Minimum Qualifications: Admitted to practice law in good standing in the State of New York. At least six years of relevant professional experience, at least five of which must include experience advising on legal matters for governmental agencies or entities.
Preferred Qualifications:
• Experience with complex legal matters and novel legal interpretations.
• Experience negotiating settlements involving multiple parties or stakeholders.
• Experience developing and implementing systems and processes for governmental operations.
• Experience supervising attorneys or professional staff.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work independently and provide clear direction to staff.
• Ability to initiate and maintain relationships across a diverse set of stakeholders.
• Ability to handle multiple and shifting priorities.
Duties Description Duties: Under the supervision of a Principal Attorney, the Supervising Counsel will provide expert legal advice to Department of Labor (Department) senior staff and management and oversee operations of units within Counsel’s Office. The Supervising Counsel may supervise attorneys, including Associate Attorneys, and responsible for advising on legal issues in areas including, but not limited to, worker protection, safety and health, anti-retaliation, human resources, ethics, or general litigation matters. Additionally, the Supervising Counsel will work to identify opportunities and recommend training plans for staff within program areas; develop processes and procedures to increase efficiencies and manage workflows; and review personnel issues raised by Associate Attorneys and other managers.
The Supervising Counsel will act as lead counsel for matters involving complex legal issues, including novel areas of law, and high-profile or multi-party litigation; review work of Associate Attorneys; and regularly serve as a legal advisor to the Department’s senior leadership team. The Supervising Counsel may be required to provide subject matter expertise to the General Counsel and Commissioner of Labor, as well as the Governor’s Office, legislature, and other stakeholders. Specific duties include but are not limited to:
• Supervise attorneys, including Associate Attorneys, as well as other Counsel’s Office staff, and review and approve completed work.
• Provide counsel and advice to Department staff regarding the interpretation and implementation of state and federal legislation and court decisions.
• Supervise, review the preparation of, and approve a wide variety of legal documents including documents related to administrative hearings and litigation.
• Direct the training of staff, including developing and implementing general legal training programs and programs specific to the needs of the Department, such as those pertaining to the Department’s rules and regulatory authority, and enforcement activities.
• Evaluate and approve legal interpretations, advisory opinions, forms, policy memoranda, and other documents prepared by staff.
• Draft and revise complex, sensitive, or novel legal interpretations, advisory opinions, and other documents.
• Discuss and negotiate with attorneys about claims, complaints, lawsuits, and other legal matters.
• Advise Department staff and representatives from other state and local agencies about legal matters.
• May represent the Department in legal proceedings or with the Office of the Attorney General; and/or review and monitor the handling of hearings by agency staff, and review decisions of hearings.
Additional Comments If you are a current NYS employee and have questions regarding salary, please contact the Business Services Center (BSC): 518-457-4272, BSCHR@ogs.ny.gov.
Telecommuting will be discussed in the interview.
Some positions may require additional credentials or a background check to verify your identity.
Name Teresita Beaudoin
Telephone (518) 457-1020
Fax EFax: 5184742871@fax.ny.gov
Email Address labor.sm.personnel.jva@labor.ny.gov
Address
Street Building 12 W. Averell Harriman State Office Campus
Room 561
City Albany
State NY
Zip Code 12240
Notes on Applying All candidates must submit a written resume and cover letter which clearly demonstrates how they meet the minimum qualifications for the position. These documents must be received by October 25, 2023; and submitted via email to labor.sm.personnel.jva@labor.ny.gov or mailed to the NYS Department of Labor, Personnel Bureau, Building 12, Room 561, State Office Campus, Albany, NY 12240. You must include, Vacancy ID #141288, Special Assistant – Supervising Counsel for Enforcement and Litigation – Albany in the subject line of your email. Failure to do so may result in a delay of processing your application.
Candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Department of Labor is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer committed to ensuring equal opportunity for persons with disabilities and workplace diversity.
New York State (NYS) is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. NYS Law prohibits discrimination because of age, race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, disability, predisposing genetic characteristics, marital status, domestic violence victim status, carrier status, gender identity or prior conviction records, or prior arrests, youthful offender adjudications or sealed records unless based on a bona fide occupational qualification or other exception.
If you are a person with a disability and wish to request that a reasonable accommodation be provided for you to participate in a job interview, please contact: Department of Labor, Attn: Director, Division of Equal Opportunity and Development (DEOD), Building 12, Albany, NY 12240 (Phone (518) 457-1984 and/or fax (518) 485-2575.
Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current compensation, or any prior compensation history, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation. If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at info@goer.ny.gov.