Senior Associate General Counsel

The Senior Associate General Counsel is responsible for providing legal support to the University of Kansas Office of Research (KUOR). KUOR supports broad research activity and administers externally sponsored projects on the KU-Lawrence campus, providing proposal and post-award services, compliance oversight, research facilities, and financial services. The KU Center for Research, Inc. (KUCR) is a non-profit 501(c)3 research foundation and KU affiliate organization responsible for submitting and receiving all proposals for external support of research, instructional and service projects. KUOR negotiates contracts and agreements on behalf of KUCR and manages investment of KUCR resources.

The Senior Associate General Counsel position will primarily be responsible for providing legal counsel for all legal matters impacting KUOR, including research contracts, business service agreements, intellectual property, regulatory compliance, sponsored research, conflict of interest, data privacy and security, risk management, dispute resolution, and training and education. The Senior Associate General Counsel will also serve as legal counsel for KUCR and oversee management and interpretation of KUCR by-laws, structure, and governance. The Senior Associate General Counsel will report to the General Counsel and Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs for the University of Kansas, with a dual report to the Vice Chancellor for Research.

40% Manage policy and process related to Contracts and Agreements

• Oversee the review, negotiation, and processing of business contracts involving the procurement of services by KUCR from outside entities including, but not limited to, business service agreements, master service agreements and statements of work, hotel/event contracts, consultant contracts, license agreements, and lease agreements.
• Review agreements and contracts involving non-standard terms and conditions, in coordination with the General Counsel's office contract review group as appropriate.
• Maintain and update templates for consortium and confidentiality agreements, and others as needed, and review with KU General Counsel any significant changes. Define when review is necessary by KU General Counsel for contracts involving non-standard terms and conditions.
• Oversee maintenance of searchable records of all contracts, agreements, statements of work, modifications and other related documents, including the status of agreements still being processed.
• Participate in policy discussion with other Office of Research departments to coordinate the handling of the various types of contracts managed by the Office of Research.
• Represent KUCR in the design and implementation of systems at the University of Kansas for the execution and administration of contracts.
• Serve as primary resource for faculty, staff and external organizations regarding business agreement/contract policies and procedures.
• Ensure compliance with federal policy (e.g. Uniform Guidance), state and university policies and procedures in the execution of agreements and contracts.
• Oversee policy and process for the review and negotiation of Research Consortium and Confidentiality Agreements, including verifying export control/ITAR status of parties as well as verifying tax status of international parties.
• Document and maintain internal controls over the processing of agreements.
• Train and supervise staff in the drafting and review of these agreements, ensuring consistently high quality for the entire team.

40% Advise on policy and process related to Sponsored Projects and Compliance

• Review and interpret policies related to sponsored research and related funding, conflicts of interest, and compliance requirements. Provide guidance in addressing potential conflicts of interest that may arise in research setting.
• Manage legal aspects of sponsored research projects, included grant agreements, compliance, and intellectual property ownership.
• Develop policies and procedures to ensure compliance with Uniform Guidance and KUCR procurement policies
• Serve as a resource for the KU research community on matters related to negotiation or acceptance of terms and conditions in grants and contracts.
• Represent KUCR in the negotiations of current and future insurance requirements for research operations.
• Assist with claims, insurance applications, audits and administrative reports
• Support research activities to be compliant with relevant law, regulations and university policies such as those related to human subjects, animal research, and export control.
• Partner with the Office of Audit, Risk, and Compliance to identify and mitigate legal risks associated with research activities
• Provide training and education to faculty, researchers, and staff on legal issues relate to research.

20% Provide legal counsel to KUCR Board of Trustees

• Review and provide guidance to the KUCR Board of Trustees on legal and financial structure of KUCR to ensure compliance with all state and federal laws related to 501(c)3 organizations.
• Review and provide guidance to the KUCR Board of Trustees on all proposed changes to by-laws and governance structure
• Review and provide guidance to the KUCR Board of Trustees on all financial and legal documentation and reporting associated with KUCR.

1. J.D. from an accredited, American law school
2. Current license to practice law in Kansas, or ability to obtain licensure within 6 months of hiring
3. Membership in Kansas bar, or ability to achieve membership within 6 months of hiring
4. Five (5) years experience practicing as an attorney
5. At least three (3) years of experience in three or more areas: Contract Law, Intellectual Property Law, Regulatory Compliance, Sponsored Research, Employment Law related to research projects, Litigation and Dispute Resolution related to research, and Risk Management
6. Strong analytical writing, problem solving, interpersonal and communication skills as evidenced by application materials
7. Experience that required the ability and willingness to handle a wide variety of legal matters both independently and as part of a team as evidenced by application materials

This position requires a formal degree in the cited discipline area(s) to ensure that candidates have advanced knowledge, analytical skills and professional competencies necessary to perform the duties of the position. The level of degree is commonly recognized as the standard qualification for similar roles in the public and private sector, ensuring that the university remains competitive with industry aligned practices, enhances collaboration with external partners, and supports the delivery of services and programs that meet professional and market-driven expectations.

In addition to the online application, the following documents are required to be considered for this position:

• Cover letter describing how you meet the required and preferred qualifications.
• Resume/CV.
• List of three (3) professional references.

Only complete applications will be considered.

Application review will begin Monday, October 20th and continue until a qualified pool of applicants is identified.

Deputy General Counsel Mike Leitch
785-864-3276
mleitch@ku.edu

$190,000.00

Monday October 20, 2025

Monday December 1, 2025