Special Counsel

City of New York; New York (NY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of New York is seeking a seasoned attorney for the role of Special Counsel to develop and manage the agency’s compliance framework for healthcare and employee benefits. This role requires providing legal counsel on various employee health benefits, ensuring regulatory compliance, and developing operational plans for compliance infrastructure.

The ideal candidate will have substantial legal experience, a strong foundation in relevant laws, and an eagerness to grow and adapt in a dynamic environment. This position plays a vital role within the General Counsel's team, contributing to the city’s strategic objectives.

Qualifications

• Four years of relevant legal experience, with eighteen months of supervisory experience.
• Must remain a member of the New York State Bar in good standing.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal guidance on employee benefit plans.
• Ensure compliance with ACA, HIPAA, and COBRA.
• Draft and negotiate contracts with benefit plan vendors.
• Assist in dispute resolution involving employee benefit plans.

Skills

Legal knowledge of ACA

HIPAA compliance

Regulatory frameworks

Strong communication skills

Detail-oriented

Education

Admission to the New York State Bar

Job description

Job Summary

OGC seeks a seasoned attorney to serve as Special Counsel to develop and evolve the agency’s compliance framework and systems for the management of the agency’s healthcare and employee benefits. Reporting into the General Counsel and serving as a member of OGC’s leadership on a team of approximately 15 legal and procurement professionals, the Special Counsel will provide legal counsel on employee health benefits, including group health plans, supplemental benefits, wellness programs, and Federal/New York State regulatory compliance. Further, the Special Counsel will be responsible for designing a short‑term and long‑term operational plan for the development of the agency’s compliance and privacy infrastructure, development of key performance indicators, and policy development with respect to the data generated by the benefits and plans the agency manages.

The successful candidate must have experience with and interest in the applicable regulatory legal framework, policy, and in designing and operationalizing compliance systems. They must be a self‑starter, curious, driven, and able to work holistically with the various stakeholders who need to be engaged as OLR evolves to better meet the needs of the city’s health and benefits plans. The candidate must be a strategic thinker, possess strong communication skills, organized, detail‑oriented, and solutions oriented. While expertise in ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, and other relevant federal and New York State laws and regulations is a plus, the successful candidate must show the ability and desire to develop a strong foundation in the relevant regulatory frameworks and an actionable plan for success. They must be eager to learn, a problem solver who can work both collaboratively and independently without close supervision, and understand the many facets and interests involved in making decisions and investments that impact the city’s workforce as a whole. Patience, flexibility, sound judgment, creativity, and a good sense of humor are also necessary for successful integration into OGC’s small (but mighty) team.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide legal guidance on the design, implementation, and administration of health and employee benefit plans, specifically the city’s self‑funded group health plans.
• Ensure organizational compliance with ACA, HIPAA, COBRA, and other federal/New York State laws governing employee health benefits programs.
• Advise on legal risks and mitigation strategies related to employee benefits, health benefits and wellness programs.
• Design and, with OLR leadership buy‑in, operationalize a scalable compliance framework that is actionable within the relevant budgetary constraints.
• Work with OGC and agency leadership to identify tools and investments that could meet needs of compliance and OLR efficiently.
• Liaise with outside counsel and the law department on matters associated with the city’s benefits plans.
• Work with the Agency Privacy Officer (APO) to develop relevant policies and conduct use‑case analysis for any data or tech investments in the agency’s infrastructure.
• Draft, review, and negotiate contracts with employee benefit plan vendors, third‑party administrators, consultants, and insurers.
• Support audits and governmental inquiries from federal/New York State agencies.
• Monitor and interpret changes in federal/New York State laws/regulations governing employee benefits programs and communicate their impact to executive decision‑making teams.
• Collaborate with the employee benefits administration team to develop and regularly update plan communication materials, policies and procedures.
• Assist in dispute resolution and litigation involving employee benefit plans.
• Additional duties as assigned.

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.

Executive Agency Counsel – 95005

EEO Statement

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.