Special Counsel

 The Office of the General Counsel (OGC) is responsible for responsible for managing the legal aspects of Agency’s operations, its business decisions, tax-exempt and taxable bond transactions, other types of multifamily and single-family loans and neighborhood investments, and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. The Special Counsel is a senior level attorney who provides legal counsel and support services in a broad range of general and specialized areas that affect the policies and programs of the Agency. 

ESSENTIAL DUITES & RESPONSIBILITES:

• Provide advice and support services to the Agency’s Board of Directors, CEO/Executive Director and business units in     connection with the Agency’s programs, activities and functions. 

• Provide coordination and management of outside counsel as directed by the General Counsel.

• Assist in the structuring, negotiation and execution of Agency transactions.

• Review and supervise the production of transaction documents including the following: preliminary and final offering documents, indentures, resolutions, supplemental indentures, supplemental resolutions, regulatory agreements, loan agreements, financing agreements, financing and regulatory agreements, declaration of covenants, commitment letters, notes, subordinate loan documents, intercreditor agreements, deeds of trust or other mortgage instruments, financing statements, legal opinions and closing certificates.

• Negotiate agreements and opinions necessary to ensure that the interests of the Agency are protected.

• Conduct legal research and draft legal memoranda as needed.

• Review, comment and advise the Agency’s Board of Directors, CEO/Executive Director and business units on amendments to the Agency’s statutes, regulations and procedural manuals and all other local and federal proposed and final laws, rules and regulations related to the Agency and its operations.

• Assist the CEO/Executive Director and the Agency’s divisions with the development and creation of new products and programs.

• Serve as the primary legal support for special issues impacting the agency including, but not limited to, volume cap management and volume cap recycling.

• Serve as the OGC lead on technology and AI issues and work with the Business Information Group as needed.  

• Assist in obtaining required local and federal government approvals as needed.

• Ensure compliance with federal labor laws on behalf of the OGC.

• Manage litigation as needed. 

• Draft legislation related to the Agency’s authority and powers and monitor Federal or District legislation that impacts the Agency.

• Review incoming multifamily applications on behalf of the OGC as requested by the General Counsel.

• Prepare notices to the Council of the District of Columbia of Board’s approval of all Eligibility Resolutions.

• Supervise or conduct TEFRA Hearings for all bond transactions.

• Notify Mayor and City Council of the Agency’s intent to adopt Final Bond Resolutions for all bond transactions.

• Draft handbooks and manuals and conduct training, as necessary, to help guide compliance with bond documents, federal laws and regulations, and Agency policies and procedures.

• Supervise the drafting of handbooks, manuals and/or training, as necessary regarding record retention.

• Serve, with Human Resources, as a lead coordinator for DCHFA University.  

• Supervise and provide legal support for the Agency’s Corporate Giving Program

• Serve as the lead liaison between OGC and MLNI.

• Serves as the lead liaison between OGC and Single-Family Programs.

• Advise and support the Agency’s single family risk management, asset management and compliance functions.

• Assist the Chief of Staff with government and legislative affairs as needed.

• Supervise and mentor the Staff Counsel and the OGC Legal Intern, including training and performance management.

• Supervise or perform the reporting and mitigation of PII incidents and breaches, and provide legal guidance to the business, technology, operations, communications and other teams within the Agency regarding privacy and security requirements for single and multifamily lenders, HFAs and DC independent agencies.

• Supervise the drafting of handbooks, manuals and/or training, as necessary regarding PII, AI, technology and record retention.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• Possess a Juris Doctor Degree.

• Be an active member in good standing of the bar of any jurisdiction.

• If not a member of District of Columbia Bar, be sworn into the District of Columbia Bar within 18 months of your initial hire as Counsel.

• Possess ten (10) years of experience in contract law, corporate law, procurement law, business entity 

law, real estate law, tax law, real estate finance, community development, privacy and local and federal housing programs (including LIHTC).

• Understand construction and interpretation of federal, state and local statutes, codes, and regulations. 

• Possess strong skills in legal research and writing.

• Have the ability to successfully and autonomously manage projects of a varied and complex nature. 

• Have excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, and ability to make presentations and effectively negotiate.

• Demonstrate the ability to work effectively as part of a team.

• Be able to work proactively and operate efficiently in a fast-paced environment with variable deadlines and diverse client demands.

• Maintain high standards of integrity and quality.

• Demonstrate the ability to perform other duties as assigned by management.

• Possess a strong knowledge of all aspects of the Microsoft Office Suite.

• Knowledge of litigation is a plus.