General Counsel

Position Summary:

The American Kennel Club seeks a strategic, commercially minded General Counsel to serve as a trusted advisor to the President & CEO, Board of Directors, and executive leadership team.
The successful candidate will bring substantial experience in corporate governance, commercial law, litigation and risk management, and executive-level legal counseling.
The ideal candidate combines sound legal judgment with the ability to balance risk management with organizational growth and operational priorities. They must be an effective communicator who can navigate complex stakeholder relationships, provide clear and practical advice, and help leadership make informed decisions.
Experience with data privacy, cybersecurity, technology agreements, and media is highly desirable. Familiarity with animal welfare and the AKC would be beneficial but is not required.
The General Counsel must be able to protect the integrity and reputation of the AKC while serving as a constructive partner in advancing its mission and long-term business objectives.
The General Counsel serves as the organization’s chief legal counsel and a member of senior leadership, providing strategic, practical, and business-oriented counsel to the President & CEO, Board of Directors, executive leadership, and AKC affiliates. The role leads the Legal Department and directs enterprise legal strategy, governance support, commercial contracting, litigation, employment law, data privacy, intellectual property, insurance, and risk management. The General Counsel also oversees the Compliance team responsible for administration and enforcement of AKC dog show rules, event inspections, investigations, and disciplinary processes; this operational function is distinct from responsibility for compliance with governmental laws and regulations. The position protects AKC’s mission, reputation, and assets while enabling informed decisions, responsible growth, consistent rule administration, and effective organizational performance.

Primary Job Duties:

• Serve as chief legal counsel and trusted senior advisor to the President & CEO, Board of Directors, executive leadership, and AKC affiliates, providing clear counsel on enterprise strategy, governance, reputation, and emerging risk.
• Lead, develop, and manage the Legal department, including legal staff, department operations, budget, external counsel, vendors, service standards, succession of their team, and professional development.
• Direct the Compliance team responsible for AKC dog show rules compliance, including Compliance Support, Inspections & Investigations, conducting investigations, Board and committee reporting, and fair, consistent, and timely administration of disciplinary processes.
• Participate in Board, committee, Delegate, Audit Committee, Retirement Plans Committee, and Appeals Committee matters as legal advisor.
• Oversee litigation, arbitration, subpoenas, governmental inquiries, compliance disciplinary proceedings, Trial Boards, Appeal Trial Boards, and litigation-prevention and claims-reduction strategies.
• Direct commercial legal services and contract lifecycle management, including prioritization, drafting, negotiation, review, delegation, technology, and continuous improvement for a high volume of agreements.
• Advise on employment law, conflicts of interest, whistleblower matters, ERISA and benefit-plan issues, ADA accommodation requests involving event participants, data privacy, cybersecurity, technology agreements, intellectual property, media, and new ventures.
• Oversee AKC and affiliate insurance programs, including liability, property, casualty, workers’ compensation, and club and judges’ coverage; develop risk-reduction strategies and operational safeguards.
• Monitor relevant federal, state, and local legal developments and establish appropriate legal policies, guidance, education, and controls to support compliance with applicable governmental requirements.
• Build strong cross-functional relationships and translate complex legal and rule-compliance matters into practical options that balance protection of AKC with mission delivery, business priorities, and stakeholder needs.

Required Skills, Specialized Knowledge and Competency Requirements:

• Executive presence and demonstrated ability to advise a President & CEO, Board of Directors, and senior leadership team on complex and sensitive matters.

• Strategic and commercially minded legal judgment, with the ability to balance legal risk, mission, reputation, operational realities, and organizational opportunity.

• Demonstrated leadership of attorneys and other legal professionals, including performance management, coaching, workflow prioritization, succession, and talent development.

• Experience overseeing operational compliance, investigations, inspections, disciplinary, or rules-enforcement function; ability to ensure fairness, consistency, due process, and timely case administration.

• Deep knowledge of corporate governance, commercial and business law, litigation, arbitration, employment law, contracts, insurance, and enterprise risk management.

• Ability to interpret and apply bylaws, rules, policies, and procedures and to communicate guidance clearly to Board members, leaders, staff, participants, clubs, judges, and other stakeholders.

• Excellent drafting, negotiation, advocacy, presentation, organizational, and written and verbal communication skills.

• Experience selecting, directing, and evaluating outside counsel, vendors, legal technology, and department budgets.

• High integrity, discretion, sound judgment, independence, collaboration, and commitment to objective and consistent decision-making.

• Extensive knowledge of AKC rules and programs and knowledge of the sport of purebred dogs is strongly preferred.

• Proficiency with Microsoft 365, SharePoint, HighQ, or comparable legal operations and collaboration platforms is preferred.

The salary range in New York City for this position is $285,000 - $300,000/year; however, salary offered may vary depending on skill, experience, job-related knowledge and location.