Senior Counsel

About Sedreddine & Whoriskey, LLP

Sedreddine & Whoriskey, LLP is a boutique law firm focused exclusively on serving nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations and mission-driven businesses. We provide comprehensive legal counsel and strategic guidance to clients at all stages of operation and development, advising on a wide range of tax, regulatory, governance, employment and general corporate and transactional matters. Because of our small footprint and accessible rates, we are able to develop deeper, long-term relationships with our clients, acting as thought partners and team members in our delivery of expert advice.

Our client base is broad and diverse, and consists of public charities, private foundations, social welfare organizations, public benefit corporations as well as for-profit corporations and LLCs, working across issue areas, including arts organizations; organizations focused on racial equity, gender equity, social justice and criminal justice reform; environmental organizations; grant-making organizations; schools; youth programs; and religious organizations. The common thread among all of our clients is a dedication to their public purposes and a desire for comprehensive counsel that extends beyond the narrow scope of traditional large-firm representation.

Job Description

We are seeking an experienced attorney who will work in collaboration with the two founding partners of the firm, Amarah Sedreddine and Susan Whoriskey, and alongside another senior attorney, two associates and paralegal. This position will involve direct management of client matters and a sophisticated portfolio of work, with an opportunity for growth into the partner level. We expect the workflow to be, consistent with the workflow of our practice overall, divided roughly equally between serving as the prime point of contact for ongoing clients who rely on our firm as their outside general counsel, and advising occasional clients on discrete transactional and governance matters. Projects may include (1) providing embedded support to clients in the development of an efficient and risk-protective organizational infrastructure, through general counsel and the recommendation and drafting of policies and practices across departments, addressing operational (HR, IT, Fundraising & Development, etc.) as well as programmatic needs; (2) advising on and assisting in the development of good governance policies and practices ; (3) negotiating, drafting and reviewing contracts, ranging from standard forms required in the course of day-to-day operations to complex grant agreements and specialized agreements for major corporate transactions, including mergers and acquisitions; (4) representing clients before the New York Charities Bureau, Internal Revenue Service, and other government agencies in connection with inquiries and transactional matters requiring regulatory approval; (5) tracking and commenting on legislative developments affecting the sector; (6) advising on corporate formation and applications for federal and state tax-exempt status; and (7) legal research on a variety of issues, consistent with the interdisciplinary approach of our practice.

Qualifications

We are looking for candidates with 7-10+ years of transactional corporate / nonprofit law or employment law experience in an in-house or firm environment, who are licensed to practice in New York, New Jersey, California or Washington DC. Collegiality, good humor, attention to detail, and strong communication and drafting skills are required. The ability to work independently, exercise judgment, and identify both legal and practical concerns for our clients is also essential. We are a small but thriving practice and are looking for individuals who are actively engaged in their professional practice and welcome wider involvement in the nonprofit and social enterprise sectors, through writing articles, engaging in public speaking, and creating opportunities to learn and grow as a lawyer and adviser.

On Work-Life Balance

Our firm was established on the conviction that a fulfilling life and a fulfilling career are not mutually exclusive, but are rather complementary goals that must reference each other. We believe flexibility is key to realizing this synthesis, and with that in mind, are open to individuals who are presently looking for in-person, hybrid or remote work. As long as you are committed to engaging meaningfully in your career, we will be happy to work with you to design a schedule that meets your needs as well as ours and those of our clients.

On Compensation & Benefits

The salary range for the position is $155,000-$175,000, with generous benefits, and room to grow.

On Diversity

We are deeply committed to inclusivity, both personally and professionally, and we believe a diverse team produces more interesting, innovative, and insightful work for our clients. We are an equal opportunity employer, and we strongly encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.