Senior Staff Counsel

Salary: $106,404.00

Division/Work Unit: General Counsel

Job ID: 806004

Number of Positions: 2

Hours/Shift: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Job Description

**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.

The General Counsel Division is seeking an experienced attorney with a strong sense of justice and bold and creative ideas on how to utilize our authority to protect consumers. The Senior Staff Counsel will be responsible for developing and investigating cases and pursuing litigation to address systemic issues involving violations of New York City’s deceptive and unfair practices statute.

Specifically, the Senior Staff Counsel will: 

• Make initial determinations and recommendations as to potential targets for investigations; determine legal theories and plans for investigations, and implement them effectively; and lead resulting litigation or enforcement actions to successful resolution, including by engaging in settlement discussions on behalf of the agency. 
• Prepare cases for trial by securing and preparing evidence and conferring with witnesses, lead all phases of litigation including conducting depositions and document discovery, examining and cross-examining witnesses, conducting oral arguments before the New York State Supreme Court or OATH, and drafting legal documents needed during the various stages of litigation. 
• Engage in communications with consumers, opposing counsel, and regulated businesses in order to advance investigations, enforce regulations, and resolve violations and litigation via settlement. 
• Recommend whether cases should be filed and litigated in Supreme Court or OATH, resolved informally or through settlements; and negotiate settlements as appropriate. 
• Try cases before appropriate adjudicatory bodies. 
• Act as a subject matter expert on specific areas of law in which the agency is the primary regulator or licensor, including employment agencies, to protect the interests of job-seeking New Yorkers;
• Confer with other government agencies and Agency divisions. 
• Participate in enforcing a variety of laws within the agency’s jurisdiction. 
• Supervise more junior attorneys and legal support staff, as necessary. 

The ideal candidate will be capable of working in teams, with both attorney and non-attorney staff, and will perform ad hoc tasks as required. The ideal candidate will also have substantive litigation experience, an interest in consumer protection, and an ability to use inventive and creative approaches to impactful litigation. 

Minimum Qualification Requirements 

1. Admission to the New York State Bar; and either "2" or "3" below. 
2. One year of satisfactory United States legal experience subsequent to admission to any state bar; or 
3. Six months of satisfactory service as an Agency Attorney Interne (30086).

Incumbents must remain Members of the New York State Bar in good standing for the duration of this employment.

In addition to meeting the minimum Qualification Requirements: 

To be assigned to Assignment Level (AL) II, candidates must have one year of experience at Assignment Level I or two years of comparable legal experience subsequent to admission to the bar, in the areas of law related to the assignment. To be assigned to AL III candidates must have two years of experience in Assignment Levels I and/or II or three years of comparable legal experience subsequent to admission to the bar, in the areas of law related to the assignment. 

Preferred Skills 

• At least six years of practicing law, including at least four years of significant litigation experience, preferably in New York State courts and/or at the New York City Office of Trials and Hearings (OATH) 
• Demonstrated excellent verbal, written, interpersonal, analytical, problem-solving and time management skills 
• Proficient in conducting legal research and undertaking factual investigations, including reviewing documents and conducting witness interviews and depositions 
• Demonstrated excellent legal research, writing and negotiation skills 
• Ability to think on their feet and provide clear responses to questions 
• Comfort with data-driven analysis and strategic planning 
• A desire to lead cutting edge and impactful case development and litigation 
• Ability to interact effectively with multi-functional teams comprised of attorney and non-attorney staff
• Ability to effectively manage multiple priorities with competing deadlines 
• Ability to work autonomously with minimal supervision and produce timely and quality work
• References that can confirm legal skills
• Experience and knowledge in consumer protection and finance laws, administrative law, tenant protection laws, false advertising litigation, and/or internet and data privacy issues is desired 

To Apply 

To apply for this position, please submit your application exclusively through the Jobs NYC website. Only applications submitted via the Jobs NYC platform will be considered for review. The Job ID is located at the top of this page. 

A resume and cover letter are required as part of the application. 

Reasonable Accommodations 

DCWP is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to ensure that individuals with disabilities have equal access to employment opportunities. If you need an accommodation to participate in the interview process, please contact us at ReasonableAccommodationRequests@dcwp.nyc.gov. 

Please note the following important application instructions: 

• Only candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted. If you do not receive communication from us, please consider your application as not being selected for this position. 

Appointments are subject to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval. 

For any questions or concerns regarding your application, please email the recruitment team at dcwpjobs@dcwp.nyc.gov. 

Additional Information 

In addition, the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) offers competitive salaries and the following benefits: 

Paid Time Off and Holidays 

• Paid time off for vacation and personal leave 
• Paid time off for sick leave 
• A generous holiday package of up to 13 days 

Health Benefits 

• Medical insurance plans 
• Dental and vision insurance plans 
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) 

Financial and Savings Benefits 

• 529 College Savings Plan 
• Direct Deposit 
• Flexible Spending Account Programs 
• New York City Municipal Credit Union Savings Program 
• Transit Benefit Programs 

Retirement and Pension Plans 

• New York City Employee Retirement System (NYCERS) pension plan 
• New York City Deferred Compensation Plan (DCP) 401(k) and 457 plan

Additional Benefits for Union Members 

• Disability Insurance 
• Health Club Reimbursements 
• Life Insurance 
• Supplemental Hospital Coverage 
• Tuition Reimbursement 

*Please note only employees represented by a labor union may qualify for additional benefits provided by the union welfare fund. 

Student Loan Forgiveness 

• DCWP qualifies as a public service employer, which means our employees may be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. If you have federal student loans, you may be able to have your loans forgiven by working full-time in public service. To learn more about PSLF and its eligibility requirements, visit the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program website. 

Employee Discounts 

• Apple and Dell products 
• Cell phones and plans 
• Gym memberships 
• Special pricing on event tickets through Barclay Center, Plum Benefits and Working Advantage
• And more! 

DCWP and the City of New York is an equal employment opportunity employer.