General Counsel

Legal Services NYC (LSNYC) fights poverty and seeks racial, social and economic justice for low-income New Yorkers. For over 50 years, we have challenged systemic injustices that trap people in poverty and provided legal services that help our clients meet basic needs for housing, income and economic security, family and immigration stability, education, and health care. LSNYC is the largest civil legal services provider in the country; our staff of more than 600 people in neighborhood-based offices and outreach sites across all five boroughs helps hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers annually.

We partner with scores of community-based and client-run organizations, elected officials, public agencies, pro bono lawyers, and the courts to maximize our effectiveness. Our work fights discrimination and helps to achieve equity for all low-income New Yorkers.

LSNYC employees have numerous opportunities for growth and professional development, including access to our internal Justice Learning Center, which provides opportunities to earn free CLEs and gain experience as a trainer.

Legal Services NYC (LSNYC) fights poverty and seeks racial, social, and economic justice for low-income New Yorkers. As the largest civil legal services provider in the country, with staff in neighborhood-based offices across all five boroughs, LSNYC provides high-quality, free legal assistance to more than 100,000 New Yorkers annually. For almost 60 years, we have challenged systemic injustice and helped New Yorkers meet basic needs related to housing, income, immigration, family, education, and health.

We partner with scores of community-based and client-run organizations, elected officials, public agencies, pro bono lawyers, and the courts to maximize our effectiveness. Our work fights discrimination and helps to achieve equal opportunity for all low-income New Yorkers.

LSNYC currently has a staff of over 700, including attorneys, paralegals and social workers as well as administrative professionals. We are a unionized program with over 500 of those employees belonging to a wall-to-wall union, LSSA 2320.

LSNYC seeks a highly motivated and dedicated attorney to join its team as General Counsel. A new position, the General Counsel will report to LSNYC’s Executive Director/Deputy Executive Director and work closely with the LSNYC’s senior leadership team to provide high-level guidance to the organization.

This is a stimulating role, requiring a high level of expertise in multiple areas of law, as well as strategic thinking skills. The ideal candidate will have strong labor law and employment law experience and supervisory/management experience in a nonprofit unionized environment and must have the ability and desire to stay up to date with legal trends and development and if needed, learn new areas of the law so as to best serve the organization.

Duties and Responsibilities

Providing labor and employment law advice to LSNYC’s Executive Director and senior management, and, when appropriate, in consultation with outside counsel;

Advising senior management on grievances pursuant to the union’s collective bargaining agreement, conducting grievance hearings as requested and representing the organization in arbitration or collaborating with outside counsel in preparing for arbitrations, and NLRB claims;

Assisting senior management with collective bargaining, including but not limited to responding to union information requests;

Providing guidance for the organization in risk management including developing proactive solutions to mitigate risk;

Representing the organization in litigation related to personnel matters and labor disputes as well as other matters in which LSNYC and/or its employees are parties. Such representation could include collaborating with or overseeing the work of outside counsel;

Advising and training on professional responsibility matters and identifying and resolving client conflicts of interest;

Reviewing and negotiating real estate leases;

Negotiating legal terms and conditions with financial institutions in connection with lines of credit, financing arrangements, and other financial instruments, in coordination with the CFO.

Reviewing and negotiating grants and contracts with funders, vendors, and subcontractors;

Overseeing LSNYC’s compliance department and ensuring compliance with applicable laws governing New York nonprofits, including New York’s Not-for-Profit Corporation Law;

Monitoring, reviewing and providing counsel regarding federal and state legislation, regulations and proposed policy changes that will impact the operation and funding of the organization;

Developing and updating office policies and corporate governance documents; and

Performing other duties as assigned.

Compensation & Benefits

LSNYC offers an excellent benefits package and highly competitive public interest salary. Our benefits include health, dental and vision plans, contributions to a 403(b) plan, and generous leave time.

Salary Range

$171,978- $222,343 USD, commensurate with experience.

Work Location

This is a hybrid position based in New York City with a minimum of 5 in-office days over each two-week period.

How to Apply

• Interested individuals should submit a resume and cover letter and writing sample via the Greenhouse portal.
• Only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. No telephone calls, please.
• Legal Services NYC is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, people over 40, and gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Dependent on work history and experience.

Salary Range

$171,978—$222,343 USD

All employees are strongly encouraged to continue to receive and maintain up-to-date COVID vaccinations unless they are unable to for medical or religious reasons.

Legal Services NYC is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, people over 40, and gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people are strongly encouraged to apply.