Deputy Director, Tort Unit

Office-of-the-Comptroller; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

The New York City Comptroller’s Office seeks an Executive Agency Counsel to lead the Tort Unit under the Bureau of Law and Adjustment. You will advise, supervise attorneys, manage pre-litigation settlements and high-exposure claims, and coordinate with counsel and fiscal offices to protect the city’s fiscal interests.

Requires NYS Bar admission and four years of relevant legal experience, including supervisory work; residency not required, equal opportunity employer.

Qualifications

• Admission to the New York State Bar; and four years of recent full-time responsible, relevant, satisfactory legal experience subsequent to admission to any bar, eighteen months of which must have been in the supervision of other attorneys, in an administrative, managerial or executive capacity, or performing highly complex and significant legal work.

Responsibilities

• Advise and assist the Director in managing and directing all functions of the Tort Unit, including overseeing the day-to-day operations; in the Director’s absence, perform the Director’s duties.
• Supervise all Tort Division Chiefs and Claim Examiners and ensure duties are performed to the highest professional standards; manage the pre-litigation settlement process of tort claims and the 50h process.
• Assist the Director in bureau-wide operational projects and managing the procurement of Bureau professional services such as the Statutory 50-h contract and the purchasing of those services.
• Monitor high-profile and high-exposure claims; perform legal research and draft memoranda on critical issues affecting pre-litigation claims; delegate appropriate settlement authority.
• Resolve claim payment issues including coordinating with Office of General Counsel on lien issues and liaising between the Bureau of Law & Adjustment and the Office of Fiscal Services; assist in the Son of Sam process coordination.
• Coordinate with the FOIL Officer, Press Office and Community Action Center to respond to information requests; validate reports and information.
• Identify trends and changes in municipal litigation and provide recommendations to the Director, Assistant Comptroller, and other executive staff.
• Assist BLA units in liability and damages evaluation; provide risk management assessment strategies and recommendations.
• Handle administrative matters including data/technology, human resources, and other issues; assist in annual staff evaluations and professional development training.
• Perform all other duties as requested by the Director and Assistant Comptroller.

Job description

The New York City Comptroller’s Office works to promote the financial health, integrity, and effectiveness of New York City government, in order to strengthen trust, secure a thriving future for all New Yorkers, and build a more just, equitable, and resilient city. Led by an independently elected citywide official, the comptroller’s office provides checks and balances needed to hold City government accountable for budgeting wisely, investing responsibly, operating efficiently, acting fairly, living up to its obligations and promises, and paying attention to the long-term challenges we face together. Authorized by the New York City Charter, the Comptroller, through the Bureau of Law and Adjustment (BLA), negotiates and approves all monetary settlement of claims and lawsuits involving the City of New York. BLA investigates and, when in the best interest of the city, settles pre-litigation claims for and against the City of New York. In resolving claims before litigation is commenced, BLA protects the fiscal interest of the City while ensuring that pre-litigation claims are resolved in a fair and just manner, and in accordance with applicable laws. BLA furthers this goal in its review, evaluation, and authorization of requests to settle litigated cases involving the City and through diligent administration of disputes arising out of City contracts. BLA manages City risk by holding agencies accountable, rooting out fraud, and identifying trends, as well as, coordinating with the Law Department and other City agencies on issues that impact the public fiscal and public safety. The Deputy Director, Tort Unit reports directly to the Director, Tort Unit, under the general direction of the Assistant Comptroller for the Bureau of Law and Adjustment. Duties and responsibilities of the position include, but are not limited to the following:

• Advise and assist the Director in managing and directing all functions of the Tort Unit, including overseeing the day-to-day operations, and in the Director’s absence, perform the Director’s duties;
• Supervise all Tort Division Chiefs and Claim Examiners and ensure duties are performed in accordance with the highest professional standards; manage the pre-litigation settlement process of tort claims and the 50h process, ensure the proper handling of no-fault claims and affirmative property damage claims and managing claim support;
• Assist the Director in bureau-wide operational projects and managing the procurement of Bureau professional services such as the Statutory 50-h contract and the purchasing of those services;
• Monitor high-profile and high-exposure claims and perform legal research and draft memoranda on critical issues affecting pre-litigation claims; delegate within independent authority and with discretion, appropriate monetary settlement authority to Tort Division staff;
• Resolve claim payment issues including coordinating with Office of General Counsel on lien issues and serving as one of the principal liaisons between the Bureau of Law & Adjustment and the Office of Fiscal Services; assist in the managing of the Son of Sam process including coordinating with the NYS Office of Attorney General;
• Coordinating with the FOIL Officer, Press Office and Community Action Center to respond to requests for information which includes validation of reports and information;
• Identify trends and changes in municipal litigation, including recent case law developments, and provide relevant recommendations to the Director, Assistant Comptroller, and other executive staff;
• Assist BLA units in liability and damages evaluation; provide efficient and effective risk management assessment strategies and recommendations with respect to claims filed against various City agencies;
• Handle administrative matters, including but not limited to, data/technology, human resources, and any other administrative issues assigned by the Director; assist the Director in the annual staff evaluations in accordance with human resources protocol; develop and present professional development and legal training to new and existing staff; and,
• Perform all other duties as requested by the Director and Assistant Comptroller as needed.

EXECUTIVE AGENCY COUNSEL - 95005

Minimum Qualifications

Admission to the New York State Bar; and four years of recent full-time responsible, relevant, satisfactory legal experience subsequent to admission to any bar, eighteen months of which must have been in the supervision of other attorneys, in an administrative, managerial or executive capacity, or performing highly complex and significant legal work. Incumbents must remain Members of the New York State Bar in good standing for the duration of this employment.

Preferred Skills

• Extensive legal experience that includes assessing all aspects of tort litigation and adjusting personal injury claims
• 3+ years of supervisory experience, supervising attorneys or other professional staff
• Strong management skills
• Exceptional writing and verbal skills, attention to detail, and the ability to perform multiple tasks that require prioritization
• Solid analytical and negotiation skills
• Demonstrated proficiency in drafting clear, concise, and accurate memoranda
• Excellent interpersonal and organization skills, with a demonstrated ability to interact professionally and effectively with all levels of management, government officials, attorneys, and the public
• Fundamental understanding of the relationship between the Comptroller’s Office and the Law Department with respect to claims and lawsuits

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.