Assistant Corporation Counsel/Senior Counsel - Affirmative Litigation

Law Department; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 137,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

The New York City Law Department is seeking an admitted attorney to join the Senior Counsel position in the Affirmative Litigation Division. The role handles a wide range of plaintiff-side matters from inception to resolution, advancing public health and safety, and enforcing city laws. Candidates must have a J.D.

from an ABA-accredited law school and be admitted to the New York State Bar in good standing. Excellent writing, oral advocacy, and negotiation skills are essential, with a commitment

Qualifications

• J.D. from ABA accredited law school and admission to NYS Bar in good standing.
• Creative problem-solving with initiative as a plaintiff to move cases toward resolution.
• Strong interpersonal, writing, and oral advocacy skills; government experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload from inception to resolution in state and federal courts.
• Advise clients, negotiate settlements, and litigate complex matters for the City.
• Represent the City as plaintiff in a broad range of public health, policy, and regulatory actions.

Skills

Litigation

Plaintiff experience

Negotiation

Legal writing

Education

J.D. from ABA-accredited law school

Job description

The New York City Law Department is accepting applications from admitted attorneys for the position of Senior Counsel in the affirmative litigation Division. The affirmative Litigation Division represents the City as plaintiff in matters that advance public health and safety, address significant policy issues with revenue or programmatic impact, and enforce compliance with the law. Its work spans a broad array of practice areas, including commercial disputes; securities litigation; hazardous product cases; civil racketeering, fraud, and False Claims Act matters; public nuisance and restitution claims; code enforcement and tenant protection; intellectual property litigation; civil rights actions; and administrative, regulatory, constitutional, and other challenges to actions affecting City funding and policy. Attorneys in this role independently handle their caseload from inception to resolution.

This position provides attorneys with opportunities to develop their litigation skills. The role is particularly suited for attorneys seeking meaningful public service, particularly in the plaintiff role.

Salary Information

The Law Department sets salaries for new attorneys based on their post law school legal experience, which typically aligns with their law school graduation year.

• For 0-5 years of legal experience: $87,737-$122,300
• For 5-10 years of legal experience: $122,300-$137,188
• For 10-15 years of legal experience: $137,188-$159,521
• For 15-20 years of legal experience: $159,521-$180,791
• For 20+ years of legal experience: $180,791-$188,235

Candidates with highly specialized experience may qualify for salaries slightly above these ranges when a role requires such expertise or the position is considered hard to fill.

Work From Home Options

Following orientation, attorneys may elect to participate in one of two remote work programs:

1. Flexible Remote Work: Allows limited, irregular work from home days.
2. Citywide Pilot Program: Allows attorneys to work remotely on two set days per week, subject to Division approval and staffing needs. Participants must maintain a single designated remote work location, and in person obligations take precedence over scheduled remote days. This pilot is currently being tested across City agencies and is not yet permanent.

Minimum Qualifications

The affirmative Litigation Division is dedicated to providing outstanding legal advocacy. Accordingly, candidates must have a J.D. from an ABA accredited law school and be admitted and in good standing with the New York State Bar. Candidates should be creative problem-solvers who take initiative as a plaintiff to move cases to resolution. The ideal candidate also will possess excellent interpersonal, writing, and oral advocacy skills with substantial experience advising clients, negotiating settlements, and litigating in state and federal courts. Candidates must possess a commitment to public service; prior government experience is preferred.

Preferred Skills

Experience as a plaintiff in litigation is preferred. Experience with false claims act litigation, particularly under the New York False Claims Act, is beneficial, but not required.

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 https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

Residency Requirement

New York City Residency is not required for this position

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 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.