Counsel, Legal Affairs

New York Mets•New York, NY

4d•$190,000 - $225,000

About The Position

Summary: The Counsel, Legal Affairs will report to and serve as a strategic partner to the General Counsel, providing business-focused legal advice to stakeholders across the organization. This role is a unique hybrid of labor and employment law (employee relations, union matters, baseball player agreements) and litigation management, with a sports focus. The ideal candidate is a proactive problem solver who can advise on topics related to Major League Baseball while managing the organization’s day-to-day labor and employment legal needs and litigation management. The ideal candidate will also have in-house or law firm experience supporting the Sports, Media, and Entertainment industries. Essential Duties and Responsibilities: Labor/Employment & Baseball Operations Support the organization in labor and employee relations matters and training, union experience preferred Support the organization’s baseball operations, including player and employee agreements, and compliance with Major League Baseball rules and regulations Support immigration matters for the organization’s personnel Litigation & Risk Management Manage the organization’s third-party litigation matters, including general liability matters, employment litigation, and MLB wide litigation matters Act as primary point of contact for and managing outside counsel, discovery, case assessment, settlement, and reporting Support the organization in insurance coverage and risk management matters, including coverage for ongoing litigation Compliance & Internal Investigations Support the organization in compliance matters and Safety Act certification Lead internal investigations and manage the organization’s compliance calendar Provide training to the organization’s personnel as needed on legal best practices and compliance protocols Ensure that the working practices of the organization are compliant with applicable laws and regulations Other duties and responsibilities as may be assigned by the Deputy General Counsel or General Counsel Core Competencies: Strategic judgement: Proven ability to identify emerging risks and trends, analyze and think strategically about complex risk issues and deliver solutions-oriented advice to mitigate or manage such risks Communication: Exceptional negotiation skills and the ability to interface with senior leadership and diverse stakeholders. Commitment to professionalism and strong business and personal ethics Adaptability: Congenial interpersonal style and flexibility to work non-traditional hours inherent to the Sports, Media, and Entertainment industry Legal prowess: Ability to conduct legal research and proactively stay abreast of developments in applicable municipal, state, and federal laws. Ability to work with outside counsel and other advisors as necessary Organization: Self-motivated with the ability to manage competing priorities with minimal direction and extreme attention to detail. Strong time management skills and attention-to-detail Qualifications: BA/BS degree and JD degree from an accredited ABA institution Admission to NY bar (or ability to gain admission) Minimum of 3 years successful sports, entertainment, labor, employment, litigation or finance experience at large law firm and/or as an in-house counsel Experience in the sports and/or entertainment industries preferred Advanced skills in MS Office; especially Word, Excel and PowerPoint skills Skills using a document management or contract management system, Asana, Slack, Teams and Box preferred The above information is intended to describe the general nature, type, and level of work to be performed. The information is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for this position. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. The individual selected may perform other related duties as assigned or requested. The New York Mets value the unique qualities individuals with various backgrounds and experiences can offer the organization. Our continued success depends heavily on the quality of our workforce. The Organization is committed to providing employees with the opportunity to develop to their fullest potential.

Requirements

BA/BS degree and JD degree from an accredited ABA institution
Admission to NY bar (or ability to gain admission)
Minimum of 3 years successful sports, entertainment, labor, employment, litigation or finance experience at large law firm and/or as an in-house counsel
Advanced skills in MS Office; especially Word, Excel and PowerPoint skills
Skills using a document management or contract management system, Asana, Slack, Teams and Box preferred

Nice To Haves

Experience in the sports and/or entertainment industries preferred

Responsibilities

Support the organization in labor and employee relations matters and training, union experience preferred
Support the organization’s baseball operations, including player and employee agreements, and compliance with Major League Baseball rules and regulations
Support immigration matters for the organization’s personnel
Manage the organization’s third-party litigation matters, including general liability matters, employment litigation, and MLB wide litigation matters
Act as primary point of contact for and managing outside counsel, discovery, case assessment, settlement, and reporting
Support the organization in insurance coverage and risk management matters, including coverage for ongoing litigation
Support the organization in compliance matters and Safety Act certification
Lead internal investigations and manage the organization’s compliance calendar
Provide training to the organization’s personnel as needed on legal best practices and compliance protocols
Ensure that the working practices of the organization are compliant with applicable laws and regulations
Other duties and responsibilities as may be assigned by the Deputy General Counsel or General Counsel