Assistant Counsel for Federal Affairs

New York State Executive Chamber; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

New York State Executive Chamber seeks an experienced attorney to serve as Assistant Counsel for Federal Affairs. The role advises state agencies and Chamber stakeholders on federal policy, funding and regulatory matters.

The ideal candidate has substantial experience in congressional, federal agency, or federal executive branch work, with strong drafting, communication, and leadership skills to manage multiple priorities in a high‑pressure environment. Travel to NYC and Albany may be required.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school.
• Bar admission in NY or DC, or eligible to practice in DC.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant legal work experience with leadership experience preferred.
• Experience with federal legislative and regulatory processes is required.

Responsibilities

• Advise state agencies on federal policy and funding laws.
• Serve as liaison to State agencies on federal policy issues.
• Provide strategic legal counsel to mitigate risk around federal funding and interactions with the federal government.
• Direct and supervise policy and legal work of staff in the Governor’s Office of Federal Affairs.
• Collaborate with agency counsels and outside counsel on litigation strategies.
• Report and present information to the Governor and senior staff.

Skills

Legal research

Regulatory policy

Oral/written communication

Time management

Leadership

Collaboration

Education

Juris Doctorate (JD)

Tools

Microsoft Office

SharePoint

Excel

Job description

The Executive Chamber is seeking a highly motivated and experienced attorney to serve as Assistant Counsel for Federal Affairs. The Assistant Counsel will serve under the general supervision of the Counsel to the Governor and the Counsel’s Chief of Staff and will advise state agencies and Chamber stakeholders on a range of legal and compliance issues related to federal policy.

To succeed in this role, you must be an experienced attorney with substantial experience practicing in a congressional, federal agency, or other federal executive branch capacity. Experience with the Congressional process, federal funding sources, compliance, and regulatory policy across federal agencies is required. Substantial litigation experience, including from the client side, is also a plus. You must be a proactive leader, effective manager, excellent writer and communicator, and facilitator of a collaborative environment. You must be able to identify legal issues and risk across various units and operations. You must possess excellent time management and organizational skills and be able to oversee a wide range of priorities and competing tasks. You must be able to exercise impeccable judgment in a high-stress and fast-paced environment. You also must be creative and inspirational.

Travel to the New York City and Albany offices may be required.

Specific Duties Include:

• Serve as a legal subject matter expert on the federal legislative process, as well as laws and regulations governing federal funding across a range of State agencies that may receive or administer federal funds.
• Serve, alongside the Special Counsel for Federal Affairs and others in Counsel’s Office, as liaison to State agencies on federal policy issues, including federal legislation and regulations.
• Provide strategic counsel to State agencies to proactively identify and mitigate risk and ensure integrity around federal funding and other interactions with the federal government.
• Direct and supervise policy and legal work of staff of the Governor’s Office of Federal Affairs.
• Advise, guide, and collaborate with agency counsels and the Office of the Attorney General or outside counsel on litigation and pre-litigation strategies.
• Report, summarize, and present information to the Governor, senior staff, executive, cross-functional teams, and outside stakeholders.
• Provide strategic legal counseling and subject matter expertise to address the needs of the Executive Chamber and State agencies relating to federal and state legislation, rulemaking, and operations.
• Provide programmatic legal support to Counsel’s Office staff to ensure accuracy and timely implementation of policies, responses to issues, and programs.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with Executive Chamber Assistant and Senior Counsels, Deputy Secretaries, Agency General Counsels, outside organizations, experts, advocates, and other institutions.
• Conduct legal research and draft memoranda as requested.
• Perform other related duties as assigned by the Counsel or Deputy Counsels.

Minimum Qualifications:

Must have a Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school, be a member in good standing

with the New York State or Washington, D.C. Bar, or the Bar of another state such that the candidate is able to lawfully provide legal advice in Washington, D.C., and a minimum of 5 years of relevant and progressively responsible legal work experience. Previous experience in a leadership role as an attorney in the federal government is strongly preferred.

Additionally, candidates should have some combination of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Experience with the federal legislative and regulatory processes.
• Experience advocating before Congress and federal agencies, either internally or externally.
• Experience with legislative drafting and negotiation.
• Knowledge of New York state law, legislation, and agencies is preferred.
• Litigation experience, particularly in sensitive and fast-paced matters related to federal law.
• Ability to make excellent judgments and exercise critical, analytical, and problem-solving skills under pressure and at times with extreme time sensitivity.
• Ability to compile, evaluate, and interpret information and data from a variety of information sources.
• Ability to independently discern priority projects.
• Ability to prioritize and complete work assignments in a timely manner.
• Ability to identify the most effective and efficient method to carry out duties.
• Excellent organizational skills to manage a varied and high-volume workload.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills with an attention to detail are required, including the ability to communicate complex information to a lay audience.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills including the ability to interact with colleagues and senior leadership inside and outside the Executive Chamber.
• Excellent record management skills with the ability to follow up as necessary.
• Excellent familiarity with Microsoft software products including Word, Excel, OneDrive, SharePoint, Power Point, Outlook/Exchange, Gmail, and GoogleDocs. Strong proficiency in Excel is desired.