Foreign Attorney
About this role
JOB SUMMARY
Serves as an integral member of the Office of General Counsel (OGC) providing legal support across global corporate and program operations, including corporate entity management, governance and compliance, contract drafting and management, corporate transactions, trademark administration, litigation management (including matters in foreign courts), and corporate insurance program support. Provides legal advice on nonU.S. law matters within the scope of their foreign licensure, and provides legal research, analysis, and draft recommendations on U.S.-law-adjacent matters under the supervision of attorneys admitted to practice in the United States. Maintains recurring corporate compliance processes and proactively completes related work. Partners with Legal Operations to support core OGC operations such as matter tracking, records management, and maintenance of OGC legal resources and service portals on the company intranet.
RESPONSIBILITIES / DUTIES
Complexity & Problem Solving:
Draft, review, and revise contracts and other legal documents and support contract management activities.
Provide legal analysis and guidance on non-U.S. legal issues within the scope of foreign licensure and escalate matters requiring U.S.-licensed attorney review.
Conduct legal and factual research and draft memoranda and recommendations for review by attorneys admitted to practice in the United States.
Administer and oversee the corporate insurance program support activities, including documentation management and legal review of contractual insurance requirements.
Provide legal support to cross-border INGO operations by advising (or drafting guidance for U.S.- licensed attorney review as appropriate) on donor compliance requirements, subaward/partner risk clauses, and contract flowdowns that are common in international development work.
Draft corporate governance documents (e.g., articles of incorporation, bylaws, operating agreements) and maintain minute books and corporate records for subsidiaries and affiliates.
Prepare corporate minutes and resolutions for subsidiaries and affiliates.
Provide corporate transactions support, including organizing due diligence materials and preparing closing documents.
Select and manage outside counsel conducting litigation in foreign courts on behalf of the organization and maintain a litigation tracker.
Organize and track files for internal investigations and administrative proceedings, including creating and maintaining document databases.
Maintain the schedule of registered trademarks and assist with preparation of renewal applications.
Oversee domestic corporate registrations and charitable solicitation licenses, including annual reports and renewals, for the organization and/or subsidiaries and affiliates.
Prepare annual state and federal income, business, and franchise tax filings for the organization and/or subsidiaries under the oversight of attorneys licensed to practice in the U.S.• Maintain an annual schedule of corporate filings and recurring compliance processes (e.g., COI updates) and complete related work without prompting.
Update and maintain OGC legal guidance resources for internal clients on Connect and SharePoint.
Undertake special projects as requested by attorneys admitted to practice in the United States.
Support privacy and data-protection risk management by assisting with cross-border data transfer and data privacy issue spotting.
Support country office legal presence and local regulatory compliance workstreams (e.g., registrations/renewals, local counsel coordination, required filings) for jurisdictions aligned to the role’s licensure and expertise.
Discretion & Impact:
Independently identify and resolve problems in a timely manner within established OGC priorities and commitments.
Differentiate between matters that can be handled independently and those requiring escalation for direction and/or resolution.
Address issues in accordance with the priorities, policies, and commitments of the General Counsel.
Assist attorneys admitted to practice in the United States with oversight and implementation of company policies, including revising and updating corporate policies as needed.
Handle sensitive information, including investigation documentation and privileged materials, with discretion and professionalism.
Support legal compliance execution through timely corporate filings, renewals, and records maintenance for the organization and its affiliates.
Support legal-hold and record-retention processes by coordinating preservation steps and maintaining privileged repositories in alignment with OGC direction.
Collaboration & Interaction:
Assist attorneys admitted to practice in the United States in providing legal support to internal clients in company departments and business units.
Liaise with outside counsel and legal vendors and review and process invoices for payment.
Engage foreign local counsel and maintain an OGC directory of approved counsel in internal systems.
Coordinate with relevant internal departments to compile information needed for insurance applications and renewals.
Obtain and track certificates of insurance and support review of contractual insurance requirements.
Maintain frequent contact with individuals representing other departments and outside organizations regarding sensitive matters of importance.
Communicate clearly and professionally with internal clients, outside counsel, and vendors in writing and verbally.
Establish clear, routine partnering cadences with Programs, Finance, Compliance, Security/Safety, and People and Culture to support consistent contract, compliance, and investigations workflows in global operations.
Manage local counsel and maintain structured organizational practices (budgeting expectations, fee arrangements, performance standards, and matter status reporting) aligned with OGC oversight.
Management & Supervision:
Collaborate with Legal Operations to support OGC departmental operations such as matter tracking, records indexing and storage, and maintenance of OGC legal resources and service portals on the company intranet.
Organize, preserve, and file legal documents and maintain OGC filing systems (hardcopy and SharePoint) to ensure proper indexing and retrieval.
Receive instructions from attorneys admitted to practice in the United States for immediate tasks and manage longer-term projects with regular status check-ins.
May lead and provide guidance to lower-level personnel.
Perform other duties as assigned, contributing to the team’s multifaceted and evolving responsibilities.
QUALIFICATIONS
Knowledge & Skills:
Knowledge of corporate law, corporate governance, litigation in foreign courts, and compliance requirements, including the ability to locate and apply relevant resources.
Ability to analyze legal and other documents and source materials and synthesize findings into clear recommendations.
Strong initiative, resourcefulness, problem-solving ability, and willingness/ability to learn quickly.
Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize, manage multiple projects, and adapt quickly to changes and deadlines.
Excellent written and oral communication skills and ability to handle situations with diplomacy and tact.
Advanced knowledge of administrative and organizational procedures, including business correspondence and records management.
Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office and experience with SharePoint or ability to quickly gain proficiency.
Excellent attention to detail.
Working knowledge of general contract law and employment law.
Must be able to read, write, and speak fluent English.
Demonstrated ability to manage outside counsel in foreign jurisdictions, including scoping, budgeting, and performance monitoring.
Minimum Qualifications:
Admitted to practice law in a country other than the United States.
Minimum of 3-5 years of experience as an attorney practicing outside the United States (in a law firm, in-house legal department, or comparable setting).
Requires a law degree (or international equivalent) consistent with licensure requirements in the applicable jurisdiction(s).
Certifications:
License to practice law in a country other than the United States.
Preferred Qualifications:
Non-governmental organization (NGO) experience preferred.
Experience supporting multi-jurisdiction corporate governance and charitable solicitation compliance preferred.
Experience working with international counsel networks and cross-border compliance matters preferred.
Additional language proficiency relevant to organizational footprint preferred (beyond English), when business needs require.
TRAVEL
Less than 10%
TYPICAL PHYSICAL DEMANDS
Typical office environment. Constantly uses a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a calculator, copy machine, and computer printer. Must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time.
TECHNOLOGY
Computer/Laptop, Microsoft applications (i.e., Office 365, SharePoint, Zoom/Teams), cell phone/mobile technology, and standard office equipment.
The expected US Based hiring salary range for this role is listed below. Candidates FHI 360 pay ranges represent national averages that vary by geographic location. When determining an offer amount, FHI 360 factors in multiple considerations, including but not limited to: relevant years of experience and education possessed by the applicant, internal equity, business sector, and budget. For internal candidates, salary placement will also follow FHI 360’s current promotional increase guidelines. Final compensation will be determined in accordance with applicable law and FHI 360 policy.
Base salary is only one component of our offer. FHI 360 contributes 7% of monthly base pay to a money purchase pension plan account. Additionally, all US-based staff working full-time, which is calculated at 40 hours/week, receive 18 days of paid vacation per year, 12 sick days per year, and 11 holidays per year. Paid time off is reduced pro rata for employees working less than a full-time schedule.
US Based Hiring Salary Range: 89,000 - 114,000 USD
International hiring ranges will differ based on location
This job posting summarizes the main duties of the job. It neither prescribes nor restricts the exact tasks that may be assigned to carry out these duties. This document should not be construed in any way to represent a contract of employment. Management reserves the right to review and revise this document at any time.
FHI 360 is an equal opportunity employer whereby we do not engage in practices that discriminate against any person employed or seeking employment based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law.
Our values and commitments to safeguarding:FHI 360 is committed to preventing any type of abuse, exploitation and harassment in our work environments and programs, including sexual abuse, exploitation and harassment. FHI 360 takes steps to safeguard the welfare of everyone who engages with our organization and programs and requires that all personnel, including staff members and volunteers, share this commitment and sign our code of conduct. All offers of employment will be subject to appropriate screening checks, including reference, criminal record and terrorism finance checks. FHI 360 also participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (MDS), facilitated by the Steering Committee for Humanitarian Response. In line with the MDS, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any substantiated findings of sexual abuse, exploitation and/or harassment during the applicant’s tenure with previous employers. By applying, job applicants confirm their understanding of these recruitment procedures and consent to these screening checks.
FHI 360 will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws.
FHI 360 will never ask you for your career site username or password, and we will never request money, goods or services during the application, recruitment or employment process. If you have questions or concerns about correspondence from us, please email .
FHI 360 fosters the strength and health of its workforce through a competitive benefits package, professional development and policies and programs that support a healthy work/life balance. Join our global workforce to make a positive difference for others — and yourself.
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Originally posted on Himalayas