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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Get Access To All JobsPosition Summary
The Legal Counsel serves as the secondary legal counsel for the company, offering counsel on legal issues, creating effective guardrails within the organization, and participating in business development strategies for North and South America. The incumbent is responsible for driving effective legal relationships in all phases of commercial matters. In addition, this position is responsible for assuring company compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local statutes, rules and regulations.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
- Provide legal advice and guidance on commercial matters in the medical device industry
- Protect, preserve, and represent corporate interests under direction of the Associate General Counsel
- Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of commercial contracts
- Partner with business teams to support strategic initiatives while ensuring legal compliance
- Ensure contracts appropriately reflect business objectives while minimizing legal and financial risk
- Develop and maintain contract templates and standards
- Consult and advise on commercial legal matters (e.g. contractual rights, customer licensing, corporate entity licensing, and regulatory matters, etc.)
- Conduct legal research to support business decisions and guard company against legal risks
- Keep abreast of legislative changes and ensure compliance with applicable healthcare, regulatory, and commercial laws
- Support internal stakeholders in managing disputes and escalations
- Work on special projects as they arise
Knowledge & Skills
- Understanding of how legal issues affect organizations
- Ability to execute legal strategies and objectives
- Well-versed in business operations with strong financial acumen
- High degree of professional ethics and integrity
- Strong negotiation and communication skills
- Strong attention to detail
- Strong technical skills
- Ability to anticipate legal issues or risks
- Ability to work and thrive in a fast-paced, rapid growth environment
Minimum Qualifications, Education & Experience
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university is required
- JD and current license to practice law required
- 1-5 years of experience in a legal role
- Experience in the medical device, pharmaceutical, or similarly regulated industry preferred
Work Environment
- This position follows a remote work schedule, reporting to the company’s San Diego, CA or San Clemente, CA office from time to time depending on business needs (schedule subject to change based on business needs)
- This is largely a sedentary role.
- This job operates in a professional office environment and routinely uses standard office equipment.
- Typically requires travel 5-20% of the time
Salary Range
$120,000 - $172,000
The salary range displayed represents the annual base salary we reasonably expect to pay for this role. The actual salary may vary based upon various factors, including, but not limited to, relevant experience, skills, education, licensure/certifications, and geographic location.
ICU Medical provides a comprehensive total rewards package that includes:
- Competitive financial benefits, including a generous 401(k) match and (for eligible roles) our Annual Incentive Plan
- A wide range of benefit options at affordable rates
- Additional perks to assist employees with their work-life effectiveness, such as Paid Time Off, Company Holidays, and Tuition Reimbursement
Additional information on health and welfare benefit offerings can be found at https://www.icumed.com/about-us/careers/investing-in-your-future/.
Position Summary
The Legal Counsel serves as the secondary legal counsel for the company, offering counsel on legal issues, creating effective guardrails within the organization, and participating in business development strategies for North and South America. The incumbent is responsible for driving effective legal relationships in all phases of commercial matters. In addition, this position is responsible for assuring company compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local statutes, rules and regulations.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
- Provide legal advice and guidance on commercial matters in the medical device industry
- Protect, preserve, and represent corporate interests under direction of the Associate General Counsel
- Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of commercial contracts
- Partner with business teams to support strategic initiatives while ensuring legal compliance
- Ensure contracts appropriately reflect business objectives while minimizing legal and financial risk
- Develop and maintain contract templates and standards
- Consult and advise on commercial legal matters (e.g. contractual rights, customer licensing, corporate entity licensing, and regulatory matters, etc.)
- Conduct legal research to support business decisions and guard company against legal risks
- Keep abreast of legislative changes and ensure compliance with applicable healthcare, regulatory, and commercial laws
- Support internal stakeholders in managing disputes and escalations
- Work on special projects as they arise
Knowledge & Skills
- Understanding of how legal issues affect organizations
- Ability to execute legal strategies and objectives
- Well-versed in business operations with strong financial acumen
- High degree of professional ethics and integrity
- Strong negotiation and communication skills
- Strong attention to detail
- Strong technical skills
- Ability to anticipate legal issues or risks
- Ability to work and thrive in a fast-paced, rapid growth environment
Minimum Qualifications, Education & Experience
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university is required
- JD and current license to practice law required
- 1-5 years of experience in a legal role
- Experience in the medical device, pharmaceutical, or similarly regulated industry preferred
Work Environment
- This position follows a remote work schedule, reporting to the company’s San Diego, CA or San Clemente, CA office from time to time depending on business needs (schedule subject to change based on business needs)
- This is largely a sedentary role.
- This job operates in a professional office environment and routinely uses standard office equipment.
- Typically requires travel 5-20% of the time
Salary Range
$120,000 - $172,000
The salary range displayed represents the annual base salary we reasonably expect to pay for this role. The actual salary may vary based upon various factors, including, but not limited to, relevant experience, skills, education, licensure/certifications, and geographic location.
ICU Medical provides a comprehensive total rewards package that includes:
- Competitive financial benefits, including a generous 401(k) match and (for eligible roles) our Annual Incentive Plan
- A wide range of benefit options at affordable rates
- Additional perks to assist employees with their work-life effectiveness, such as Paid Time Off, Company Holidays, and Tuition Reimbursement
Additional information on health and welfare benefit offerings can be found at https://www.icumed.com/about-us/careers/investing-in-your-future/.
See all 243+ 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.