Associate Counsel

ABOUT THE OFFICE :

The Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ) advises the Mayor of the City of New York on criminal justice policy. MOCJ develops and implements strategies, with partners inside and outside government, to reduce crime and incarceration and to promote fairness and legitimacy.

MOCJ works with law enforcement, city agencies, non-profits, foundations, and others to implement data-driven strategies that address current crime conditions, prevent offending, and build strong neighborhoods that ensure enduring safety.

MOCJ is recruiting an Associate Counsel to assist the Legal Team and other MOCJ staff with legal and policy projects of the office and providing legal advice to MOCJ staff as requested.

The successful candidate will be an effective self-starter, possessing both the capacity for independence and the ability to work cooperatively to advance the goals of the administration.

Under the direction of the General Counsel, with latitude for the exercise of independent judgment, the Agency Attorney’s principal duties and responsibilities are as follows :

• Assisting the General Counsel, the Deputy General Counsel, and Senior Counsels in researching, reviewing and analyzing local, state, and federal laws;
• court decisions and legal authorities;
• and other legal documents to provide recommendations across a broad range of legal issues;
• Providing guidance and legal analysis on policy and signature criminal justice projects to MOCJ staff and be able to think creatively how to advance policy initiatives;
• Assisting the Contracts Unit in analysis of City procurement requirements, contract negotiations, drafting of contract instruments, and assisting in the resolution of disputes regarding contract
• registration issues and other procurement related issues as required initiatives;
• Assisting with responding to Freedom of Information Law requests and other records requests from the public and other government agencies;
• Analyzing conflicts, ethics, and privacy questions and provide legal analysis and guidance to MOCJ staff on employment / HR, EEO, and conflict matters;
• Assist MOCJ’s Agency Privacy Officer in ensuring compliance with the Identifying Information Law and providing analysis and recommendations on other personal and data privacy issues;
• Partnering with City agencies and outside entities in order to implement MOCJ’s policy goals, including drafting and negotiating Memoranda of Understanding

PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR RESUME, COVER LETTER, AND REFERENCES

Minimum Qualifications

1. Admission to the New York State Bar; and either "2" or "3" below.

2. One year of satisfactory United States legal experience subsequent to admission to any state bar; or

3. Six months of satisfactory service as an Agency Attorney Interne .

Incumbents must remain Members of the New York State Bar in good standing for the duration of this employment.

In addition to meeting the minimum Qualification Requirements :

To be assigned to Assignment Level (AL) II, candidates must have one year of experience at Assignment Level I or two years of comparable legal experience subsequent to admission to the bar, in the areas of law related to the assignment.

To be assigned to AL III candidates must have two years of experience in Assignment Levels I and / or II or three years of comparable legal experience subsequent to admission to the bar, in the areas of law related to the assignment.

Preferred Skills

1. Experience related to criminal justice issues is preferred, but not required 2. Excellent organizational, time-management, and multi-tasking skills, including the ability to take initiative, problem solve, balance competing priorities, work independently and with teams in a fast paced environment, pay close attention to detail, meet deadlines, and work well under pressure 3.

Strong communication skills both oral and written, as well as excellent analytical and interpersonal skills4. Ability to multitask and handle a complex portfolio of legal issues5.

Organized, detail-orientated6. Able to meet deadlines for time-sensitive projects

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs.

For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at class "jobad-residencyRequirement">

Residency RequirementNew York City Residency is not required for this position