Assistant General Counsel

The New York City Department of Correction (DOC) is an integral part of the City’s evolving criminal justice system, participating in reform initiatives and strategies aimed to move the City towards a smaller jail system without compromising public safety. The DOC is responsible for maintaining a safe and secure environment for staff, visitors, volunteers, and people in our custody. Importantly, safe jails enable DOC to provide people in custody with the tools and opportunities they need to successfully re-enter their communities. The DOC operates facilities and court commands across the five boroughs with more than 7,500 diverse professionals and knowledge experts.

Duties

The General Counsel’s Office serves as the in-house legal department for the DOC. Attorneys in this office handle diverse legal areas including New York City correction law; freedom of information law (FOIL); employment law; departmental rules, regulations and directives; and perform other related duties. The primary role of this Agency Attorney is to provide legal support to DOC’s transactional work. This includes reviewing draft contracts, agreements, memoranda of understanding, and related transactional material for legal sufficiency and compliance with applicable transactional rules and regulations. To accomplish this, specific tasks will include but are not limited to the following:

• Assisting in drafting and reviewing solicitations and contracts, including contracts procured by
  
  

Competitive Sealed Bid, Competitive Sealed Proposals, Sole Source, Negotiated Acquisition and

Intergovernmental agreements, and ensuring that the agency’s procurements are in compliance

with rules and regulations.

• Advising DOC staff on contract administration issues, including change orders, contract language
  
  

interpretations, performance ratings, and resolution of vendor payment disputes.

• Assisting in drafting and reviewing memoranda of understanding and miscellaneous agreements
  
  

as necessary to memorialize interagency initiatives, data sharing and property access, liability releases,

etc.

• Coordinating and liaising with internal DOC program and legal staff, the Mayor’s Office of Contract
  
  

Services (MOCS), NYC Law Department, and other agencies or oversights as necessary.

• Representing the DOC Legal Division at meetings with other public and private agencies, and in
  
  

meetings with contractors.

• Reviewing new and established procurement and business procedures to ensure compliance with
  
  

existing laws, regulations and guidelines set by the Federal, State and City authorities.

In addition, along with other members of the General Counsel’s Office and the DOC Legal Division, the Agency Attorney will be periodically on call to respond to inquiries from third party counsel, courts, and other external parties regarding individuals in DOC custody, and other legal questions. The Agency Attorney may also assist with the Division’s legal work regarding Freedom of Information Law requests.

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

• A minimum of three (3) years of contracts, transactional, advisory, or administrative legal experience in a governmental agency - Familiarity with the New York City Procurement Policy Board Rules, General Municipal Law provisions applicable to local government procurements, and other applicable laws and rules. - Experience drafting contracts or agreements. - A background in contracts and government procurement. - Strong analytic skills and ability to frame legal issues in ways that inform organizational decision-making - Exceptional ability to make well-informed, timely, and tough decisions - Ability to solve problems through application of technical knowledge, critical analysis and risk assessment - Excellent legal research abilities, organizational skills, and attention to detail - Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including ability to convey complex information to a variety of audiences - Proven ability to work collaboratively and effectively with a wide range of government and external entities. - An interest in criminal justice and correctional policy.
  
  

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

Residency Requirement

New York City Residency is not required for this position

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.

, $96,933.00 – $120,000.00