OPT Assistant Counsel Jobs
Assistant Counsel roles sit at the intersection of legal practice and corporate compliance, making them a strong fit for F-1 OPT students with a J.D. or law-related degree. Your 12-month OPT window, or 24-month STEM extension if your degree qualifies, gives you meaningful runway to secure employer sponsorship for long-term status.
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About Alvarez & Marsal
Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) is a global consulting firm with entrepreneurial, action and results-oriented professionals. We take a hands-on approach to solving our clients' problems and assisting them in reaching their potential. Our culture celebrates independent thinkers and doers who positively impact our clients and shape our industry. The collaborative environment and engaging work—guided by A&M's core values of Integrity, Quality, Objectivity, Fun, Personal Reward, and Inclusive Diversity—are why our people love working at A&M.
How you will contribute
We are seeking a dynamic Assistant General Counsel to provide legal support for service line commercial matters. Reporting to a senior member of the A&M legal department, this role offers an exciting opportunity to work closely with business leaders and corporate teams, advising on key contractual and risk-related issues in a fast-paced environment.
Key Responsibilities
- Draft, review, and negotiate a variety of contracts, including client engagement agreements, confidentiality agreements, vendor agreements, and ancillary client-related agreements (e.g., IP and technology).
- Identify and analyze legal and risk-related issues in contracts, providing clear, practical recommendations to internal stakeholders across various divisions.
- Collaborate with legal and corporate teams to drive the contracting process, ensuring efficiency and risk mitigation.
- Provide strategic legal guidance to support business objectives while ensuring adherence to applicable laws and company policies.
Qualifications & Experience
- 3+ years of legal experience; in-house experience is a plus but not required.
- Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school.
- Active membership in a State Bar (preference for NY).
Key Skills & Attributes
- Strong ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment while maintaining high-quality work.
- Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to present complex legal issues to senior business executives.
- Strong organizational and project management capabilities.
- Proactive, solutions-oriented mindset, with a high level of responsiveness and initiative.
Your journey at A& M
We recognize that our people are the driving force behind our success, which is why we prioritize an employee experience that fosters each person's unique professional and personal development. Our robust performance development process promotes continuous learning, rewards your contributions, and fosters a culture of meritocracy. With top-notch training and on-the-job learning opportunities, you can acquire new skills and advance your career.
We prioritize your well-being, providing benefits and resources to support you on your personal journey. Our people consistently highlight the growth opportunities, our unique, entrepreneurial culture, and the fun we have together as their favorite aspects of working at A&M. The possibilities are endless for high-performing and passionate professionals.
Regular employees working 30 or more hours per week are also entitled to participate in Alvarez & Marsal Holdings' fringe benefits consisting of healthcare plans, flexible spending and savings accounts, life, AD&D, and disability coverages at rates determined periodically as well as a 401(k) retirement savings plan. Provided the eligibility requirements are met, employees will also receive an annual discretionary contribution to their 401(k) retirement savings plan from Alvarez & Marsal. Additionally, employees are eligible for paid time off including vacation, personal days, seventy-two (72) hours of sick time (prorated for part-time employees), ten federal holidays, one floating holiday, and parental leave. The amount of vacation and personal days available varies based on tenure and role type. Click here for more information regarding A&M's benefits programs.
The salary range is $150,000-$180,000 annually, dependent on several variables including but not limited to education, experience, skills, and geography. In addition, A&M offers a discretionary bonus program which is based on a number of factors, including individual and firm performance. Please ask your recruiter for details.
LI-HH1
Description
About Alvarez & Marsal
Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) is a global consulting firm with entrepreneurial, action and results-oriented professionals. We take a hands-on approach to solving our clients' problems and assisting them in reaching their potential. Our culture celebrates independent thinkers and doers who positively impact our clients and shape our industry. The collaborative environment and engaging work—guided by A&M's core values of Integrity, Quality, Objectivity, Fun, Personal Reward, and Inclusive Diversity—are why our people love working at A&M.
How you will contribute
We are seeking a dynamic Assistant General Counsel to provide legal support for service line commercial matters. Reporting to a senior member of the A&M legal department, this role offers an exciting opportunity to work closely with business leaders and corporate teams, advising on key contractual and risk-related issues in a fast-paced environment.
Key Responsibilities
- Draft, review, and negotiate a variety of contracts, including client engagement agreements, confidentiality agreements, vendor agreements, and ancillary client-related agreements (e.g., IP and technology).
- Identify and analyze legal and risk-related issues in contracts, providing clear, practical recommendations to internal stakeholders across various divisions.
- Collaborate with legal and corporate teams to drive the contracting process, ensuring efficiency and risk mitigation.
- Provide strategic legal guidance to support business objectives while ensuring adherence to applicable laws and company policies.
Qualifications & Experience
- 3+ years of legal experience; in-house experience is a plus but not required.
- Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school.
- Active membership in a State Bar (preference for NY).
Key Skills & Attributes
- Strong ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment while maintaining high-quality work.
- Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to present complex legal issues to senior business executives.
- Strong organizational and project management capabilities.
- Proactive, solutions-oriented mindset, with a high level of responsiveness and initiative.
Your journey at A& M
We recognize that our people are the driving force behind our success, which is why we prioritize an employee experience that fosters each person's unique professional and personal development. Our robust performance development process promotes continuous learning, rewards your contributions, and fosters a culture of meritocracy. With top-notch training and on-the-job learning opportunities, you can acquire new skills and advance your career.
We prioritize your well-being, providing benefits and resources to support you on your personal journey. Our people consistently highlight the growth opportunities, our unique, entrepreneurial culture, and the fun we have together as their favorite aspects of working at A&M. The possibilities are endless for high-performing and passionate professionals.
Regular employees working 30 or more hours per week are also entitled to participate in Alvarez & Marsal Holdings' fringe benefits consisting of healthcare plans, flexible spending and savings accounts, life, AD&D, and disability coverages at rates determined periodically as well as a 401(k) retirement savings plan. Provided the eligibility requirements are met, employees will also receive an annual discretionary contribution to their 401(k) retirement savings plan from Alvarez & Marsal. Additionally, employees are eligible for paid time off including vacation, personal days, seventy-two (72) hours of sick time (prorated for part-time employees), ten federal holidays, one floating holiday, and parental leave. The amount of vacation and personal days available varies based on tenure and role type. Click here for more information regarding A&M's benefits programs.
The salary range is $150,000-$180,000 annually, dependent on several variables including but not limited to education, experience, skills, and geography. In addition, A&M offers a discretionary bonus program which is based on a number of factors, including individual and firm performance. Please ask your recruiter for details.
LI-HH1
See all 297+ OPT Assistant Counsel Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship in Assistant Counsel
Clarify your bar admission status upfront
Many Assistant Counsel roles require bar admission in at least one U.S. state. If you've passed the bar, lead with that credential. If not, target roles explicitly open to J.D. graduates pending admission or focused on compliance rather than litigation.
Apply before your OPT start date
Legal hiring timelines often run eight to twelve weeks from application to offer. Submitting applications two to three months before your OPT authorization begins ensures you can start work without gaps that could complicate your status or an employer's onboarding process.
Understand how OPT gap rules affect legal roles
F-1 OPT students may not accumulate more than 90 days of unemployment during their authorization period. Assistant Counsel positions often take longer to fill, so maintaining part-time or contract legal work between applications helps protect your status.
Ask specifically about the employer's H-1B sponsorship history
During interviews, ask whether the legal department has sponsored H-1B or O-1 visas before. Employers with a track record understand the process and timeline, reducing the risk that a sponsorship conversation will stall after you've already joined the team.
Highlight compliance and regulatory experience for STEM adjacency
If your law degree included a concentration in technology, health sciences, or engineering law, emphasize it. Some employers classify compliance-heavy legal roles under STEM-adjacent categories, which can open conversations about STEM OPT extension eligibility with your DSO.
Assistant Counsel OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Can F-1 OPT students work as Assistant Counsel in the United States?
Yes. F-1 students who have completed a J.D. or relevant law-related degree can work as Assistant Counsel under post-completion OPT. Your Employment Authorization Document authorizes full-time employment in your field of study. The role must be directly related to your degree, which legal and compliance positions typically satisfy without issue.
Do Assistant Counsel roles qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Standard J.D. programs are not classified under a STEM CIP code, so most Assistant Counsel roles do not qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension on their own. However, if your degree is in a STEM field such as computer science or biomedical engineering and your legal role involves substantial technical compliance work, discuss the specifics with your DSO to assess eligibility.
How do I find Assistant Counsel jobs where employers are open to OPT sponsorship?
Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically for employers willing to sponsor F-1 OPT students, saving you from applying to roles where sponsorship is a non-starter. Searching there focuses your effort on companies that have already indicated openness to work authorization support, which matters especially in legal hiring where offer-to-start timelines can be tight.
What visa options should I plan for after my OPT period ends as an Assistant Counsel?
The H-1B is the most common path for lawyers moving from OPT to long-term status, but it requires winning the annual lottery, which runs in March for an October 1 start. Some Assistant Counsel roles at qualifying nonprofit or government legal offices may be cap-exempt. The O-1A is another option if you've built a distinguished legal record with publications, awards, or significant cases.
Does bar admission affect my ability to work as Assistant Counsel on OPT?
OPT authorization itself does not require bar admission. However, the role description often does. Many in-house Assistant Counsel positions require admission to practice in at least one state, while others accept J.D. holders pending admission for compliance-focused work. Read each job description carefully and address your bar status directly in your application to avoid late-stage rejections.