Associate General Counsel

About NYLAG:

Founded in 1990, NYLAG is a leading civil legal services organization combatting economic, racial, and social injustice by advocating for people experiencing poverty or in crisis. Our services include comprehensive, free civil legal services, financial empowerment, impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community partnerships. NYLAG exists because wealth should not determine who has access to justice. We aim to disrupt systemic racism by serving individuals and families whose legal and financial crises are often rooted in racial inequality. NYLAG goes to where the need is, providing services in more than 150 community sites (e.g. courts, hospitals, libraries) and on our Mobile Legal Help Center. NYLAG’s staff of 410 impacted the lives of nearly 129,000 people last year.

Job description

NYLAG seeks a highly motivated and dedicated attorney to join its team as Associate General Counsel. A new position, the Associate General Counsel will report to and work closely with NYLAG’s General Counsel to provide high-level guidance to the organization. The successful candidate will also play a key role in developing organizational policies to advance NYLAG’s critical mission.

Given the range of responsibilities that fall within the General Counsel’s purview, the successful candidate will need to work independently on certain specific tasks, while keeping the General Counsel informed as needed. This role will focus primarily on labor and employment matters, while also contributing across the full spectrum of legal issues facing NYLAG. The ideal candidate will have labor law experience and/or supervisory/management experience in a nonprofitand/or unionized environment, and must have the ability and desire to learn new areas of the law so as to best serve the organization. NYLAG will support the professional development of the successful candidate so they can provide this full range of services.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Providing labor and employment law advice to NYLAG executive management and senior leaders, in consultation with the General Counsel and, when appropriate, outside counsel.
• Conducting and assisting with investigatory interviews and grievance meetings and responding to union information requests.
• Assisting with collective bargaining.
• Developing and updating office policies.
• Reviewing grants and contracts with funders, vendors, and subcontractors.
• Assisting in ensuring compliance with applicable laws governing New York nonprofits, including New York’s Not-for-Profit Corporation Law.
• Assisting with litigation and other matters in which NYLAG and/or its employees are parties, including working with outside counsel.
• Assisting in advising and training on professional responsibility matters and identifying and resolving client conflicts of interest.
• Performing other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school and state bar admission in New York or eligibility for immediate membership.
• Minimum of 8 years of legal experience.
• Substantial supervisory/managerial experience.
• Labor and employment law experience, including supervisory/managerial experience in a unionized environment, strongly preferred.
• Excellent judgment and discretion, and the ability to balance legal risks with business demands.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to further the goals of a mission-driven organization and to be guided by its values.
• Ability to work well with diverse constituencies.
• Demonstrated commitment to public interest work and/or supporting work for social change.

NYLAG’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

NYLAG is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, immigrants, veterans, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people, and those with lived experiences in the communities we serve are strongly encouraged to apply.

Employment type:

☒ Full-time

Professional Level:

☒ Professional

☒ Managerial

Salary Range: The current salary range for this position is between $155,000 and $170,000, depending on experience.

Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, 401k, life insurance, long term disability, commuter benefits, flexible spending accounts (FSA) for Medical and Dependent care.

Application Instructions: Please save resume and cover letter on one pdf.

NYLAG is committed to a hybrid work policy for staff whose work does not require their full-time presence in the office. NYLAG’s current policy is that most staff are required to work in NYLAG’s offices or do other in-person work at least two days each week. This policy is subject to change.