Senior Assistant County Attorney - Litigation Bureau

Westchester County; City of White Plains (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

Retirement plan

Paid leave

Job summary

Westchester County’s Law Department seeks a Senior Assistant County Attorney to join the Litigation Bureau in White Plains, NY. Under the supervision of the County Attorney and Deputy County Attorneys, you will handle complex municipal litigation and act as trial counsel for the County, its officers and employees.

Your duties include motion practice, discovery, witness preparation, and defending the County in state and federal courts on personal injury, contract, environmental, and civil rights

Qualifications

• Graduation from a law school with an LL.B. or J.D. degree and five years of progressively responsible experience in municipal law, general litigation, and/or other applicable areas of law.

Responsibilities

• Act as trial counsel in actions brought for or against the County, its officers and employees in state and federal courts.
• Handle all motion practice, pre-trial discovery, witness preparation, and settlements negotiations in litigations matters involving the County.
• Handle casualty and estate lien recoveries in Supreme Court and Surrogate's Court.
• Represent the County in Guardianship proceedings under NY Mental Hygiene Law Article 81 and NY Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act Article 17-A.
• Conduct extensive legal research on highly complex litigation matters and prepare briefs and memoranda of law.
• Advise, assist and guide Assistant County Attorneys; may supervise on specific matters.

Skills

Municipal law

Trial practice

Legal research

Legal writing

Oral advocacy

Teamwork

Education

J.D./LL.B.

Job description

Westchester County’s Law Department is actively seeking a Senior Assistant County Attorney to join their Litigation Bureau.

Under the supervision of the County Attorney, Deputy County Attorneys and other senior management, incumbents of this class are responsible for highly specialized professional work in the handling of complex legal matters arising in the operation of the County government. Responsibilities include: acting as trial counsel representing the County, its officers and employees in state and federal courts on matters involving personal injury claims and property damage, allegations of deprivation of civil rights, breaches of County contracts and claims involving environmental issues, conducting hearings and administrative proceedings pursuant to New York State Civil Service law, employment discrimination claims before the New York State Division of Human Rights, representing the County in proceedings pursuant to Article 78 of the New York State Civil Practice Law and Rules and handling casualty and estate lien recoveries and Guardianship proceedings in Supreme Court and Surrogate’s Court; Supervision may be exercised over other attorneys in the Bureau on specific matters. Particular work to be handled by the incumbent includes specialized legal work related to Medicaid lien recovery in both the New York State Supreme and Surrogate’s Courts, Supplemental Needs Trusts and Guardianship proceedings pursuant to New York State Mental Hygiene Law Article 81 and New York State Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act Article 17-A.

Examples of Work Include but Not Limited To:

• Act as trial counsel in actions brought for, or against, the County, its officers and employees, in the State and Federal Courts;
• Handle all motion practice, pre-trial discovery, preparation of witnesses, negotiation of settlements in relation to litigations matters involving the County;
• Handle casualty and estate lien recoveries in Supreme Court and Surrogate’s Court;
• Represent the County in New York State Mental Hygiene Law Article 81 guardianship cases in New York State Supreme Court and in New York State Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act Article 17-A guardianship cases in Surrogate’s Court.
• Conduct extensive legal research on highly complex litigation matters in connection with trials and in the preparation of briefs and memoranda of law;
• Advise, assist and guide Assistant County Attorneys; may supervise on specific matters;

Required Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Attributes: General knowledge of municipal law and trial practice; strong research and writing skills, including the ability to present clear and logical arguments both orally and in writing; ability to organize material; ability to perform legal research on a variety of legal issues; ability to establish and maintain effective professional relationships; ability to work as a member of a team;

*No prior experience in the handling of Guardianship proceedings pursuant to New York State Mental Hygiene Law Article 81 and New York State Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act Article 17-A. Supplemental Needs Trusts and Medicaid lien recovery is required, however, it should be noted that such matters will be handled by the incumbent.

Minimum Acceptable Training and Experience:

Graduation from a school of law with an LL.B.* or J.D.* degree, and five years of progressively responsible experience in municipal law, general litigation, and/or other applicable areas of law.

Special Note: Education beyond the secondary level must be from an institution recognized or accredited by the Board of Regents of the New York State Department of Education as a post-secondary, degree-granting institution.

Special Requirements: Admission to the Bar of the State of New York. Admission to the United States District Court of the Southern District or capacity and willingness to become admitted to such Court within 6 months of attaining the position.

Besides a competitive salary, our generous compensation package includes comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, deferred compensation, paid leave and retirement plan.

Westchester County is an Equal Opportunity Employer

About Westchester County

Westchester County, located in the heart of the historic Hudson Valley, covers 500 square miles and has a population of just over 1 million. Originally home to Native Americans of the Lenape tribe, it is now a rich mix of diverse cultures and landscapes. The County is a blend of bustling cities, quaint villages, and picturesque towns, as well as open spaces and a network of beautiful parks. Westchester is made up of six cities, 19 towns, and 20 villages. The County is known for its top-notch public schools and high quality of life. It is also an intellectual capital, boasting a highly educated workforce, competitive colleges and universities, Fortune 500 companies, world-changing nonprofits, and cutting-edge research centers. Westchester is led by County Executive Kenneth W. Jenkins, who took office in January 2025 as the tenth County Executive. Focusing on innovation, Jenkins is leveraging technology and fostering business growth to position Westchester as a dynamic and inclusive destination where everyone can thrive. Learn more about Westchester County by visiting www.westchestergov.com