Paralegal - Corporate Counsel

The Paralegal (Corporate Counsel if admitted to the bar) is responsible for providing a wide variety of legal assistance and support services to the association's Legal, Human Resources, and Consumer Affairs functions. Reporting to the Senior Vice President & General Counsel (GC), the Paralegal is responsible for reviewing and managing the association's contracts with outside vendors, drafting and maintaining minutes and other association governance documents, addressing consumer and business-to-business complaints against member agencies, conducting legal research at the federal and state level, reviewing and analyzing regulations and statutes pertinent to the association's members and their activities.

The Paralegal will also assist in the creation and presentation of educational programs relevant to the travel advisor community. A candidate holding a J.D. degree hired as a Paralegal will be eligible for promotion to Corporate Counsel upon admission to a state bar.

Full-time (40 hours per week). Except for periodic meetings and events where attendance is required, work may be performed remotely. As the location is flexible, candidates outside the Washington, DC metro area are encouraged to apply.

Compensation:

$90,000

Responsibilities:

• Perform initial review of selected event and vendor contacts, recommend changes; redline and finalize in consultation with the GC and ASTA staff
• Conduct initial review of consumer and business-to-business complaints, determining which require action; follow up to ultimate resolution, including drafting of disciplinary action referrals to the Board of Directors where appropriate
• Process requests from members to obtain past due commissions from supplier member companies; maintain a watchlist of non-member companies
• Assist GC and CEO in the creation of the agenda for quarterly Board Meetings
• Attend in-person meetings of the ASTA Board of Directors (4 per year, locations TBD) and monthly virtual Executive Committee (EC) calls
• Draft minutes of Board and EC proceedings; coordinate with Vice Chair/Secretary for approval and execution of same
• Present live legal and ethics training to ASTA members enrolled in the ASTA Verified Travel Advisor (VTA) certification program
• Perform research on a variety of travel industry-related legal subjects
• Conduct legal research in connection with amicus briefs and provide administrative support in securing local co-counsel and/or pro hac vice admission
• Draft cease and desist letters in connection with unauthorized solicitations and use of the ASTA logo by non-members
• Assist GC with creation of educational sessions to be presented by Paralegal or GC at ASTA and other industry events, including PPT and scripting of presentation
• Support GC in the creation of member news updates and fact sheets on a variety of subjects for ASTA members
• Prepare and submit filings to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in connection with applied-for or existing ASTA trademarks
• Make periodic updates to the course handbook and PPT for selected existing VTA educational courses as needed
• Draft custom contracts as needed, utilizing standard templates
• Maintain and update a wide variety of template contracts and forms used by ASTA staff as needed, in consultation with GC
• In consultation with HR, assist in drafting updates to the employee handbook and workplace policy statements
• Manage entries in connection with the association's annual Entrepreneur of the Year competition

Qualifications:

• J.D. degree (preferred) or Bachelor's degree in Paralegal Studies or similar
• A minimum of one (1) year of experience as an attorney, paralegal, law clerk, legal assistant, or intern in a law firm or in-house setting
• Outstanding writing and oral communication skills
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel)
• Proficiency with LEXIS-NEXIS, Westlaw, or another online legal research platform
• Ability to prioritize and manage tasks effectively with minimal supervision
• Availability to travel to attend quarterly Board meetings and other events
• One or more of the following:
• Experience reviewing and redlining contracts
• Skill in analyzing laws, statutes, and regulations
• Familiarity with general principles of corporate governance
• Prior non-profit, trade association, or travel industry experience

About Company

ASTA (The American Society of Travel Advisors) and its members represent 80 percent of all travel sold in the United States through the travel agency distribution channel. It is a leading global advocate for travel advisors, the travel industry, and the traveling public. ASTA's history of travel industry advocacy traces back to its founding in 1931 with its mission to facilitate the business of selling travel through effective representation, shared knowledge, and the enhancement of professionalism.