Heising-Simons Foundation

Background

John and Snyder led the inaugural General Counsel search for the Heising-Simons Foundation, a rapidly growing private philanthropy supporting research and nonprofit organizations working on education, human rights, climate science, and environmental protection.

At the time of the search, the foundation’s leadership team—particularly Chief Operating Officer Jeff Malloy and the Board of Directors—recognized the need to add a seasoned foundation lawyer to the leadership team. The organization was expanding its grantmaking and preparing to launch a 501(c)(4) entity, introducing additional governance and regulatory complexity.

Because this would be the foundation’s first in-house legal leader, the role required someone capable not only of providing legal counsel but also of building the foundation’s legal infrastructure from the ground up.

We’ve worked with numerous search firms over the years, and I can honestly say that the search you just completed for us was the best experience I’ve ever had on a search.

Jeff Malloy

Chief Operating Officer, Heising-Simons Foundation

Our Strategy

John and Snyder conducted a national search focused on lawyers with deep experience advising private foundations and mission-driven organizations.

We mapped the legal departments of major U.S. private foundations, as well as relevant nonprofit and law firm practices, to identify candidates with the combination of technical expertise, institutional judgment, and mission alignment required for the role.

Because the position was newly created, we paid particular attention to candidates’ ability to operate effectively in an environment with limited existing structure. The successful candidate would need to roll up their sleeves, assess the organization’s evolving legal needs, and help design a legal function capable of supporting the foundation’s long-term growth.

Our Shared Success

The search resulted in the recruitment of Jennifer Shipp, who joined the foundation after a distinguished tenure at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

Jennifer has been an outstanding success as the foundation’s first General Counsel. Following the initial placement, John and Snyder partnered again with the foundation to recruit two additional lawyers as the legal team expanded.

In recognition of her leadership and institutional impact, Jennifer was subsequently promoted to Chief Operating Officer, where she now oversees key operational functions across the foundation.

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