Associate General Counsel

City of New York • New York City, NY

1d

About The Position

The Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) protects and promotes the safety and well-being of children and families through child welfare and juvenile justice services and community supports. ACS manages community-based supports and foster care services, and provides subsidized child care vouchers. ACS child protection staff respond to allegations of child maltreatment. In juvenile justice, ACS oversees detention, placement and programs for youth in the community. The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) provides legal representation and advice to the Commissioner and all divisions at ACS. OGC identifies areas of legal vulnerability and coordinates with other Divisions to ensure compliance with court orders, consent decrees, and other legal and regulatory mandates. OGC also works closely with the NYC Law Department to minimize risk and avoid litigation and defend ACS in class action and individual lawsuits. The Legal Counsel unit functions as in-house counsel, conducting legal research, interpreting laws and regulations governing the provision of child welfare and early care and education services in NYC, reviewing pending legislation and regulations, reviewing draft policies and procedures, and responding to conflict of interest matters and program inquiries. The unit also acts as liaison with the NYC Law Department and outside counsel in defending class action suits and numerous other significant litigation challenging ACS’ systemic practices. The Associate General Counsel manages the overall functioning of Legal Counsel Unit and is the direct supervisor of the unit comprising of two Assistant General Counsels, three Agency Attorneys, and one Principal Administrative Associate. The Associate General Counsel develops and maintains unit business procedures and best practices. Under general direction, with wide latitude for the exercise of legal knowledge, judgment and experience responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Requirements

• Admission to the New York State Bar
• 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.

Nice To Haves

• Extensive background in social/child/family welfare
• Knowledge of other areas of law

Responsibilities

• Supervise the Legal Counsel Unit, the unit that functions as “in-house” counsel for ACS; interpreting laws and regulations governing the provisions of child welfare and child care services in NYC, reviewing pending legislation and regulations, and responding to conflict of interests and program inquiries, as well as acting as liaison with the Law Department and outside counsel in defending class action suits and other significant litigation challenging ACS' systemic practices.
• Use extensive background in social/child/family welfare, and knowledge of other areas of law, to advise ACS Executive Staff on questions of law, fact, and administrative policy.
• Advise the General Counsel and other staff of the Office of the General Counsel on legal issues, including issues relating to class action lawsuits and other significant litigation challenging ACS systemic practices, as well as making recommendations on issues of administrative policy.
• Interface with attorneys at the Law Department and at other city and state agencies concerning matters of law, fact, and administrative policy, including on matters of class action lawsuits and other significant litigation.
• Represent the Office of the General Counsel at meetings with other agency divisions as well as other city agencies and participates in the building of internal and external coalitions and partnerships.

Benefits

• 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: No Education Listed