Description:
Job Description:About the Office of General Counsel:
The Office of General Counsel provides legal services and support to the Board of Trustees, the Chancellor and senior officers of the State University of New York at SUNY System Administration, as well as to presidents and administrators of campuses across the System. Under the leadership of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs and General Counsel, the SUNY Office of General Counsel provides legal services to the System and the 29 state-operated campuses. The OGC consists of more than 70 experienced higher education attorneys, paralegals and support staff located in Albany at the System Administration headquarters and in campus-based offices at the four University Centers, Health Science Centers, and various SUNY colleges.
The legal practice of the Office of General Counsel involves a broad range of matters, including governance and ethics, legislation, public procurement, contracts, litigation oversight, labor and employment, student affairs, health care, capital construction, public finance, records, policy, compliance, and other matters affecting public higher education.
The Office of General Counsel represents SUNY in interactions with State officials and entities that regulate, oversee, or otherwise affect SUNY's operations, including the Attorney General, State Comptroller, Governor's Office, State Legislature, and other state and local agencies and entities.
Duties and Responsibilities:
The Chief Campus Counsel serves as the principal OGC attorney assigned to Empire State University ("SUNY Empire") and provides day-to-day legal advice and counsel to SUNY Empire leadership and administration. The Chief Campus Counsel advises independently on matters within the attorney's areas of expertise and works collaboratively with OGC subject-matter experts on matters requiring additional or specialized support. The position manages complex legal matters and transactions, coordinates legal services with attorneys throughout OGC, serves as a liaison with the New York State Office of the Attorney General and other State agencies, and supports the implementation of OGC and campus priorities.
The Chief Campus Counsel reports to the SUNY Senior Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs and General Counsel through the Deputy General Counsel and serves as the principal legal advisor to the SUNY Empire President and senior leadership.
The ideal candidate will have substantial legal experience in at least several of the following areas:
- Commercial real estate and leasing; public contracts and procurement, preferably involving New York State;
- Non-procurement agreements, including interagency memoranda of understanding, affiliation agreements, and academic agreements;
- Labor and employment law, including administrative proceedings before the New York State Division of Human Rights, EEOC, OCR, and labor arbitrations;
- Student affairs issues, including the Clery Act, FERPA, Title VI, and Title IX compliance;
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 matters; and
- New York State ethics requirements and the Public Officers Law.
Key Responsibilities include:
- Drafting, reviewing, and negotiating contracts and other agreements, including academic, affiliation, procurement, and other commercial agreements, and advising on related procurement matters;
- Drafting and negotiating commercial leases;
- Advising on student-related matters, including reasonable accommodations, academic matters and leaves, student conduct, and dismissal;
- Managing administrative proceedings, claims, investigations, and litigation involving the University, including representing the University in administrative matters where appropriate and serving as the University's principal OGC liaison with the New York State Office of the Attorney General on litigation and other contested matters;
- Providing legal advice, statutory and regulatory interpretation, policy guidance, and written legal guidance on matters affecting SUNY Empire;
- Advising on employee discipline, certain labor relations, and other human resource matters;
- Developing and delivering training to campus constituencies on legal and compliance matters, including First Amendment and free-speech issues, attorney-client privilege, records management and e-discovery, the Freedom of Information Law (FOIL), the Open Meetings Law, and matters affecting campus operations; and
- Serving as the campus FOIL officer;
- Performing other legal assignments, special projects, and related duties, as assigned.
Requirements:
Required Qualifications:
- Juris Doctor degree from an ABA-accredited law school (or foreign legal education sufficient to satisfy applicable New York requirements for admission to practice);
- Admission to the New York State Bar in good standing or admission in good standing in another U.S. jurisdiction and eligibility for admission to the New York State Bar within six (6) months of employment;
- Demonstrated superior legal research, analytical, and problem-solving skills;
- Exceptional written and oral communication skills, including the ability to provide clear, practical, and candid legal advice to senior leadership;
- Demonstrated sound judgment, discretion, and ability to independently manage complex and sensitive legal matters;
- A minimum of ten years of significant and progressively responsible legal experience, including substantial experience independently advising clients on complex legal matters.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Ability to legal and operational issues into practical, actionable advice;
- Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced environment with multiple and changing priorities;
- Demonstrated ability to make and communicate difficult recommendations and build support for sound decisions;
- Judgment, tact, and diplomacy to partner with senior teams to help them achieve their strategic objectives;
- Experience advising clients on complex contracts, procurement, or real property issues, particularly involving governmental entities;
- Experience with labor relations, especially in unionized environments is a plus;
- Knowledge of federal and New York State laws and regulations governing grants and contracts;
- Legal experience in-house, in higher education, and/or government; and
- Experience advising senior executives or institutional leadership.
Additional Information:
- Salary is dependent on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, experience, education, training, and certifications. The range this position is $136,000 - $185,000 annually.
- Excellent Benefit Package which includes: NYS health insurance, free dental and vision coverage, competitive retirement options, tuition assistance, parental leave at full pay, and generous vacation, sick, and holiday time. 13 days of paid holidays per year; 21 days of vacation and 21 days of sick time accrued each year. Please see our Management/Confidential benefits summary for additional information. (https://www.suny.edu/media/suny/content-assets/documents/benefits/benefit-summaries/MCclassifiedbenefitsummay.pdf)
- Management/Confidential appointments work under the leadership and discretion of the appointing authority and are not represented by a union.
- This position is located in Saratoga Springs, NY, and is primarily in-person. Limited telecommuting may be available consistent with operational needs and applicable SUNY policies. Some travel may be required depending on the needs of campus and Office of General Counsel.
- Offer of employment is contingent upon successful completion of a pre-employment background check and verification of degree(s) and credentials.