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.
• Our leave provisions include health and personal leave, three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1. To offer greater flexibility for observing faiths and traditions we also offer two additional floating holidays. Learn more about our generous leave provisions: Holiday and Accrued Time Off | Working at Cornell
• Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program. Learn more about our extensive educational benefits: Education Benefits | Working at Cornell
• Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell:Total Rewards | Working at Cornell.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

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Non-Union Positions

Noted pay ranges reflect the potential pay opportunity for each job profile. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

• Prior relevant work or industry experience

• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position

• Unique applicable skills

• Academic Discipline

To learn more about Cornell’s non-union staff job titles and pay ranges, see Career Navigator.

Union Positions

The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined in accordance with the rates in the respective collective bargaining agreement. To learn more about Cornell’s union wages, see Union Pay Rates.

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Online Submission Guidelines:

Most positions at Cornell will require you to apply online and submit both a resume/CV and cover letter.  You can upload documents either by “dragging and dropping” them into the dropbox or by using the “upload” icon on the application page. For more detailed instructions on how to apply to a job at Cornell, visit How We Hire on the HR website.

Employment Assistance:

For general questions about the position or the application process, please contact the Recruiter listed in the job posting or email mycareer@cornell.edu.

If you require an accommodation for a disability in order to complete an employment application or to participate in the recruiting process, you are encouraged to contact Cornell Office of Civil Rights at voice (607) 255-2242, or email at accommodations@cornell.edu.

Applicants that do not have internet access are encouraged to visit your local library, or local Department of Labor. You may also request an appointment to use a dedicated workstation in the Office of Talent Attraction and Recruitment, at the Ithaca campus, by emailing mycareer@cornell.edu.

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Please read the required Notice to Applicants statement by clicking here. This notice contains important information about applying for a position at Cornell as well as some of your rights and responsibilities as an applicant.

EEO Statement:

Cornell welcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world-class education and career opportunities, to further the founding principle of “... any person ... any study.” No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Cornell University embraces diversity in its workforce and seeks job candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We hire based on merit, and encourage people from historically underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply. Consistent with federal law, Cornell engages in affirmative action in employment for qualified protected veterans as defined in the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and qualified individuals with disabilities under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.