Qureos Mentor

Seattle Public Schools

<div><div><div><h2 class="jobSectionHeader"><b>Overview of Position</b></h2></div><br>
<p></p><div><div><br>
<div><b>Applications received by Monday, September 8, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. PST will receive first consideration. The position will remain open until filled.</b></div></div><div><br>
The General Counsel serves as the principal legal advisor to the School Board, the Superintendent, and senior District administrators; provides expertise in specialized legal areas, including school district governance, labor and employment law, and capital projects; oversees the management of litigation and other adversary proceedings; and supervises staff within the General Counsel&rsquo;s office, including attorneys, legal assistants, and public records and Risk Management staff.<br>
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The General Counsel is expected to exercise sound professional judgment with minimal direction from the Superintendent and School Board, based upon experience and practice as a lawyer or in a government position.</div></div><p></p>
<div><h2 class="jobSectionHeader"><b>Essential Functions</b></h2></div>
<div><p><b>30%</b><br>
<b>(Leadership)</b></p><ul><li>
Leads and supervises a team of attorneys, legal assistants, records officers, and risk management personnel.</li><li>
Serves as a member of the District&rsquo;s executive leadership team.</li><li>
Oversees development and implementation of departmental budget.</li></ul><b>
30%</b><br>
<b>(Legal advisor to Board and executive leadership)</b><ul><li>
Attends School Board meetings, advises the Board on parliamentary procedure and open public meetings issues, and responds to inquiries from Board Directors as necessary.</li><li>
Serves as principal legal advisor to the Superintendent, School Board, and senior District administrators.</li><li>
Consults with and advises District&rsquo;s ethics officer.</li><li>
Maintains current knowledge of legislative, legal and regulatory developments affecting the District.</li></ul><b>
30%</b><br>
<b>(Manages District Litigation)</b><ul><li>
Manages the District&rsquo;s caseload in litigation, arbitrations, administrative hearings, and other adversary procedures.</li><li>
Oversees the work of outside counsel, including providing direction on litigation decisions and settlement authority.</li><li>
Participates in District litigation.</li><li>
Works closely with the District&rsquo;s insurer (the Washington Schools Risk Management Pool).</li></ul><b>
10%</b><br>
<b>(Governmental relations)</b><ul><li><div>
Serves as District representative and liaison to other governmental and regulatory agencies.</div></li></ul><b>
OTHER FUNCTIONS:</b><br>
<ul><li>
Serves as Assistant Secretary to the School Board.</li><li>
Takes a lead role in training District staff.</li><li>
Acts as District representative in regional and national organizations focused on education law, including the Council of School Attorneys and the Council of Great City Schools.</li></ul><div><div><b>
CABINET CORE COMPETENCIES</b><b>:</b></div></div><br>
<b>
Managing Vision and Purpose</b><br>
Communicates a compelling and inspired vision or sense of core purpose; makes the vision sharable by everyone; can inspire and motivate entire units or organizations.<ul><li>
Develops a clear sense of purpose and mission that captures the imagination of others.</li><li>
Shares vision in a way that influences others as demonstrated by their words and actions.</li><li>
Anticipates and identifies long-term, future organizational needs and opportunities.</li></ul><br>
<b>
Accountability</b><br>
Holds self and others accountable for measurable high-quality, timely and cost-effective results; determines objectives, sets priorities and delegates work; accepts responsibility for mistakes; complies with established control systems and rules.<ul><li>
Takes responsibility and action as if the risks (financial or otherwise) are his or her own.</li><li>
Holds individuals and team accountable for their actions and results.</li><li>
Initiates action even if outcome is uncertain and is willing to accept the consequences of failure.</li><li>
Aligns own activities and priorities to meet broader organizational needs.</li><li>
Demonstrates courage and confidence in his or her own ability.</li></ul><br>
<b>
Planning</b><br>
Accurately determines the length and difficulty of tasks and projects; sets clear, realistic and measurable goals; sets priorities and time parameters to accomplish tasks and projects; anticipates roadblocks and develops contingencies to redirect tasks so momentum is not lost<ul><li>
Allocates and coordinates time effectively and efficiently to avoid conflicts.</li><li>
Anticipates potential problems and develops plans to address them.</li><li>
Develops an appropriate work plan to achieve results.</li><li>
Monitors progress, responds to problems and measures performance</li></ul><br>
<b>
Getting Results (Action Oriented)</b><br>
Performs work with energy and drive; values planning, but will take quick, decisive action when an opportunity presents itself.<ul><li>
Demonstrates a strong sense of urgency about solving problems and getting work done.</li><li>
Focuses on achieving the goal even in the face of obstacles.</li><li>
Assumes responsibility for starting and finishing work with minimal supervision.</li><li>
Strives for new levels of performance.</li></ul><b>
Collaboration</b><br>
Develops cooperation and teamwork while participating in a group, working toward solutions which generally benefit all involved parties.<ul><li>
Is seen as a team player who encourages efficient and effective collaborations.</li><li>
Works skillfully in difficult situations with both internal and external groups.</li><li>
Represents his/her own interests while being open-minded to other groups.</li><li>
Builds respectful and productive relationships internally and externally.</li></ul><br>
<b>
Decision Quality &amp; Problem Solving</b><br>
Uses analysis, wisdom, experience and logical methods to make good decisions and solve difficult problems with effective solutions; appropriately incorporates multiple inputs to establish shared ownership and effective action.<ul><li>
Weighs the consequences of options before making a decision.</li><li>
Applies appropriate criteria to situations for the purpose of making decisions.</li><li>
Displays self-confidence in own judgment.</li><li>
Focuses in the facts and solutions instead of opinions and problems.</li></ul><b>
Integrity</b><br>
Is widely trusted; is seen as a direct, truthful individual; presents truthful information in an appropriate and helpful manner; keeps confidences; admits mistakes; doesn't misrepresent him/herself for personal gain.<ul><li>
Deals with people and situations in an honest and forthright manner.</li><li>
Represents information and data accurately and completely.</li><li>
Represents the confidentiality of information and concerns shared by others.</li><li>
Takes ownership if a mistake is their own and does not blame others.</li></ul><p><b>
RELEVANT COMPETENCIES:</b></p><p><b>
Intellectual Acumen</b><br>
Is intelligent and capable; deals with concepts and complexity comfortably; is good at learning and deciphering new knowledge; able to assimilate new skills independently.</p><ul><li>
Demonstrates and is described as someone who is intellectually sharp, agile and capable.</li><li>
Handles concepts and complexity comfortably.</li><li>
Demonstrates the ability to comfortably shift thinking on a dime.</li></ul><b>
Time Management</b><br>
Uses their time effectively and efficiently; concentrates their efforts on the most important priorities; adeptly handles several tasks at once.<ul><li>
Focuses their efforts on the most important priorities.</li><li>
Uses time effectively and efficiently.</li><li>
Handles multiple-tasks effectively and efficiently.</li><li>
Values other people's time.</li></ul><b>
Written Communications</b><br>
Is able to write clearly and succinctly in a variety of communication settings and styles; can get messages across that instigate appropriate actions.<ul><li>
Organizes and presents information in writing in a clear and convincing manner.</li><li>
Uses appropriate writing style and tailors writing to meet the needs of the audience.</li><li>
Uses correct spelling, grammar and punctuation.</li></ul><p><b>
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:</b></p><ul><li>
Experience in working on legal and compliance issues that impact school districts and other public entities, including constitutional law, labor and employment law, public records and open public meetings laws, capital projects, and parliamentary procedure.</li><li>
Demonstrated management skills.</li><li>
Experience in speaking at public meetings.</li><li>
Familiarity with public sector budgeting process.</li><li>
Familiarity with laws and regulations affecting public schools and other local government entities in Washington.</li><li>
Collaborative problem-solving skills.</li><li>
Conflict management skills.</li><li>
Strong oral and written communications skills.</li><li>
Ability to think logically and creatively.</li><li>
Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.</li><li>
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with District management and staff, students, parents/guardians, outside agencies and the public in a multicultural community.</li></ul></div><p></p>
<div><h2 class="jobSectionHeader"><b>Typical Qualifications</b></h2></div>
<p></p><div><p><b>EXPERIENCE/EDUCATION:</b></p><p><b>
A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:</b></p><p>
Ten (10) years of successful experience practicing law and managing legal staff, preferably in an educational or public sector setting; Juris Doctor degree; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.</p><p><b>
Any equivalent combination of education, experience and training that provides the relevant knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the work will be considered.</b><br>
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<b>DESIRED CERTIFICATION &amp; LICENSES:</b><br>
Member in good standing of the Washington State Bar Association; valid Washington State driver's license or evidence of equivalent mobility.</p><p><b>
CONTINUING EDUCATION/TRAINING:</b><br>
Satisfaction of continuing legal education requirements/reporting every three years.<br>
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<b>CLEARANCES:</b><br>
Criminal Justice fingerprint and background check.</p></div></div></div><p></p>

General Counsel

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General Counsel