Legal Director

Legal Director
Bronx, New York

Seton Education Partners seeks a Legal Director to ensure compliance, mitigate risks, and provide strategic legal guidance in alignment with our mission. If you are passionate about serving children, ensuring equitable education, and using your legal expertise to protect and advance a mission-driven organization, we encourage you to apply.

About Seton Education Partners

Co-founded in 2009 by KIPP pioneer Scott W. Hamilton and Teach for America alumna Stephanie Saroki de García, Seton Education Partners is a response to the dramatic decline of urban Catholic schools which have historically been the greatest equalizing factor for economically underserved children, families and communities in America for decades. 

Specifically, Seton expands opportunities for parents in underserved communities to choose an academically excellent, character rich, and—for those who seek it—vibrantly Catholic education for their children. As a national non-profit, Seton partners with (arch)dioceses and others across the country to implement innovative and sustainable new models that bridge the best of Catholic education's rich tradition with new possibilities. Seton was born of the belief that a tremendous opportunity exists to revitalize urban Catholic schools in America and strengthen the education they provide. The challenges are significant, to be sure, but with an entrepreneurial and innovative spirit, much can and should be done, not only to preserve this national treasure but also to build on its foundation for the benefit of thousands of children in America’s most underserved neighborhoods.

Seton has pioneered multiple innovative and high-impact solutions to the shuttering of Catholic schools in underserved communities. Seton is working to take these remarkable achievements to scale by managing a network of schools and programs that ensure that thousands of underserved children whose Catholic schools close—and other local children—have access to an academically excellent, character-building, and, for those who choose it, faith-nurturing education. Seton provides a national model for how other cities facing the shuttering of Catholic schools can continue to serve children and families with limited educational options. For more information on Seton Education Partners, please visit www.SetonPartners.org.

About the Brilla Schools Network

Brilla Public Charter Schools is a network of K-8th grade schools that currently serves nearly 1,600 students from Mott Haven, University Heights and Highbridge in the Bronx. The network plans to grow from a current four elementary and two middle schools to four elementary and four middle schools educating some 4,000 students in the Bronx. Core to our mission is that our students become young men and women of good character and spirit and be prepared for excellence in high school, college, and beyond. Brilla combines a classical approach to education -- an emphasis on virtue formation, Truth, Beauty, and Goodness, and direct instruction of a content-rich curriculum that has stood the test of time -- with co-teaching practices and individualized online learning.* We approach the formation of our students holistically and also set high academic expectations. Ours is a joyful community that honors the dignity of each student, family member and staff. 

About El Camino Network

El Camino, which means “The Way” in Spanish, is an optional, privately-funded Catholic after-school faith formation program that is closely partnered with Brilla charter schools. El Camino helps children, their families and their catechists to know, love and serve Christ and His Church; develop the habits, dispositions and beliefs that are indispensable to human flourishing and happiness; and live as disciples in this world and saints in the next. El Camino honors the teaching authority of the Catholic Church. Since 2013, over 260 children have been baptized through our program. 

El Camino currently serves approximately 40% of Brilla’s students for 90 minutes a day, Monday through Thursday. Children receive homework help from experienced teachers, a nutritious snack, and 30 minutes each of catechism and physical fitness. Additionally, children and families have opportunities for shared and personal prayer and character formation. This video provides a snapshot of El Camino. El Camino will grow to serve children through 8th grade, growing a grade level at a time each year.

About the job of Legal Director

As Legal Director, you will play a critical role in ensuring the legal and regulatory health of Brilla Public Charter Schools. You will manage relationships with external legal counsel, support compliance, oversee personnel investigations, and provide legal guidance to school and network leaders. Your expertise will help us maintain our commitment to integrity, fairness, and the highest ethical standards. As a member of the People Team, the Legal Director reports to the Chief Mission & Advancement Officer. 

Main Responsibilities

• Legal Strategy & Compliance
  • Stay abreast of education laws, labor laws, and risk mitigation strategies affecting charter schools.
  • Ensure organizational compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, including education, employment, and nonprofit laws.
  • Provide strategic legal guidance to senior leadership on policy and regulatory matters impacting Brilla Schools.
  • Serve as the third-party lead for expulsion hearings and oversee formal complaint follow-up, ensuring due process, compliance with student discipline policies, and alignment with legal and ethical standards.
  • Maintain and update internal policies to reflect best practices in risk management and legal compliance.
• Managing Legal Relationships & Documentation
  • Serve as the primary liaison between Brilla Schools and external legal counsel, ensuring timely and effective legal representation.
  • Oversee legal documentation, including correspondence, case records, lawsuits, contracts, and regulatory filings.
  • Manage contract storage and review processes, ensuring agreements align with Brilla’s mission and protect organizational interests.
• Personnel Investigations & Support
  • Assist Personnel Management Coordinators (PMCs) in navigating sensitive employee investigations and compliance issues.
  • Oversee legal aspects of personnel disputes, ensuring adherence to employment law.
  • Provide guidance on corrective actions, workplace policies, and regulatory reporting requirements.
• Risk Mitigation & Case Management
  • Proactively identify legal risks and implement policies to mitigate potential liabilities.
  • Manage legal issues related to student rights, special education, staff conduct, and school operations.
  • Support Brilla’s leadership in responding to external complaints, legal inquiries, and government audits.
• Board & Policy Support
  • Provide legal insight and risk analysis for board discussions and executive decision-making.
  • Assist with charter applications, renewals, and compliance filings to support Brilla’s long-term sustainability.
  • Foster strong relationships with government agencies and advocacy groups in the education sector

• Other responsibilities as assigned. 

Qualifications and Desired Characteristics

Candidates for the position must possess the following personal characteristics:

• Unquestioned integrity and commitment to Seton’s mission and values
• Personal responsibility with humility
• A relentless drive for excellence
• A strong belief that all children can achieve both moral and academic excellence
• An unwavering determination to be better today than you were yesterday
• A mission-driven legal professional with a passion for educational equity and character formation.

The ideal candidate will bring experience, skills, and beliefs in the following areas:

• J.D. (Juris Doctor) degree or Paralegal certification with significant experience in legal, compliance, or risk management roles.
• 5+ years of legal experience, preferably in education, employment law, nonprofit governance, or regulatory compliance.
• Familiarity with charter school laws, labor regulations, and public education policies is strongly preferred.
• Experience managing external counsel and overseeing legal documentation (e.g., contracts, investigations, compliance reports).
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex legal concepts into practical guidance.
• A solutions-oriented, team-driven approach, able to work effectively across departments, support personnel investigations and provide legal clarity in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to travel approximately 10-20% of the time, primarily within the US 

Diversity & Inclusivity

We are building an organization in which talented individuals from all walks of life and past work experiences can join our team and make significant contributions. We are particularly committed to attracting and developing individuals who share the life experiences or backgrounds of the students we will serve.

*At Brilla, education in the classical tradition is understood to require the education of the whole person - mind, body and spirit - in the service of human flourishing. Cognitive development and character formation are interdependent: People flourish by living out the virtues. A time proven way of learning how to live out the virtues is to learn about, contemplate and discuss how these virtues have been expressed in literature and history and represented in time-tested works. 

Secondarily, a classical education is pedagogically consistent with modern cognitive science. Many current pedagogies are not fully consistent with what we know today about brain development. In contrast, classical pedagogy  (referred to as the Trivium) perfectly corresponds to how the brain develops. It emphasizes patterns, routines, and facts that young brains crave (Grammar stage); it leverages the brain’s orientation to asking “why” in the middle years (Logic stage); and it focuses on communication and persuasion in the high school years (Rhetoric stage).

To Apply

Initial application materials include: a cover letter, contact information for three references, and a resume that includes information on your background and leadership experience.

Resumes without cover letters will not be reviewed.

Seton Education Partners provides equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees.

The base salary range for this position is $100,000 to $120,000 per year, along with a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, financial, and other benefits. New hires will typically start at the lower end of this range, depending on their relevant experience, job-related knowledge, skills, and internal equity considerations. Compensation is determined based on our salary scales.