Job Information
City of New York General Counsel in New York, New York
Job Description
The Agency You’ll Join:
The NYC Mayor's Office administers all city services, public property, most public agencies, and enforces all city, state, and federal laws within New York City. New York City’s Mayor, Eric Adams is head of the executive branch of New York City's government. Mayor Adams has served the people of New York City as an NYPD officer, State Senator, and Brooklyn Borough President. The Adams’ Administration is leading the fight to make New York City’s economy stronger, reduce inequality, improve public safety, and build a stronger, healthier city that delivers for all New Yorkers. As an agency, we value fairness, helpfulness, transparency, leadership and build our teams around these values.
The Team You’ll Work With:
The NYC Mayor’s Office of Equity & Racial Justice (MOERJ) was established in in October 2023 and serves as New York City government’s centralized equity office. Focusing on developing critical, equity-driven strategies across our diverse communities, MOERJ includes the Commission on Gender Equity (CGE), the Young Men’s Initiative (YMI), and the NYC Unity Project (UP) as well as multi-agency bodies like the Pay Equity Cabinet (PEC) and the Taskforce on Racial Inclusion & Equity (TRIE).
New York City voters passed three ballot measures in November 2022 to embed racial justice in the heart of City government. The Mayor’s Office of Equity & Racial Justice is hiring several new staff to develop and lead the successful implementation of these ballot measures and help realize a vision of racial equity in New York City.
Our staff develop innovative programs, policies, initiatives, and campaigns designed to measurably reduce disparities and promote Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility (DEI&A). As a critical part of the mayor’s efforts to build a stronger and healthier city, we work across City agencies and external partners to effect meaningful change. Every staffer plays an integral role in our unrelenting commitment to equity.
The Problems You’ll Solve
The Mayor’s Office of Equity & Racial Justice seeks a senior legal executive to serve as the General Counsel to the City’s inaugural Chief Equity Officer. As a member of the executive leadership team, you will provide direction that enables the Adams administration to successfully implement the letter and spirit of the racial justice ballot measures approved by NYC voters.
Legal Guidance – You will oversee legal operations of the Office. You will provide the executive leadership team with confidential, considered legal advice, often after discussions with the city Law Department or the Counsel to the Mayor team. You will draw from your considerable experience providing counsel to high-stakes entities that are in the public eye. You will carry the responsibility to navigate the Office through potentially uncharted legal territory as it embarks to transform the City toward racial justice. You will ensure the Office abides by statutory guidelines newly set forth through racial justice amendments to the city charter, as well as any other existing or forthcoming relevant legislation. Moreover, you will oversee the typically broad legal duties of government counsel, including advising on transparency, ethics, records, contracting, personnel matters, and potential litigation.
Strategic Guidance – As a key member of the executive team, you will advise and help shape the Office’s strategies to advance equity through structural government reform. The racial justice charter amendments envision a shift in the way city government does business. MOERJ will work across all city agencies to effectuate change. As General Council you will work closely with the team leverage legal, policy, and other levers to help move these strategies towards implementation and institutionalize within government.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Oversee the legal operations of a new Office, establishing practices and protocols.
Respond to routine legal requests, working closely with the Law Department and Mayor’s Council on a regular basis.
Navigate a new agency through potentially uncharted legal landscape to meet the high expectations of the racial justice amendments to the city charter.
Provide legal guidance to the MOERJ policy team in responding to legislation, preparing testimony, public comments, and other related materials.
Works across MOERJ’s offices to ensure compliance with all statutory requirements.
Work collaboratively across the team to provide legal review and legal guidance on major work product of Office.
Provide legal and strategic guidance to help the office institutionalize equity through structural government reform.
Represent the Office in meetings with City leadership, agency partners, external partners, and other forums as required.
About You
A minimum of ten (10) years relevant professional experience, including three (3) at the senior, managerial, or executive level.
At least seven (7) years of legal experience, including at least three (3) years of supervisory legal experience.
Strong commitment to advancing equity through legal and structural reform.
Demonstrated experience providing legal counsel to senior leaders, preferably in city government.
Demonstrated experience finding the appropriate balance between minimizing legal risk and maximizing institutional effectiveness.
Legal experience or demonstrated understanding of the structure of constitutive legal documents, such as city charters or state constitutions, to help navigate the powers and duties of a new office.
Familiarity with local and state administrative laws are a strong plus, particularly in government structure, ethics, freedom of information, procurement, civil service, budgeting, record retention, state and federal preemption, and administrative law generally.
Familiarity with relevant substantive law, such as in public health, public safety, business, immigration, infrastructure, human rights, etc. is also a plus.
Other formal education that is relevant can be helpful, such as in public administration, business administration, public policy, public health, ethnic studies, political economy, etc.
Big picture thinker who thrives in a startup environment, with strong interest in areas of legal novelty.
Demonstrated commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity, and accessibility.
Demonstrated commitment, competency and strong familiarity with issues affecting Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, Middle Eastern, or Pacific Islander communities in New York City, or other marginalized and historically excluded groups.
Must have a law degree and be licensed to practice law in the state of New York.
Salary
The City of New York Office of the Mayor’s compensation package includes a market competitive salary and exceptional benefits. Our cash compensation range for this role is $140,000-$150,000. Final offers may vary from the amount listed based on candidate experience and expertise, and other factors.
Equal Opportunity | Diversity Equity & Inclusion Statement:
The Office of the Mayor 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.
The Adams Administration values diversity in backgrounds and in experiences that are reflective of the city it serves. Applicants of all backgrounds are strongly encouraged and welcome to apply. If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a veteran with a disability, you may request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to access job openings or apply for a job on this site as a result of your disability. You can request reasonable accommodations by EEO at EEO@cityhall.nyc.gov.
To Apply: Click the "Apply" or "I'm Interested" button to submit your application and please include your cover letter under the "Message to Hiring Manager" field.
Qualifications
Admission to the New York State Bar; and four years of recent full-time responsible, relevant, satisfactory legal experience subsequent to admission to any bar, eighteen months of which must have been in the supervision of other attorneys, in an administrative, managerial or executive capacity, or performing highly complex and significant legal work.
Incumbents must remain Members of the New York State Bar in good standing for the duration of this employment.
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.
