ITHAKA CAREERS

Your Role

 
Our organization and this role will provide you with an opportunity few other companies can offer including: 

• An opportunity to enhance global teaching and learning by facilitating access to important content;
• Enabling the global higher education community to take advantage of new technologies to enhance scholarship;
• A “front row seat” to evolving issues in intellectual property law and the use of technology in education;
• A collegial, team-oriented work environment at an impactful, globally-oriented organization.

The Associate will have the support of the ITHAKA Legal Team (at present, a five-member team consisting of two paralegals, a Counsel, the Deputy General Counsel, and the General Counsel) and can be located primarily at either ITHAKA’s New York or Ann Arbor, Michigan office.

This is an opportunity for an experienced Associate with the drive, passion, and imagination to help colleagues build and enable access to uniquely inspiring products on one of the world’s leading research and learning platforms.

Specific Responsibilities

Privacy Compliance

Serve as ITHAKA’s principle privacy manager, including:

• Maintaining, updating, and auditing the goals, policies, and procedures of ITHAKA’s privacy programs in accordance with applicable data privacy laws;
• Monitoring developments in international data privacy law, updating policies accordingly;
• Working with ITHAKA’s Information Technology Unit and other stakeholders to design and manage necessary tools and processes;
• Planning and directing internal privacy training programs and activities;
• Evaluating data-related incidents and guiding their resolution consistent with applicable law and best business practices;
• Managing consistent negotiation of data protection terms for commercial agreements and for internal clients;
• Managing EU next-generation Safe Harbor and Privacy Shield certification process;
• Providing legal support to internal units, including Human Resources, Information Technology, and Marketing regarding privacy, and providing legal counsel and oversight for policy related forms and agreements;
• Assist with managing outside counsel for privacy as necessary with the understanding that in-house expertise provided by the Associate will ensure reduced outside counsel costs for privacy and related matters.
• Advise ITHAKA’s Marketing and Communications unit on compliance with applicable domestic and international laws, regulations and best practices relating to advertising and marketing activities including CANSPAM and CASL compliance.
• Provide the services described above for Artstor.

Other Compliance

Ensure compliance with a wide range of applicable laws, regulations, and ITHAKA’s own high standards for quality and integrity;

• Take an active role in the maintenance, communication and enforcement of policies and procedures to ensure efficient and effective contract and business processes, and to reduce the organization’s legal and business risks;
• Maintain expertise and provide guidance on standards for accessibility in connection with serving the scholarly community and provide guidance to ITHAKA and Artstor staff regarding compliance requirements.

Product Development Support

As ITHAKA’s focus on technology-enabled products increases, the Associate Counsel will assist with establishing and maintaining a partnership between Legal and Product to provide legal input and direction throughout the product development lifecycle. This includes providing legal support for Labs, app and platform development. This work will necessitate a deep understanding of the product offerings and will entail advising on data privacy, open source licensing, and all other relevant legal issues that may arise in product development.

Anti-Piracy Activities

• Develop and contribute to the management policies and programs in the areas of copyright and piracy as well as coordinate with others inside the organization to implement and maintain those policies.
• Maintain awareness of piracy developments within the scholarly content environment and initiatives to counter them.
• As needed, lead or work with internal, cross-functional teams to develop and monitor ITHAKA’s anti-piracy measures and communicate abuse situations to appropriate ITHAKA staff.

Open Source Software Usage

• Develop and maintain expertise in license terms for open source software.
• Work with the Technology units of ITHAKA and Artstor to help track usage of open source software in projects.
• Provide guidance to ITHAKA and Artstor staff regarding compliance requirements for the use of open source software.

Contract Drafting and Negotiation

• Draft, review, and negotiate licensing, collaboration, and service agreements with parties in the U.S. and other countries;
• Guide internal clients on compliance with general contract terms. Provide legal support and advice for resolution of day-to-day matters related to contractual agreements, including requests to interpret or modify contract provisions;
• Review and analyze issues related to the organization’s licensing, end-user agreements, provision of services, and use of third party content. Ensure that necessary legal protections are contained in the organization's agreements, including applicable regulatory requirements, and that agreements appropriately address stakeholder needs.

Other Activities as Requested

Required Skills and Experience

• J.D. from an accredited law school.
• A minimum of four years prior hands-on experience with a major law firm or in-house firm, and experience in intellectual property and privacy law;
• CIPP/US Certification preferred;
• Depth of expertise, strong analytical and problem-solving skills, and sound judgment with the ability and interest in thinking creatively and strategically;
• Strong background in Internet technologies and the surrounding legal and policy environments regarding digital content;
• Experience with  anti-piracy initiatives;
• Ability to interface with, and gain the respect of, stakeholders at all levels and functions of the organization as well as external organizations;
• Some travel may be required;
• An interest in the nonprofit sector is strongly preferred.

Work for us

Come join our team of talented and dedicated people with great ideas who want to make the world a smarter place.  Individuals will be rewarded with excellent career development and a fantastic benefits package that includes:

• Choice of two medical plans, one at no cost to the employee
• Employer paid dental, vision, life insurance, and employee assistance programs
• Employer contributed retirement and much, much more

Learn more about working at ITHAKA.
 

ITHAKA is an equal opportunity employer.