Managing Attorney – Housing Litigation Division LEAD

About the Agency:

The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) promotes quality and affordability in the city's housing, and diversity and strength in the city’s neighborhoods because every New Yorker deserves a safe, affordable place to live in a neighborhood they love.

- We maintain building and resident safety and health
- We create opportunities for New Yorkers through housing affordability
- We engage New Yorkers to build and sustain neighborhood strength and diversity.


Your Team:

The Office of Enforcement and Neighborhood Services (OENS) lead the agency’s effort to work closely with other HPD divisions and outside community partners to identify buildings in distress, assess and develop appropriate strategies to address those properties and work closely with responsible owners to develop a plan to improve conditions and return buildings to firm financial footing and physical health. OENS uses enforcement tools within its Division of Code Enforcement, Housing Litigation Division, Emergency Operations and Enhanced Enforcement, and the Division of Neighborhood Preservation to ensure compliance with legal and regulatory obligations.

The Office of Enforcement of Neighborhood Services is composed of seven divisions: Data Management & Technology (DMT), Division of Neighborhood Preservation (DNP), Administration & Internal Compliance (AIC), Housing Litigation Division (HLD), Division of Code Enforcement (DCE), Emergency Operations and Enhanced Enforcement Division (EOD)
and Division of Emergency Housing Services (EHS).

Your Impact:

Housing Litigation Division (HLD) initiates litigation against building owners in Housing Court to ensure compliance with housing standards contained in the New York City Housing Maintenance Code and New York State Multiple Dwelling Law. HLD seeks orders to correct violations, civil penalties, access warrants, 7A Administrators and appears in tenant-initiated proceedings.

Your Role:

In support of the Mayor’s LeadFree NYC Initiative, as a Managing Attorney/Agency Attorney L-3 for the Lead unit and under the direction of the Assistant Commissioner and/or Supervising Attorney in the Lead Unit of the Housing Litigation Division your responsibilities will include, but will not be limited to, the following:

Your Responsibilities:

- Serving as a Senior Staff Attorney and litigating complex cases.
- Executing difficult and complex negotiations on behalf of the agency, including cases involving lead paint and owner’s compliance with the New York City Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Act of 2004.
- Assisting the Supervising Attorney in managing the Lead Unit, including supervising legal staff, litigating complex cases, or handling matters having significant financial, procedural and policy consequences.
- Reviewing, revising, and approving agreements prepared by other attorneys.
- Assisting Supervising Attorney with administrative work for the unit.
- Preparing and reviewing complex briefs, motions, legal opinions, affidavits, memoranda, and other legal papers related to housing code violations, including lead.
- Reviewing and assessing cases on merit and preparing memoranda with recommendation.
- Completing research and preparing cases for trial and arguing them before courts or quasi-judicial bodies.
- Conducting legal investigations and informal hearings and interviewing witnesses.
- Liaising with the Lead staff in Code Enforcement.
- Advising on legal aspects of enforcement and administration of acts, rules, laws and regulations.
Preferred Skills:

- Admission to the New York State Bar; and either “2” or “3” below.
- One year of satisfactory United States legal experience subsequent to admission to any state bar; or
- Six months of satisfactory service as an agency Attorney Intern (30086)
- Incumbents must remain Members of the New York State Bar in good standing for the duration of this employment.
- To be assigned to AL III, candidates must have two years of experience in Assignment Levels I and/or II or three years of comparable legal experience subsequent to admission to the bar, in the areas of law related to the assignment.
- Possess excellent written and verbal communication skills as well as proficiency with PC software such as Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word.
- Knowledge of the various HPD’s internal databases, including but not limited to: HLD’s Litigation Management System (LMS) and HPDINFO.

Authorization to work in the United States is required for this position. The NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development does not provide sponsorship for international employees for visa applications, extensions, or status changes, including H-1B visas. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that they meet all qualifying requirements for this position at the time of application.

AGENCY ATTORNEY - 30087