Are you looking to take your career to new heights with a leader in healthcare? SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University is one of the nation's leading metropolitan medical centers. As the only academic medical center in Brooklyn, we serve a large population that is among the most diverse in the world. We are also highly-ranked by Castle Connolly Medical, a healthcare rating company for consumers, among the top 5 leading U.S. medical schools for training doctors.

Bargaining Unit:

MC

Job Summary:

The Office of General Counsel at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University is seeking a full-time Associate Counsel, Generalist. 

The Associate Counsel is a member of the SUNY Office of General Counsel ("OGC") assigned to represent the SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University (DHSU) Campus.  The position is responsible for all matters affecting the legal interests of the Campus, reporting directly to the Chief Campus Counsel at DHSU for all legal matters.

Primary Responsibilities of the Associate Counsel: This position advises on a wide range of legal issues about University business, its relationships with affiliated entities, and its administrators, faculty, and staff. Those responsibilities include providing up-to-date and timely legal advice based on thorough research on:

• Student leaves of absence, discipline, dismissal, and appeals;
• Faculty hiring, promotion, tenure, investigations, discipline, termination, and discrimination;
• Drafting and negotiating affiliation agreements within the context of New York State finance and procurement guidelines;
• Reviewing the legal ramifications of external audits, and FOIL handling and interpretation.

This position will also assist in DHSU non-medmal litigation, which is primarily handled in court by the NYS Attorney General as trial counsel and represents DHSU and DHSU employees in state and federal administrative agency proceedings.

Key Position Responsibilities include:

• Developing, negotiating, reviewing academic agreements with other colleges and universities;
• Providing advice and recommendations regarding campus-based polices;
• Legal support to the Office of Student Affairs;
• Advising in various student-related matters concerning academic leaves, discipline and dismissal;
• Creating clear, concise, enforceable, persuasive legal drafts and writing supported by competent legal authority;
• Representing DHSU and DHSU employees in state and federal administrative agency proceedings as well as, on occasion, in state and federal courts;
• Representing DHSU in employee and student discipline matters; discrimination cases and internal investigations, and with labor and employment issues;
• Developing and delivering training to campus constituencies on key compliance issues including 1st Amendment, attorney-client privilege, record retention/e-discovery, email, FOIL, media response, NYS Ethics, and other areas of importance to the campus;
• Maintaining good relationships and communicating effectively with clients;
• Adhering to the highest professional and ethical standards;
• Keeping clients updated on changes to the law affecting the University's legal interests.

SUNY Office of General Counsel (OGC) Duties: 

• This interfaces with OGC colleagues to coordinate the delivery of consistent legal services, including the participation in OGC staff meetings and trainings. Last, directly handles all other duties as may be assigned by the SUNY General Counsel.

Required Qualifications:

• Juris Doctorate Degree from an ABA accredited law school.
• Admission in good standing to the New York State Bar (or eligibility for immediate admission).
• 5+ years of legal experience.
• Applicants must demonstrate an ability to develop inclusive and equitable relationships within our diverse campus community.
• Applicants must demonstrate an ability to support diversity, equity, access, inclusion, and belonging relative to their role.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Higher Education Law.
• Employment and Discrimination Law (including arbitrations and interrogations).
• Litigation experience on behalf of SUNY, another New York State agency, or other higher ed institutions.
• Policy development.
• Student Affairs related issues (including small claims).
• Experience with the preparation of Campus annual submission for The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics ACT or Clery Act, Research related to contractual issues.
• Procurement contracts.
• FOIL – experience with management and response of Freedom of Information request.

Work Schedule:

Monday to Friday; 9:00am to 5:00pm (Full-Time)

Salary Grade/Rank:

Salary Range:

Commensurate with experience and qualifications

Executive Order:

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.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, familial status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, criminal conviction, and all other protected classes under federal or state laws.

Women, minorities, veterans, individuals with disabilities and members of underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.

If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, or in order to perform the essential functions of a position, please contact Human Resources at ada@downstate.edu