Assistant Counsel

SUMMARY:

The Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY) is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) educational corporation chartered by the State of New York. RFCUNY is the fiscal agent and authorized signatory for the 26 CUNY colleges and professional schools involved in sponsored programs. As the fiscal agent for all such activity at CUNY, RFCUNY performs a wide variety of administrative tasks, both pre- and post-award, for hundreds of grants and contracts that not only span a broad range of academic disciplines but carry out numerous public purposes.

The Assistant Counsel is a position in the Office of Legal Affairs, an administrative, policy, and service unit of RFCUNY. The Assistant Counsel reports to an Associate Counsel and/or a Senior Associate Counsel, and exercises independent judgment, as delegated, in the fulfillment of the duties and responsibilities assigned. The Assistant Counsel will work collegially with other members of the Legal Affairs staff to identify and resolve special problems, assure the provision of the highest quality of customer service, and support the development of new staff skills. The Assistant Counsel maintains exemplary standards of personal professional ethics and participates in activities to stay current in court decisions and changes in the laws affecting the work of RFCUNY. The Assistant Counsel supports the work of other RFCUNY units by communicating effectively with staff involved in related projects, by being of assistance to others, and by participating in team-based projects as assigned.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Negotiates, reviews, and drafts contracts, subcontracts, independent contractor agreements, and all types of legal documents for execution
• Routinely informs supervisor(s) of work progress; provides timely updates on all critical matters; identifies problems and implements solutions
• Assists RFCUNY staff in other units, when needed, by advising on legal issues
• In concert with supervisor(s), confers with RFCUNY staff as to the impact of general common law, as well as existing and proposed federal, state and local laws, regulations, and court decisions, particularly in the areas of not-for-profit law, sponsored research compliance, employment issues, accounts receivable, leases, labor relations, and human subjects research
• Participates in relevant professional activities and personal development in this field
• Advises and represents RFCUNY as needed in negotiations and legal actions necessary to enforce terms of an executed contract and other matters requiring legal counsel
• Performs other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Admission to the New York Bar
• 0-2 years legal experience subsequent to completion of law school
• Interest in working at a not-for-profit organization in a higher education setting
• Ability to communicate effectively with diverse constituencies within different levels of RFCUNY, CUNY, and external organizations
• Careful reading skills, including the ability to build upon existing knowledge to analyze complex materials
• Excellent writing skills
• Competency with current computer technology, including ability to perform legal research
• Demonstrable success in initiating cooperative working relationships
• Dedicated to providing excellent customer service to clients and resolving their concerns in a timely manner
• Makes timely and effective decisions using consistent good judgment and common sense
• Is detail-oriented and able to think critically
• Able to follow instructions when needed, and to use independent judgment when appropriate
• Superlative time management skills
• Able to work independently under tight and competing deadlines

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience with sponsored research or other sponsored programs
• Experience in transactional matters including contract negotiation
• Experience with not-for-profit law and charitable organizations
• Experience with data protection laws, including the NY Privacy Act and GDPR

About the Research Foundation:

The Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY) is a nonprofit educational corporation founded in 1963 to provide post-award fiscal and administrative support for CUNY’s research and sponsored programs. RFCUNY’s services allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries, on projects and programs that serve our local and global communities, proposing concrete solutions to society’s most pressing challenges.

RFCUNY serves as a fiscal agent and works closely with all the CUNY campus Grants Offices to perform the core functions of post-award financial management for CUNY research projects and sponsored programs. These functions include legal assessment and signing of agreements where RFCUNY is named as a fiscal agent; setting up award accounts; preparing sub-awards and assisting PIs in monitoring the work of the recipients of sub-awards; supporting project directors with hiring and managing research project and sponsored program staff; supporting the purchasing and paying for goods and services with grant and program funds; managing financial aspects of projects including accounts receivable, financial reporting, invoicing, budget monitoring, and cost compliance with uniform guidance; ensuring that sponsor financial requirements are met; monitoring compliance with applicable project and financial management rules and laws; supporting the management of independent and external audits and financial reviews; and providing data, information, management expertise, and other supports to CUNY’s research and sponsored programs.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Research Foundation of the City University of New York is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Americans with Disabilities Act/E-Verify Employer. It is the policy of the Research Foundation of CUNY to provide equal employment opportunities free of discrimination based on race, color, age, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic violence victim status, arrest record, criminal conviction history, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.