Judicial Hearing Officer

About the role

The City of New York’s Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH) is the nation’s largest administrative tribunal, holding over 250,000 trials and hearings annually. OATH adjudicates a wide range of matters filed by nearly every city agency, board, and commission. OATH also houses the Center for Creative Conflict Resolution, which provides mediation and restorative justice support to City government agencies and the general public, and the Administrative Judicial Institute, a resource center that offers training, continuing education, research, and support services for administrative law judges and hearing officers.

Responsibilities

Judicial Hearing Officers (JHOs) are independent adjudicators who decide whether to sustain or dismiss civil summonses filed by NYC enforcement agencies against members of the public (individuals, businesses, etc.). Each day, JHOs conduct multiple hearings, review evidence, assess legal arguments, and issue written decisions. JHOs are responsible for maintaining procedures to ensure that cases are heard and decisions are rendered in a timely manner, while accurately conveying agency policy to the public. The ideal candidate is an ambitious, energetic, and experienced attorney who enjoys the growth opportunities afforded by OATH’s ongoing commitment to positive institutional change, technological enhancement, and maximizing public access to justice. JHOs must work in a fast-paced environment and effectively manage tight deadlines.

Requirements

• Scheduled on the needs of the agency and may work up to 1,000 hours per year at the hourly rate noted above.
• Maintain outside employment.
• Work off-site, using their own computer and telephone.
• If assigned to the Hearings Division, conduct hearings remotely by phone.
• If assigned to the Appeals Division, review written appeal requests and write appeal decisions.

Qualifications

• A license to practice law in the State of New York, which must be maintained;
• Three years of recent satisfactory relevant legal experience subsequent to admission to the bar.

Preferred Skills

• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills;
• Excellent writing, legal research, and analytical skills;
• Strong organizational skills;
• Computer skills in Microsoft Word, Access, Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint;
• Prior adjudicatory experience and/or knowledge of NYC enforcement agencies is helpful but not required.

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 generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.

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.