Application Guide
How to Apply for Deputy General Counsel
at The Good Food Institute
🏢 About The Good Food Institute
The Good Food Institute is a unique nonprofit at the forefront of transforming the global food system by advancing plant-based and cultivated meat alternatives. Unlike traditional legal roles, working here means your legal expertise directly supports mission-driven work to create a more sustainable, ethical, and secure food supply. This is an opportunity to apply your legal skills to accelerate systemic change in one of the world's most impactful industries.
About This Role
As Deputy General Counsel at GFI, you'll serve as the primary day-to-day legal advisor across the organization, handling everything from contract negotiations to nonprofit compliance for U.S.-based teams. This role is impactful because you'll enable GFI's programs to operate effectively while navigating complex legal landscapes, directly supporting initiatives that could transform global food production. You'll balance risk management with mission advancement in a fast-paced, innovative environment.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might begin with reviewing contracts for research partnerships or vendor agreements, followed by advising program staff on compliance questions related to new initiatives. You'd likely spend time developing risk mitigation strategies for multistate operations, then collaborate with the General Counsel on higher-stakes legal matters, all while serving as the go-to legal resource for U.S.-based teams working remotely across different time zones.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who The Good Food Institute Is Looking For
- A U.S.-licensed attorney with 8+ years experience, ideally including in-house or nonprofit counsel roles, who understands the unique compliance challenges of tax-exempt organizations operating internationally
- Someone with demonstrated expertise in nonprofit law, contract lifecycle management, and risk mitigation strategies, particularly for organizations with multistate operations
- A strategic partner who can independently handle moderate-risk legal matters while supporting the General Counsel on higher-stakes issues
- A mission-aligned professional passionate about sustainable food systems who can translate legal complexities into practical recommendations for non-legal colleagues
📝 Tips for Applying to The Good Food Institute
Highlight specific experience with nonprofit compliance issues like charitable registrations, tax-exempt regulations, and fundraising compliance - GFI operates in multiple states and countries
Demonstrate your ability to balance legal risk with mission impact by sharing examples where you helped an organization achieve program goals while maintaining compliance
Show familiarity with food/agriculture or adjacent sectors (environmental, health, tech nonprofits) since GFI works at the intersection of science, policy, and business
Emphasize remote collaboration skills and experience supporting distributed teams, as this is a fully remote position serving U.S.-based staff
Quantify your contract management experience - mention volume, types, and how you streamlined processes for organizational efficiency
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Your passion for GFI's mission and understanding of how legal work enables food system transformation", 'Specific examples of managing legal risk in nonprofit or mission-driven environments, especially with multistate/international operations', 'Experience serving as primary legal contact and independently handling day-to-day legal matters while supporting senior counsel', "How you've balanced compliance requirements with program effectiveness in previous roles"]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → GFI's specific programs and initiatives (like their work on cultivated meat or plant-based protein) to understand where legal support is most needed
- → The regulatory landscape for alternative proteins, including FDA/USDA oversight and international regulations
- → GFI's organizational structure and how legal fits within their distributed, remote-first model
- → Recent GFI publications, partnerships, or media coverage to understand their current priorities and challenges
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Focusing only on corporate legal experience without connecting it to nonprofit or mission-driven contexts
- Generic legal advice that doesn't consider GFI's specific needs as a food system transformation organization
- Failing to demonstrate understanding of how remote legal support differs from in-office counsel for a distributed team
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!
Ready to Apply?
Good luck with your application to The Good Food Institute!