“If we can get one child adopted into a loving family, all our work will be worth it.”  

– Dave Thomas 

Join us as we champion our mission to dramatically increase the number of adoptions of children waiting in North America’s foster care systems. We’ve helped more than 14,000 young people find safe, permanent homes across the United States and Canada, but our mission is not complete. Invest your career in making a difference and join the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption team.  

We offer a supportive workplace where you can make an impact.?We are dedicated to creating a diverse, inclusive and equitable work environment for Foundation staff, while advocating for measurable change toward racial equity within the child welfare system. 

We are looking for excellent talent to support our mission. Located in Dublin, Ohio the staff attorney, marketing, development & compliance will draft agreements to support the Foundation’s marketing & development department; provide counsel regarding complex charitable gifts, state charitable and registration requirements; review and draft contracts and agreements. You'll also analyze business income taxation laws, support compliance with state contracts, research federal and state laws to support our human resources department and contribute to the overall mission of the Foundation. If you have an acute attention to detail, thrive on solving challenges and have a desire to work for a mission-driven organization, we encourage you to apply and learn more.   

Key Deliverables

• Manage state solicitation and business compliance filings for nationwide fundraising and operations; remain up to date on state solicitation and corporate filing statutes and regulations and work with other Foundation departments to ensure compliance  

• Review and/or draft development contracts and templates as assigned and as needed, including gift agreements, suggested language for grants from donor advised funds and mandatory documentation required for trusts, wills or other bequests 

• Understand state laws and Internal Revenue Service regulations governing charitable solicitation partnerships (professional solicitors, professional fundraising counsel, commercial co-venturers, etc.), draft or review contracts governing these various charitable solicitation partnerships, interact with attorneys representing charitable solicitation partners, advise on appropriate copy to recognize commercial co-venturers and third-party fundraisers, ensure compliance with state regulations and maintain records of all such partnerships 

• Review and draft all contracts and letters of intent with the Foundation’s brand ambassadors and other partners in building awareness of foster care adoption 

• Provide training to the marketing & development department to facilitate increased learning on relevant topics, including third-party fundraisers, outside charitable solicitation partners, unrelated business income tax exemptions and state and federal compliance statutes and regulations that govern their work 

• Review Foundation agreements with state partners and work with other departments to ensure compliance with relevant state requirements 

• Conduct research and advise human resources department on various employment and policy-related matters 

What You Bring  

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an ABA-approved law school required 

• Ohio bar admission required 

• Three or more years of experience with development departments, marketing departments and/or charitable solicitation regulations required 

• Experience in drafting gift agreements involving complex gifts, including noncash gifts and cryptocurrency preferred 

• Experience in-house at a highly regulated corporation, state agency or non-profit organization preferred 

• Excellent problem solving and creative thinking abilities with the ability to develop innovative solutions to further the Foundation’s goals while managing risk  

• Strong and clear verbal and written communications and ability to listen to others to thoroughly understand department goals to facilitate appropriate legal counsel  

• Demonstrated ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously in diverse legal subject areas while remaining responsive and following through on projects  

• Ability to interact confidently with executive and non-executive staff and government representatives and to cultivate authentic relationships with colleagues 

Our Benefits  

At the Foundation, our team is committed to providing unwavering dedication to change the journey for children lingering in foster care. We value each member of our team and we are committed to taking care of you. Beyond joining our talented team and the opportunity to make a difference, we are proud to offer our employees a competitive compensation and benefits program, including: 

• Flexible, hybrid schedule arrangement for most positions allowing employees to choose to work from home up to two days a week 

• First day of hire medical, dental and vision insurance coverage for you and your family 

• Employer-funded health reimbursement account (HRA). The HRA is a tax-advantaged account, funded solely by the employer to help you pay for medical expenses. Your HRA debit card may be used to pay up to $4,500 (individual coverage) or up to $9,000 (family coverage) per year.  

• Employer-paid basic life insurance, short-term disability and long-term disability 

• Eligibility for a 403(b)-retirement match program up to 5% after the first year of employment 

• Adoption-Friendly Workplace providing financial benefits and paid time off for adoptive parents 

• Generous paid time off, including paid holidays, paid personal, vacation and sick days as well as parental leave, adoption leave and foster care leave 

• A connected team environment that embraces a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion  

• Career advancement opportunities and continued education 

• A comprehensive offering of additional voluntary benefits! 

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is an equal employment opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant based on race, color, religion, religious beliefs, political affiliation, creed, HIV/AIDS status, ethnicity, sex, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, familial status, veteran/military status, predisposing genetic characteristics, domestic violence victim status, prior arrest or any other category protected by applicable law. Any employee who engages in such conduct is subject to disciplinary action, up to and including discharge.