Associate General Counsel

POSITION : Associate General Counsel

POSITION Details

Department : Legal

Position Reports To : General Counsel

FLSA Status : Exempt

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About Hudson River Park Trust

The Hudson River Park Trust (“Trust”) is a public benefit corporation created by act of the New York State Legislature and a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. As a partnership between New York State and the City of New York, the Trust’s mission is to design, construct, operate and maintain a heavily used four-mile-long waterfront park and Estuarine Sanctuary on Manhattan’s west side on a blend of state- and city-owned property. The Park includes landscaped public piers and display gardens, lawn areas, ecological planting zones, athletic fields, esplanades, docks, public sculptures and other special features. Also located within the Park are several commercial facilities, including Pier 57, Chelsea Piers and the Circle Line excursion piers, among others. The Trust covers its annual operating budget through parking revenue, rents, permit fees, grants, donations generated by a “Friends” organization and other private sources.

Job Summary

The Hudson River Park Trust is seeking an experienced attorney with exposure to multiple areas of law to support the Trust’s parkwide construction, operations, management and programming needs as part of the Trust’s Legal Department. The Associate General Counsel (“AGC”) will advise on compliance with various laws applicable to New York State Public Benefit Corporations while also working closely with Trust staff in all departments on business matters related to litigation, employment, real estate transactions, permitting, contracting, use of public property, procurement, corporate governance and other areas as needed. The AGC is expected to be a proactive, detail-oriented, and creative problem-solver who is able to work both independently and collaboratively to advance Trust priorities. While still reporting to the General Counsel, the Trust expects that the AGC will assume the lead legal role in one or more practice areas related to the AGC’s areas of prior experience. The AGC will also be designated as both the Trust’s Ethics Officer and FOIL Officer and will be required to conduct training and perform other activities including working with the Board of Directors.

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Essential JOB RESPONSIBILITES / Functions

In close partnership with the General Counsel, the AGC will handle a diverse and interesting revenue-generating portfolio encompassing real estate (leases, permits, occupancy agreements); guest events and activities seeking temporary use of portions of the Park; procurement matters related to design, construction and service agreements; corporate governance; employment matters; litigation; FOIL; and more. In so doing, the AGC will work with staff from multiple departments, helping to shape and becoming a subject matter expert in various aspects of the Trust’s successful operations. Mastering the nuances of public procurement and understanding of the Trust’s unique statutory status will be essential to success. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following :

• Using knowledge of the law and the Trust’s adopted policies and procedures, work across the organization to provide advice, create best practices, address issues and solve problems.
• Review, draft and / or advise on policies, correspondence, notices, procurement documents, Board materials, funding and grant agreements, and other materials.
• Conduct legal research and prepare legal memoranda on relevant issues to inform policy decision-making, ensure the Trust stays current with potential changes that may impact operations, and support the work of outside counsel if needed.
• Assist staff across the organization with the preparation and management of RFPs, bids and other forms of procurement. Negotiate and prepare contracts with selected vendors / contractors and work with staff if needed to address any subsequent contract performance issues.
• Prepare occupancy agreements and permits in consultation with the Trust’s Real Estate, River Project and Public Programs Departments. Support Trust staff in relevant departments if needed on interpretation and enforcement of occupancy agreements and permits.
• Participate in collective bargaining negotiations as needed and provide support to the Human Resources Department on matters related to staff.
• Manage litigation matters, including Article 78 actions; coordinate with outside counsel, including the Attorney General’s office, on construction and professional service-related claims; support discovery related to lawsuits, including overseeing the work of paralegals.
• Oversee the successful and timely response to FOIL requests.
• Work closely with the General Counsel to oversee compliance with applicable laws and regulations and prepare materials for and otherwise communicate with the Trust’s Board of Directors to meet corporate obligations. Provide training for staff or Board members in relevant areas as may be required.
• Support the Trust’s President, General Counsel and other members of the Trust’s Executive staff team and Board members on new matters as required.

Other Duties : This job description is not intended to cover all the activities, duties and responsibilities that are required of the position. Other related duties and responsibilities may be assigned at the discretion of the Trust. ______________________________________________________________________________

Education & Experience Requirements :

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KEY Competencies REQUIRED

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Work Environment & Physical Demands

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Compensation

Competitive salary dependent upon the applicant’s experience and qualifications : $150,000-$160,000. Excellent benefits package including paid holidays, vacation time, sick and personal time, transportation allowance, medical, dental, vision, life, LTD and paid family leave insurance, and participation in New York State pension system.

Application process

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter to the Vice President of Human Resources demonstrating interest in the position and a resume to resumes@hrpt.ny.gov. Indicate Job Code : HRPT-2025 Associate General Counsel in the subject line of the email. No phone calls please.

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Equal Employment Opportunity

Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current compensation, or any prior compensation history, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation. If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at info@goer.ny.gov

More information on the Hudson River Park is available at :

www.hudsonriverpark.org