferred

• Experience serving as legal counsel for a college or university or representing higher education institutions in private practice.
• Experience with the legal and regulatory framework governing institutions of higher education, including federal student aid programs, accreditation, state authorization, institutional governance, and related regulatory matters.
• Experience advising executive leadership on strategic institutional initiatives.
• Familiarity with the operational and regulatory environment of private higher education.

Leadership Characteristics

The successful candidate will be:

• Practical and solutions-oriented.
• Collaborative and approachable.
• Comfortable working directly with executive leadership.
• Able to balance legal risk with institutional objectives.
• Interested in developing a long-term career with the University.
• Comfortable working in an environment where executives are engaged in both strategic and operational decision-making.

Why ECPI University?

This position offers a unique opportunity to help build the Universitys legal function while working alongside one of higher educations most experienced executive leadership teams.

ECPI offers:

• Stable, family-owned leadership.
• Long-tenured executive team.
• Collaborative culture.
• Broad legal practice with meaningful responsibility.
• Opportunity to influence institutional strategy.
• Long-term career growth.
• A mission centered on improving students lives through education.