The Office of General Counsel (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.
The Office of General Counsel provides legal representation and advice to Cornell University in a broad range of areas including litigation, business transactions, compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations, government grants and contracts, labor and employment, faculty and student issues, privacy, intellectual property, technology transfer, information technology law and security issues, safety and environmental law, health law, real estate, international issues, and non-profit and tax matters.
This position will be based in our Ithaca, NY office. Attorneys are required to be in-person in the office for the majority of the work week.
Online applications must be received by November 13, 2026, to receive full consideration.
This search is open to current Office of General Counsel employees only.
Description
The Deputy General Counsel Ithaca campus (DGC-Ithaca) reports directly to the Vice President and General Counsel (GC) of Cornell University; provides legal representation and counsel to Cornell University; holds specific responsibilities for managing the legal affairs of the university’s Ithaca campus in consultation and partnership with the GC; and serves on a triad leadership team with the GC and the Associate Vice President & Deputy General Counsel (Weill Cornell Medicine campus) (AVP/DGC-WCM) for the overall management, oversight and supervision of the Office of General Counsel.
This position is a senior advisor to the GC and acts on their behalf for the Ithaca, Geneva and Cornell Tech campuses as directed and upon the GC’s absence from the office. In consultation and partnership with the GC, the Deputy General Counsel serves as the primary legal advisor to the Provost; oversees and manages the provision of legal services for the Ithaca, Geneva and Cornell Tech campuses; and oversees the management of the Ithaca legal office, including functional day-to-day supervision of the Ithaca campus-based legal professional staff.
A CV and cover letter should be included with the application.
Required Qualifications:
J.D. and greater than 15 years relevant experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Applicants must be a member of, or eligible to obtain prompt reciprocal admission to, the New York State Bar . Applicants should have excellent academic credentials and legal experience, strong ethical standards and professional integrity, and be able to demonstrate well-honed legal research, writing, and oral communication skills.
Experience representing private sector employers, either in a private practice setting or in-house, or some combination thereof.
Ability to collaborate with colleagues and with other university professionals across a variety of disciplines.
Ability to work successfully as a team member in an office that handles a high volume and varied portfolio of legal matters.
Intellectual curiosity, flexibility, a concern for others, and interest in learning additional areas of relevant law.
Outstanding writing and oral advocacy experience.
Proficiency with office computer technologies.
Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.
Rewards and Benefits
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…