General Counsel

City of New York; New York (NY); On-site; USD 185,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free health plan option

5 weeks annual leave

12 days sick leave

13 paid holidays

Pension plan with NYCERS

Deferred compensation - 401(k) and 457

Professional development/CLE

Job summary

Richmond County District Attorney’s Office seeks an experienced General Counsel to advise executive leadership on legal matters and oversee compliance and employment law programs. This role includes serving as EEO Officer, managing civil claims, and coordinating with NYC agencies on regulatory issues.

The position requires NY Bar admission and at least eight years of progressively responsible legal experience, including supervisory roles.

Qualifications

• Advises executive leadership on administrative, ethical, operational, and legal matters.
• Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local employment and labor laws.
• Experience in EEO, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and workplace investigations.
• Excellent legal research, writing, and analytical skills.
• Experience managing employment disputes, charges, and litigation.
• Ability to interpret complex laws, regulations, policies, and agreements.
• Judgment, discretion, and handling confidential matters.

Responsibilities

• Advise the District Attorney and staff on legal and administrative matters.
• Prepare disciplinary charges, memoranda, and related documents for investigations and hearings.
• Conduct impartial investigations into discrimination, harassment, and EEO violations.
• Maintain confidential investigative files in compliance with law and policy.
• Review contracts and MOUs for legal compliance.
• Serve as liaison with NYC Law Department, DOl, OATH, and other agencies.

Skills

Executive advisory

Labor law

EEO investigations

Legal research

Employment disputes

Negotiation

Policy development

Communication

Organization

Education

Admitted to New York State Bar

Job description

THE ROLE

The Richmond County District Attorney’s Office is seeking an experienced Attorney who will serve as General Counsel. The General Counsel will report directly to the Chief Assistant District Attorney (CADA); working closely with the RCDA Executive team as well as other members of RCDA leadership. The selected candidate will counsel executive leadership and managers on questions of law, fact, and administrative policy; and will manage RCDA’s regulatory compliance portfolio and labor and employment law compliance portfolio; while also serving as the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Officer and litigation liaison.

• Advise the District Attorney and staff on administrative, ethical, operational, and legal matters.
• Prepare disciplinary charges, memoranda, reports, stipulations, and related documents for investigations and hearings.
• Conduct impartial investigations into discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and other EEO violations.
• Maintain confidential investigative files and records in compliance with legal and policy requirements.
• Prepare position statements responding to federal, state, and local discrimination charges.
• Develop and oversee office‑wide compliance, discovery, and professional standards.
• Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
• Manage civil claims, subpoenas, and litigation involving the office.
• Develop, review, revise, and implement agency policies to ensure legal and regulatory compliance.
• Review contracts, memoranda of understanding, linkage agreements, and related documents for legal compliance.
• Recommend statutory and regulatory changes affecting agency policies and procedures.
• Serve as the agency’s primary liaison with the NYC Law Department, Department of Investigation, Department of Labor, OATH, and other governmental agencies on legal matters.
• Serve as the COIB Liaison, overseeing dual‑employment requests and related compliance requirements.
• Provide Special Counsel support to specialized bureaus, including Appeals, Training, and Conviction Integrity.

WORK‑LIFE BALANCE

At RCDA we believe in a healthy work life balance, which is why we embrace the flexibility of coming to work in person and the opportunity to work from home. Fostering a culture of wellness and self‑care, we also acknowledge our managers who work a significant number of hours within a two‑week period with DA certificates, allowing them a day off without having to use their accrued leave.

BENEFITS

• Free city‑wide health plan option.
• 5 weeks of annual leave; 12 days of sick leave; and thirteen paid holidays annually.
• Management Benefits Fund, which provides comprehensive dental and vision coverage, access to free life insurance, and gym reimbursement.
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave.
• Reimbursement for the annual bar association and notary fees.
• Pension plan through the New York City Employees’ Retirement System (NYCERS).
• Deferred compensation plans - 401(k) and 457.
• Professional development programs including in‑house CLE courses.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Admission to the New York State Bar; and eight years of recent full‑time responsible, relevant, satisfactory legal experience after 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

• At least five years’ experience as an advisor to an executive team and familiarity with New York City Government Operations within a Law Enforcement agency.
• Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local employment and labor laws.
• Expertise in EEO, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and workplace investigations.
• Excellent legal research, writing, and analytical skills.
• Experience managing employment disputes, administrative charges, and litigation.
• Strong interviewing, fact‑finding, and investigative skills.Ability to interpret and apply complex laws, regulations, policies, and agreements.
• Exceptional judgment, discretion, and ability to handle confidential matters.
• Strong negotiation, conflict‑resolution, and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to develop and implement workplace policies and compliance programs.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to advise executives and staff.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple matters and deadlines.

CIVIL SERVICE TITLE: Assistant District Attorney

SALARY RANGE: $185,000 - $230,000 with full NYC benefits package

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Until filled

The candidate selected for this position must be a resident of the City of New York or become a resident within 90 days of appointment.

Authorization to work in the United States is required for this position.

Sponsorship is not available for this position.

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.

ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY (S - 30114

Minimum Qualifications

Admission to the New York State Bar; and eight years of recent full‑time responsible, relevant, satisfactory legal experience after 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

• At least five years’ experience as an advisor to an executive team and familiarity with New York City Government Operations within a Law Enforcement agency.
• Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local employment and labor laws.
• Expertise in EEO, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and workplace investigations.
• Excellent legal research, writing, and analytical skills.
• Experience managing employment disputes, administrative charges, and litigation.
• Strong interviewing, fact‑finding, and investigative skills.
• Ability to interpret and apply complex laws, regulations, policies, and agreements.
• Exceptional judgment, discretion, and ability to handle confidential matters.
• Strong negotiation, conflict‑resolution, and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to develop and implement workplace policies and compliance programs.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to advise executives and staff.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple matters and deadlines.

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 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 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.