Staff Attorney - Employment

Life.Church wants to make a lasting difference in your life, in our community, and in the world. Our mission is to lead people to become fully devoted followers of Christ. That's how we’re able to make a difference, and it's the driving force behind everything we do.   The Staff Attorney - Employment will contribute to and help advance Life.Church’s legal operations, research, and risk mitigation efforts. With an employment focus, this role advises internal stakeholders on legal risk and compliance, in partnership with legal leadership and Staff Operations to ensure practices align with applicable laws and Life.Church’s mission.   The Staff Attorney - Employment is responsible for collaborating with their CTL to cast vision, provide direction, and lead ministry efforts within their area of influence to outcomes that further Life.Church’s mission and reach people for Christ. What You'll Do Employment Law Input and Compliance • Serve as a key legal resource on employment-related matters, including hiring, termination, leave, accommodation, wage and hour, classification, and workplace compliance. • Partner with the Staff Operations Team to review, draft, and update employment policies, handbooks, and agreements to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws. • Research and monitor evolving employment and labor laws across all jurisdictions where Life.Church operates, and proactively communicate changes and requirements. • Support the administration of benefits, leave programs (e.g., FMLA and state equivalents), and accommodation requests from a legal compliance standpoint. • Respond to administrative and agency inquiries (e.g., EEOC, state labor agencies) and coordinate with outside counsel when needed. • Advise stakeholders on employment actions to minimize legal exposure while supporting a healthy ministry culture. General Legal Research and Risk Mitigation • Leverage legal and non-legal research tools to analyze proposed initiatives and complex legal matters impacting the church. • Apply critical thinking and sound judgment in making recommendations on legal and quasi-legal matters. • Identify tools and resources—including technology solutions and external advisors—to streamline legal processes and strengthen relationships with other Life.Church teams. • Contribute to the creation of risk management policies, plans, and training in partnership with the Legal & Risk team. • Monitor the broader legal and regulatory landscape to identify trends and new tools relevant to legal compliance and process improvement. Skills Needed to Succeed • Ability to self‐motivate, make independent decisions, and problem-solve with innovation. • Effective at multi‐tasking and time management to meet deadlines while remaining flexible and open to change. • Excellent verbal, written, and oral communication skills to foster partnerships. • Strong leadership skills and understanding of developing and guiding others. • Strong working knowledge of federal, state, and local employment and labor law. • Juris Doctor with a license in good standing to practice law. • Understanding of the legal exemptions and protections available to religious organizations (e.g., the ministerial exception, religious hiring preferences under Title VII, and related state and federal protections) • 3-5 years of relevant work experience, with a focus on employment law preferred. Benefits We Offer Paid parental leave, including maternity, paternity, and adoption leave. Generous employer-paid leave for the use of vacation, sick time, and other qualifying reasons.  Innovative and comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance that provides team members with useful resources and savings to navigate their holistic health.  Life insurance policy provided for all staff members at 2x annual salary at no cost. Additional life insurance coverage is available to purchase.  Short-Term and Long-Term disability is covered at 100% for full-time qualified staff members. Comprehensive wellness and mental health benefits allow staff to proactively invest in their physical and emotional health. Generous 401(k) retirement plan allowing a team member to have up to 12.5% (including employee contribution, employer match, and employer discretionary contribution) contributed into their account in their first year. It doesn’t stop there—the more years on staff, the greater the investment!  $160 annually in development dollars for team members to invest in their professional growth.  Casual dress and work environment. And much more!   Our Beliefs, Culture, and Commitment to Diversity At Life.Church, every staff member, and intern is a minister and is expected to engage in the church's ministry fully. We consider ministry readiness and an individual’s capacity to represent Life.Church’s beliefs as a minister during the selection process for all staff and intern positions. An essential function within every position held by a staff member or intern at Life.Church is to uphold and represent the beliefs of Life.Church. Learn more about what we believe at Life.Church.    While we unite around our mission, we know unity doesn’t mean uniformity. Our calling is too great, and our mission is too important not to be intentional about strengthening our team through diversity. We know that diverse perspectives in race, ethnicity, background, age, and gender are essential to reaching the world for Christ. To learn more about how we strengthen our team through diversity, visit our careers page.    All data collected in our application process, from resume collection to application questions, is used for recruitment purposes only.