Principal Campus Counsel

Position Summary

Principal Campus Counsel University of California, Los Angeles

The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is seeking an accomplished, strategic and collaborative attorney with deep labor and employment law expertise to serve as Principal Campus Counsel / Clinical Employment Attorney (Principal Campus Counsel).

Reporting under the general direction of the Vice Chancellor, Legal Affairs and Chief Campus Counsel, the Principal Campus Counsel will serve as a trusted legal advisor to leaders across UCLA’s clinical enterprise. This highly visible role offers the opportunity to address sophisticated legal matters within a complex academic health system while helping UCLA advance its clinical, operational and institutional priorities.

Position Overview The Principal Campus Counsel will provide strategic legal advice on a broad range of complex labor and employment matters, including discrimination, harassment and retaliation; disability and workplace accommodations; wage and hour compliance; leaves of absence; discipline and termination; workplace violence; immigration; constitutional rights; privacy; conflicts of interest; and other matters affecting the workplace.

The role will support UCLA’s extensive clinical enterprise, including its hospitals and ambulatory clinics throughout Southern California, and will work closely with senior leaders, human resources professionals, faculty, physicians and management.

Key Responsibilities:

The Principal Campus Counsel will advise senior leaders and other stakeholders on the legal implications of employment practices, organizational decisions and proposed changes. The role will monitor developments in legislation, regulations and case law; prepare legal opinions and other legal analyses; and help ensure that UCLA’s practices and procedures remain responsive to evolving legal requirements and University policies.

As appropriate, the Principal Campus Counsel may represent the University in administrative proceedings or litigation, negotiate matters on behalf of The Regents, participate in investigations and serve as a liaison with outside counsel. The position will also collaborate with colleagues across UCLA, the University of California Office of the President and other University of California Health Sciences locations on matters with broader institutional implications.

In addition, the Principal Campus Counsel will provide training and guidance to leaders and other stakeholders and will play an important role in conflict resolution and mediation. Across these responsibilities, the Principal Campus Counsel will be expected to exercise sophisticated legal judgment while balancing legal, operational and organizational considerations.

Candidate Profile The ideal candidate will be a seasoned employment and labor attorney who combines sophisticated legal expertise and sound judgment with a pragmatic, solutions-oriented approach. Successful candidates will demonstrate strategic thinking, exceptional analytical and problem-solving capabilities, and the ability to navigate complex and sensitive matters with discretion and confidence.

Exceptional written and oral communication skills are essential, as is the ability to translate complex legal issues into clear, actionable guidance for senior leaders and other stakeholders. The successful candidate will be an effective relationship builder who can establish credibility and trust with a diverse range of constituents and work collaboratively across organizational and professional boundaries.

A collegial and collaborative working style, strong interpersonal judgment, and demonstrated effectiveness in conflict resolution and mediation will be important to success in this role.

Qualifications:

Candidates must hold a J.D. from an ABA-accredited institution and be an active member in good standing of the State Bar of California or be eligible for immediate membership.

A minimum of eight years of employment and/or labor law experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience, is required, along with substantial knowledge of federal and California labor and employment law.

The successful candidate will bring experience applying employment and labor law within a complex institutional environment. Relevant experience may include matters involving medical accreditation and credentialing, risk management, traditional labor law, public or governmental entities and/or litigation.

Experience working in a health care environment is preferred.

Confidential inquiries, referrals or general questions may be submitted to: principalcounselsearch@mednet.ucla.edu

To apply, please submit a resume and cover letter that expands upon your relevant experience, prior roles held and specific accomplishments within those roles to: https://jobs.ucla.edu/jobs/6669 Applications will be considered until an appointment is made; interested candidates are encouraged to submit materials by November 6, 2026 for full consideration.

Full Salary Range: $181,400 to $366,600 Pay Scale: $260,000-$263,000