Supervising Enforcement Counsel

New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

The NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) seeks an experienced Executive Agency Counsel to lead worker protection litigation within OLPS. The role supervises four staff attorneys and advances enforcement of time-off and scheduling laws, among others.

The candidate will work in a fast-paced environment, collaborating with engineers and data analysts to support policy and litigation strategies. NYS Bar in good standing required, residency not required.

Qualifications

• Admission to the New York State Bar with four years of relevant legal experience since admission, including at least 18 months in a supervisory/managerial capacity.

Responsibilities

• Lead litigation under OLPS laws.
• Supervise four staff attorneys.
• Collaborate with software engineers and data analytics professionals.
• Develop strategic approaches to wage and scheduling enforcement and worker protections.

Skills

Litigation experience

Employment litigation

Class action litigation

Supervision & management

Cross-functional collaboration

Emerging tech collaboration

Tools

Legal research databases

Job description

• This position may be eligible for remote work for up to 2 days per week, pursuant to the Flexible Work Pilot Program. *

• This position may be eligible for remote work for up to 2 days per week, pursuant to the Flexible Work Pilot Program. *

The NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) protects and enhances the daily economic lives of New Yorkers to create thriving communities. DCWP licenses nearly 45,000 businesses in more than 40 industries and enforces key consumer protection and workplace laws that apply to countless more. By supporting businesses through equitable enforcement and access to resources, DCWP protects the marketplace from predatory practices and strives to create a culture of compliance. DCWP empowers consumers and working families by providing the tools and resources they need to achieve financial health and work-life balance. DCWP also conducts research and advocates for public policy that furthers its work to support New York City’s communities. For more information about DCWP and its work, call 311 or visit DCWP at NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP), sign up for its newsletter, or follow on its social media sites, X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Founded in 2014, the Office of Labor Policy & Standards (“OLPS”) enforces the City’s worker protection laws, including the Protected Time Off Law, Fair Workweek scheduling laws that protect fast food and retail workers, and Delivery Worker Laws that protect delivery workers classified as independent contractors. OLPS settles and litigates dozens of large cases a year on behalf of classes of workers who have experienced violations of pay or scheduling rights. We have recovered over $120 million for workers through enforcement and raised pay by over $1 billion via the minimum pay rate for delivery workers classified as independent contractors. We also administer the Freelance Isn’t Free Act (FIFA) program, which assists freelance workers who have experienced wage theft and other violations, and we bring pattern and practice litigation on behalf of freelancers against repeat violators. Under all laws we enforce, OLPS obtains monetary compensation for workers for violations and brings companies into compliance. Working closely with outside stakeholders, OLPS also advocates for new laws, performs research and data analysis to make policy recommendations, and conducts outreach and education to workers, employers, and the general public. Under Mayor Mamdani, DCWP’s worker protection enforcement staff is rapidly expanding from a staff of 45 to 75 in 2026, with further expansion planned in future years. More information about our office is available at nyc.gov/workers.

OLPS is seeking experienced litigator to supervise worker protection litigation. The role will involve leading litigation under all OLPS laws and supervising 4 staff attorneys handling litigation. The ideal candidate is a self-motivated, experienced litigator with excellent writing and editing skills who enjoys creative legal work, a fast-paced environment, and collaborative leadership, and is committed to supporting and developing early-career attorneys. Salary is dependent on supervisory responsibility and years of experience.

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

• At least 6 years of litigation experience – fact development, drafting pleadings, discovery, dispositive motion practice, and trials - Experience with employment litigation or class action litigation - Supervision and management experience - Experience working with software engineers or data analytics professionals - Commitment to social justice and interest in addressing the challenges faced by low-wage workers - The ability to establish rapport and interact effectively and respectfully with multi-functional teams comprised of attorney and non-attorney staff - The ability to problem-solve creatively - Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal, and analytical skills - The ability to effectively manage multiple priorities with competing deadlines - Fluency in a language other than English

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.