Associate General Counsel

The OPBA is looking for an Associate General Counsel who thrives on variety and wants real responsibility from day one. You'll represent your own assigned union bargaining units while collaborating with our team on complex, high-stakes matters. This position reports directly to the Chief Legal Counsel.Here's roughly how your time breaks down:• Collective bargaining (40%): You’ll negotiate contracts that set the terms and conditions for thousands of working people. Prepare proposals, conduct research, and sit across the table to get deals done. When management won’t play fair, you’ll have to make a case for our members in interest arbitration, such as fact-finding and conciliation before Ohio’s State Employment Relations Board (SERB).• Discipline and arbitration (25%): You’ll defend members facing discipline, draft grievances, prepare for arbitration, and advocate at hearings where someone's career is often on the line.• Day-to-day police labor relations and criminal law (20%): You’ll advise union leadership, respond to contract violations, handle unfair labor practice charges, and solve internal and interpersonal problems as they arise. You’ll represent members under criminal investigation in the event of an officer-involved shooting or other critical incident.• Administrative practice (10%): Navigate SERB, civil service commissions, and other administrative forums for our members.• Litigation (<5%): Handle the occasional case that lands in court.What We're Looking For We're open to attorneys at any stage—whether you're fresh out of law school and passionate about labor law, a lateral hire looking to transition into this field, or a veteran attorney seeking a new challenge. What matters most is your commitment to representing working people and your willingness to jump in and learn quickly.You should be comfortable with: • Significant travel throughout Northeast Ohio (Ashtabula to Lorain, Cleveland to Massillon—expect 10,000-20,000 miles annually)• Building relationships with union members and leadership across diverse departments• Handling your own matters while contributing to team efforts• Working in an environment that values both independence and collaborationWhy OPBA This is an in-house role, not a law firm position. You'll work from our North Royalton office alongside a collegial team that genuinely respects work-life balance. We take care of our attorneys because we know our members don’t get the best representation when you're burned out.What We Offer:• Competitive salary. Range: $90,000 to $140,199 depending on your experience• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage• 401(k) with employer match• All licensure fees and CLE paid• Car allowance and gas card (you'll need them)• Professional development opportunities including conferences through NAPO (National Association of Police Organizations), LERA (Labor and Employment Relations Association), and other regional labor/management organizations • The chance to handle matters that genuinely change people's lives• A front-row seat to some of the biggest fights in public sector labor law in Ohio