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Under the general direction of a Supervising Attorney and General Counsel, the Senior Attorney will provide legal services to various programs and Regional Offices within the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (Parks) regarding the procurement of goods and services, and contracting, particularly providing advice to agency staff in the Procurement and Contracts Unit, regarding applicable contract law, the New York State Finance Law, Uniform Commercial Code, and Technology Law. The Senior Attorney will also provide legal services regarding accessibility and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to agency staff, including the ADA Coordinator and Codes Compliance Director. The primary duties will include:
• Assisting agency staff with contract drafting, interpretation, vendor approvals, contract compliance, and dispute resolution.
• Providing legal advice to agency staff on matters relating to the State Finance Law, in areas such as: contract approvals, thresholds (for NYS Comptroller review), advertising and reporting, discretionary purchasing, procurement methods, vendor responsibility, prompt payment, and procurement lobbying laws, among others.
• Providing legal advice to agency staff on matters relating to the Uniform Commercial Code and Technology Law in the procurement of goods and Information Technology (IT) goods and services.
• Assisting agency staff in negotiating the best contractual terms for the agency with private sector representatives and receiving needed approvals from control agencies.
• Providing legal interpretation of contractual language regarding insurance in contracts and documents, including documents issued by insurance professionals, and drafting contractual language for routine insurance requirements based on standard terms and conditions and Council of Contracting Agencies guidance.
• Advising the agency’s ADA Coordinator and Codes Compliance Director on legal issues relating to Title II of the ADA and the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design and the New York State Human Rights law; reviewing accessibility policies and procedures for legal sufficiency and compliance with the ADA, and providing other legal guidance, upon request.
• Reviewing proposed legislation and regulations for impacts to agency programs and operations.
• Assisting Supervising Attorney, as requested, in providing other legal guidance to Agency staff, such as assisting in audit and compliance actions against assigned program areas; researching legal issues to provide recommended courses of action; or drafting or reviewing programmatic guidance.
- $93,530 - $117,875/year
This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS). For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply.
At a future date, it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all of the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.
NON-COMPETITIVE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Admission to the NYS bar and two years of post-licensure professional legal experience.
COMPETITIVE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Must be reachable on the appropriate New York State Civil Service eligible list.
70.1/52.6 TRANSFER QUALIFICATIONS:
One year of permanent or contingent permanent in an eligible title for transfer determined to be similar by Civil Service. For transfers, a list of approved titles is available through Civil Service GOT-IT at https://careermobilityoffice.cs.ny.gov/cmo/gotit/. The GOT-IT site will inform you if your title is transferrable.
It is essential that candidates clearly and concisely indicate exactly how they meet the above minimum qualifications in their resume/email submission. Failure to show how you meet the minimum qualifications above may result in disqualification and removal from consideration.
NOTE: Admission to the New York State Bar and current registration to practice law in New York State is required for continued employment. Disbarment or loss of registration shall result in termination or suspension of employment.
This position may be designated 55 b/c and is subject to verification of applicant eligibility.
* *WHEN APPLYING, PLEASE ADVISE HOW YOU MEET THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS* *
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
The Senior Attorney should have prior experience in transactional matters in contract law, or a familiarity with legal matters surrounding governmental procurement and contracting, and a willingness to address associated legal issues, such as information technology and accessibility issues, as they arise. Familiarity with the ADA and the New York State Human Rights law preferred.
BENEFITS:
Generous benefits package, worth approximately 65% of salary, including:
Paid Time Off:
• 44 days - 13 Vacation days, 13 Sick days, and 5 Personal Leave days, 13 Holidays.
• PEF: Three (3) days of professional leave annually to participate in professional development.
Health Care Benefits:
• Eligible employees and dependents can pick from a variety of affordable health insurance programs.
• Family dental and vision benefits at no additional cost.
Additional Benefits:
• New York State Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) Membership
• NYS Deferred Compensation
• Access to NY 529 and NY ABLE College Savings Programs, as well as U.S. Savings Bonds
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
• Paid Parental Leave
All candidates must submit a written resume and cover letter which clearly demonstrates how they meet the minimum qualifications for the position. These documents must be received by April 17, 2025 and submitted via email to employment@parks.ny.gov. You must include “Vacancy ID 184245 – Senior Attorney – Albany” in the subject line of your email. Failure to do so may result in not being considered for the position.
It is the responsibility of each applicant to accurately describe their experience and demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualifications.
