Legal Counsel - Office of the President

POSITION DETAILS

Medgar Evers College (CUNY), a four-year culturally diverse institution birthed out of the Black community of Central Brooklyn, is rooted in social justice, dedicated to increasing the upward mobility of its students and producing graduates who are civically engaged and prepared to provide leadership to address issues from local to global concern. It does so through Rigorous curricula, Innovative teaching and learning practices, Scholarship, and Experiential learning (RISE).The College is named after Medgar Wiley Evers, who was assassinated in 1963 in Jackson, Mississippi, advocating for the rights of others, He was truly a social justice warrior.

The College seeks a dynamic leader with proven expertise in providing legal guidance on a wide range of challenging issues, including, but not limited to: litigation, employment and labor law, compliance and contractual agreements, governance, fundraising, and immigration. The Legal Counsel reports directly to the President and will have wide latitude for independent judgment. The Legal Counsel also serves as the College's campus Ethics Officer and Records Access Officer, and as the College’s liaison to the University's Office of Legal Affairs.

As Legal Counsel, responsibilities will include:

• Serving as senior legal advisor to the President and members of the Executive Cabinet.
• Providing legal support to all levels of Medgar Evers College management, faculty, and staff.
• Administration and interpretation of the University By-Laws, University and College policies and procedures, College governance charter, and various collective bargaining agreements.
• Providing legal opinions to the President, management, and employees on legal matters such as conflicts of interest, personnel issues, collections, intellectual property, and student and administrative issues.
• Negotiating, drafting, editing, and reviewing a wide range of proposed, pending, and renewal contracts, including agreements with donors, suppliers, and internal and external business partners.
• Responding to policy and procedural inquiries from various college, university, and government officials.
• Reviewing subpoenas and requests for information under the Public Information Act.
• Developing effective and persuasive legal and transactional correspondence and documents.
• Ensuring compliance with promotional and tenure standards and multiple position policy promulgated by the City University of New York.
• Providing time-sensitive reports and information to external sources such as the New York Commission on Public Integrity.
• Working with CUNY's Office of the General Counsel in managing and supporting litigation and administrative cases involving College officers, faculty, and employees.
• Assisting appropriate University, College, and other State and Federal officials in maintaining compliance with EEO, ADEA, ADA, Title VI, Title VII, and Title IX.
• Conducting investigations and advising on compliance issues.
• Performing other related duties as assigned by the President.

QUALIFICATIONS

This position is in CUNY's Executive Compensation Plan. All executive positions require a minimum of a Bachelor's degree and eight years' related experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

Candidates must have a JD, be admitted to the N.Y. State Bar, and have at least eight years of related experience, preferably in a higher education environment. The successful candidate will have excellent communication, interpersonal, conflict resolution, and organizational skills as well as excellent judgment.

CUNY TITLE

Administrator

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

$163,000 - $171,360

Salary commensurate with education and experience.

CUNY's benefits contribute significantly to total compensation, supporting health and wellness, financial well-being, and professional development. We offer a range of health plans, competitive retirement/pension benefits and savings plans, tuition waivers for CUNY graduate study and generous paid time off. Our staff also benefits from the extensive academic, arts, and athletic programs on our campuses and the opportunity to participate in a lively, diverse academic community in one of the greatest cities in the world.