Assistant Counsel

Job Summary The Office of Labor Relations (OLR) represents the Mayor in all labor relations between New York City and labor unions, serving as the Mayor’s liaison with both labor and management in the private sector. OLR also administers employee benefit programs, manages union negotiations, and assists agencies with workforce labor issues. Under the supervision of the General Counsel, the Office of the General Counsel (OGC) provides legal support and advice agency-wide on a wide range of issues, including collective bargaining, arbitration, and compliance with regulatory requirements for employee benefit programs. The legal team represents the city before the Office of Collective Bargaining (OCB) in administrative proceedings and serves as neutrals during grievance proceedings. OGC also handles contracts administration, FOIL, privacy, discovery, litigation liaison, and day‑to‑day legal matters for a portfolio serving roughly 300,000 employees. OGC seeks an Assistant General Counsel to support this broad portfolio. Reporting to the Managing Counsel and working with a team of approximately 15 legal and procurement professionals, the Assistant Counsel will represent the city in arbitration proceedings, assist on data privacy and compliance projects, and handle day‑to‑day legal matters including FOIL, MOUs, legislative review, and research projects. The successful candidate must be highly organized, detail‑oriented, flexible, and able to work well with a variety of personalities and entities. They should be solutions oriented, eager to learn, a problem solver who can work both collaboratively and independently, and possess patience, sound judgment, and a collegial sense of humor. Key responsibilities Represent the city in administrative proceedings, including arbitrations pursuant to collective bargaining agreements and improper practice claims before the Office of Collective Bargaining (OCB). Research and draft legal documents, including briefs, agreements (e.g., MOUs, contracts, side letters), and memoranda. Review agency communications prior to release. Gain command of collective bargaining law and become familiar with unions engaged in labor negotiations. Prepare briefing documents for a variety of audiences, including decision makers and non‑attorneys. Handle FOIL assignments under the supervision of the Agency Privacy Officer (APO). Help develop contract templates and guidance for the agency’s programs. Liaise with the Law Department as needed (e.g., discovery requests). Assist in developing processes and systems for efficient management of the legal team’s workstreams, cases, and communications. Perform other duties as needed. Minimum Qualifications Graduation from an American Bar Association approved law school. 55a Program Note: This position is open to qualified persons with a disability through the 55‑a Program. 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 Residency Requirement New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview. 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 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. Position Details Job ID: 783322 Title: Deputy Assistant Counsel (OLR) – 06361 Location: 22 Cortlandt Street, Manhattan Number of positions: 1 Experience level: Experienced (non‑manager) #J-18808-Ljbffr