Tort Unit Deputy Director: Strategic Claims & Risk

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 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.