Senior Counsel for External Affairs

The New York City Department of Correction (DOC) is an integral part of the City’s evolving criminal justice system, participating in reform initiatives and strategies aimed to move the City towards a smaller jail system without compromising public safety. The DOC is responsible for maintaining a safe and secure environment for staff, visitors, volunteers, and people in our custody. Importantly, safe jails enable DOC to provide people in custody with the tools and opportunities they need to successfully re-enter their communities. The DOC operates facilities and court commands across the five boroughs with more than 7,500 diverse professionals and knowledge experts.

The DOC seeks a highly qualified candidate to fill an executive-level vacancy for Executive Agency Counsel, M-III. Under the direction of the Deputy Commissioner for Legal Matters, with wide latitude for independent judgment and decision-making, the Executive Agency Counsel serves as a key advisor and liaison on all legal and administrative matters impacting the Department. This role is instrumental in fostering relationships with external law enforcement partners and oversight bodies, while providing expert counsel, policy recommendations, and strategic guidance on complex legal issues and procedures. Acting as a legal advisor to the Executive Staff, the Executive Agency Counsel also represents the Department’s interests with Federal, State, and local government agencies, including the New York City Law Department, state and federal prosecutors, and the courts.

The Executive Agency Counsel may be called upon to represent the Department in various types of legal proceedings, including the drafting of legal papers and responses to recommendations. Tasks will include but are not limited to the following:

- Represent the General Counsel at meetings with other public and private agencies, including
law enforcement, prosecutorial, and legislative and oversight bodies.
- Participate in formulating agency-wide policy as well as the policies and procedures governing the
Office of the General Counsel and the Department. Review new and established procedure to
ensure compliance with existing laws, regulations and guidelines set by the Federal, State and City
authorities.
- Advise on regulatory and legislative developments affecting the Department, including through the
State legislature, City Council, NYC Board of Correction and NY State Commission on Correction.
Advise the General Counsel concerning proposed legislative changes, including developing legal
arguments supporting proposals sponsored by the agency.
- Prepare responses to reports and recommendations from external oversight bodies, including the
State Commission of Correction, the NYC Board of Correction, and the NYC Department
of Investigation.
- Conduct investigations, review of records and evidence, and witness interviews in furtherance
of preparing responses to discrimination complaints made to U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission, the NYS Division of Human Rights, and the NYC Commission on
Human Rights.
- Directly work as a liaison to local, state, and federal prosecutors’ offices to facilitate discovery and
other relevant issues related to criminal prosecutions.

Admission to the New York State Bar; and four years of recent full-time responsible, relevant, satisfactory legal experience subsequent to admission to any bar, eighteen months of which must have been in the supervision of other attorneys, in an administrative, managerial or executive capacity, or performing highly complex and significant legal work.

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

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.