Associate Attorney - Employment Law, Education

Lippes Mathias LLP•Buffalo, NY

54d•$110,000 - $160,000•Onsite

About The Position

Lippes Mathias, a national law firm with 400 professionals across 17 offices, is seeking an ambitious attorney with 2-8 years of experience for an Employment Associate position in its Buffalo office, focusing on serving educational institutions. The role involves handling a broad array of matters for K-12 school districts, charter schools, independent schools, colleges, and universities. Responsibilities include HR and employment counseling, drafting employment agreements and policies, conducting workplace investigations, managing administrative claims and investigations, and litigation. Subject matters cover wage and hour, discrimination and harassment, restrictive covenants, labor relations, employee discipline, regulatory compliance, and education-specific issues related to faculty, staff, governance, and institutional policies. New associates will have immediate client access and are expected to possess strong communication, legal advocacy, and writing skills. Experience in administrative hearings, workplace investigations, or school law matters is preferred.

Requirements

J.D. from an accredited law school.
Admission to the New York State Bar.
2-8 years of experience.
Client-service orientation.
Self-starter with strong analytical skills.
Comfortable managing multiple matters simultaneously.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
Ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
Strong communication skills.
Strong legal advocacy skills.
Strong writing skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience in administrative hearings.
Experience in workplace investigations.
Experience in school law matters.
Experience in other comparable court or agency proceedings.

Responsibilities

Provide HR and employment counseling to educational institutions.
Prepare employment agreements and policies.
Conduct workplace investigations.
Manage administrative claims and investigations.
Handle litigation related to employment and education law.
Advise on wage and hour, discrimination, harassment, restrictive covenants, labor relations, employee discipline, and regulatory compliance.
Address education-related issues involving faculty and staff employment, governance, and institutional policies.
Manage multiple matters simultaneously.
Develop business over time.