Senior Counsel

Description:

Hours: Full-Time – 35 Hours
Work Location: 30-30 Thomson Avenue, NY, 11101

A Government Entity Law Division seeks a full-time Senior Counsel to assist with the agency's claims and litigation matters. With wide latitude for independent judgment, action and decision-making, the Senior Counsel will be expected to independently perform and oversee a broad scope of duties to support the DDC Law Division and will be expected to specifically assist to oversee all matters that relate to DDC's claims and litigation under the supervision of DDC's Deputy Commissioner / General Counsel and Senior Staff within DDC's Law Division. This individual will be responsible for providing legal services regarding all disputes, claims, investigations, violations, and litigation matters that pertain to DDC. In addition, the Senior Counsel will be responsible to assist with the supervision of the work performed by junior agency attorneys and support staff.

The scope of work for the position will include a wide variety in-house legal counsel duties that primarily relate to litigation and claims. The Senior Counsel will be expected to:

• Manage all aspects of claims, disputes, and lawsuits, including fact and record gathering, legal analysis, discovery requests, settlement negotiations, identification and preparation of witnesses, and the review of draft litigation documents prepared by the New York City Law Department and subrogation counsel.
• Manage litigation for DDC in coordination with the New York City Law Department for matters that include tort litigation, commercial litigation, affirmative litigation, environmental law compliance litigation, subrogation defense, worker's compensation claims, lien foreclosure, etc.
• Manage litigation support for DDC in coordination with the New York City Law Department and the New York City Comptroller's office on complex commercial litigation claims and cases relating to DDC's construction and professional service contracts.
• Manage litigation support for DDC in coordination with the New York City Law Department to ensure compliance with existing laws, regulations and guidelines set by the Federal, State and City authorities with a particular emphasis on the review of both new and established procedures geared to safeguard agency compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and all regulations and requirements mandated by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).
• Conduct or supervise legal research and gather relevant information to assist in case preparation and provide agency legal guidance to management and staff.
• Supervise or handle the drafting of contracts, licenses, stipulations, affidavits and intergovernmental memorandums of understanding.
• Provide legal advice and counsel to all Divisions and Units within DDC regarding a wide assortment of legal matters, including but not limited to contractual disputes, claims and litigation.
• Manage case files and prepare periodic reports and charts that capture all information on claims, disputes, and lawsuits for DDC's Deputy Commissioner / General Counsel to be shared with DDC's Senior Management team, including any analysis of trends and issues, recommendations for new standard operating procedures, recommendations for changes to agency policies or contract terms.
• Serve as a DDC liaison that establishes and maintains a good working relationship with other Federal, State and local government offices, including the New York City Law Department, the New York City Comptroller's Office, the Mayor's Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”), the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (“OATH”), the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (“DEC”), federal and local prosecutors, and the courts.
• Assist with many complex and sensitive legal matters, including, but not limited to commercial litigation, contract review and drafting, construction law, property law, environmental law, tort law, labor / employment law, public procurement, and various other types of legal matters. As part of these duties, the Senior Counsel will also review and draft legal contracts, procurement documents, and other transactional matters that relate to DDC's extensive portfolio of design and construction projects.
• Handle a diverse range of duties and responsibilities effectively while exercising initiative and independent judgment in a fast-paced environment to provide legal services as necessary in furtherance of DDC's mission and program needs.

Authorization to work in the United States is required for this position. NYC Department of Design and Construction does not provide sponsorship for international employees. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that they meet all qualifying requirements for this position, at the time of application.

All applicants, including City Employees:
Please go to NYC Government Jobs | Explore Careers | City of New York, go to Search for Open Jobs, and type in the Job ID # listed above. Submit job application as prompted. Do not apply via Employee Self-Service (ESS), e-mail, mail, or fax your resume to DDC directly.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Admission to the New York State Bar; and either "2" or "3" below.
• One year of satisfactory United States legal experience subsequent to admission to any state bar; or
• Six months of satisfactory service as an Agency Attorney Interne (30086).

Incumbents must remain Members of the New York State Bar in good standing for the duration of this employment.

In addition to meeting the minimum Qualification Requirements:
To be assigned to Assignment Level (AL) II, candidates must have one year of experience at Assignment Level I or two years of comparable legal experience subsequent to admission to the bar, in the areas of law related to the assignment. To be assigned to AL III candidates must have two years of experience in Assignment Levels I and/or II or three years of comparable legal experience subsequent to admission to the bar, in the areas of law related to the assignment.

Preferred Skills:
Preference will be given to candidates with excellent verbal and written communication skills. Qualified candidates should have experience and a demonstrated interest in public service, contracts, real estate, construction, labor law, and/or procurement. Qualified candidates must also be able to demonstrate a history of working in a busy legal or professional setting and the ability to deal with a high volume of work which involves observing business, statutory and court-imposed deadlines. Candidate must be able to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing. Must be able to successfully manage multiple priorities, work productively under pressure, both independently and as a team member, and possess tact and good judgment in confidential situations must possess a strong attention to detail and organization. Strong computer skills and proficiency with Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint) required. Candidates must provide satisfactory references and recent writing samples.

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