Senior Attorney/Assistant Attorney Trainee1/2/3 - NY HELPS

About the Role

Each attorney in the Division of Legal Affairs is assigned a diverse portfolio that may include novel and complex issues facing the Department, often related to vital infrastructure projects improving the transportation future of New York State.

Attorneys work in collaboration with other attorneys, engineers, and program areas throughout the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), providing general legal advice, support, and counsel across numerous and intersecting subject matter areas.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with program areas and other Department attorneys to identify legal issues, and research, analyze, and interpret statutes, regulations, case law, opinions, briefs, and related documentation.
• Negotiate, draft, review, and revise legal documents, correspondence, and memoranda, including contracts, agreements, permits, leases, legislative and regulatory proposals, and internal and external guidance documents and communications.
• Support the Office of the Attorney General on litigation actions such as torts, eminent domain claims, Article 78, employment, environmental, contractual, and enforcement proceedings.
• Provide summaries and recommendations on matters of liability, settlement, and appeal after independently reviewing, researching, and analyzing the facts and legal issues presented in each action.
• Process and determine small claims for alleged property damage from road defects.
• Represent NYSDOT in administrative proceedings involving employment matters, motor carrier safety and compliance violations, rail crossings and use, violations concerning the unauthorized use and occupancy of State property, and disputes arising from contract audits.
• Serve a role within the Incident Command System to support the department’s response to regional and statewide emergency situations.

Requirements

• Law school graduation and/or eligibility to take the NYS Bar Examination (for Assistant Attorney 1).
• Admission to the NYS Bar (for Assistant Attorney 2 and above).
• One year as Assistant Attorney 2 or admission to the NYS Bar and one year of subsequent professional legal experience (for Assistant Attorney 3).
• Admission to the NYS Bar and two years of post-licensure professional legal experience (for Senior Attorney).

Candidates appointed at the trainee level (Assistant Attorney 1, 2, or 3) will be required to successfully complete the traineeship to advance to the journey level title and salary. If appointed as Assistant Attorney 1, you will be automatically advanced to Assistant Attorney 2 upon admission to the New York State Bar. If you are not admitted to the New York State Bar within two years of appointment, your appointment will be terminated.

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

Required educational credentials must have been awarded by an educational institution accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education/Secretary of Education. If awarded by an institution outside of the U.S. and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency.

Pay

The salary range reflects the full range for this graded position. For new State employees appointed into graded positions, the annual salary is the hiring rate (beginning of the Salary Range) of the position. Promotion salaries are calculated by the NYS Office of the State Comptroller in accordance with NYS Civil Service Law, OSC Payroll rules and regulations, and negotiated union contracts.

For more salary information, visit https://oer.ny.gov/salary-schedules.