Job Description

Job Description

STAFF ATTORNEY / Legal Department

Reports to: General Counsel

Hours/Week: 37.5 FLSA: Exempt

Hudson River Park Trust (“HRPT”) seeks to hire a Staff Attorney with four or more years of work experience that would report to HRPT’s General Counsel and Deputy General Counsel. While assigned to the Legal Department, the Attorney would collaborate and support all HRPT Departments by conducting legal research; drafting and negotiating contracts, leases and permits; strategizing solutions to complex problems; conducting staff training; among other assigned duties.

Background:

HRPT is a public benefit corporation created by act of the New York State Legislature and a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. The mission of HRPT is to design, construct and maintain a heavily used four-mile-long waterfront park and Estuarine Sanctuary on Manhattan’s west side. 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 the Pier 40 parking garage, Pier 57, Chelsea Piers and the Circle Line excursion piers among others. HRPT covers its annual operating budget through parking revenue, rents, permit fees, grants, donations generated by a “Friends” organization and other private sources.

The Legal Department provides advice and representation to HRPT staff and its Board of Directors on a broad range of matters related to Park development, maintenance and operation. These matters include developing and ensuring conformity with HRPT governance, procurement and employee policies and regulations; negotiating and drafting development and funding agreements, construction and service contracts, leases, permits and a variety of other agreements; providing oversight and ensuring compliance with employment law and labor management requirements; monitoring HRPT’s compliance with federal, state and local laws and regulations; interacting with federal, state and local governmental agencies and public interest groups; and handling and supervising outside counsel concerning commercial real estate transactions, employment and construction law matters and various Article 78, commercial and tort litigation.

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**_Responsibilities/Duties: _**The Staff Attorney’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Works across the HRPT organization to creatively advise on, prepare, and implement internal and public facing HRPT procedures, policies, rules and regulations; monitors changes to federal, state and local laws and regulations that require changes to HRPT’s policies particularly as related to the Public Authorities Law and State Finance Law.
• Conducts legal research and prepares legal memorandum on issues that impact HRPT and the Park.
• Assists staff in all HRPT Departments on the preparation and management of RFPs, bids and procurement packages and in negotiating and preparing contracts and licenses with selected vendors/contractors.
• Assists the MWBE and SDVOB compliance manager on all required reporting.
• Prepares HRPT’s Board of Directors’ meeting memos and resolutions.
• Prepares leases, occupancy agreements and permits in consultation with HRPT’s Real Estate, River Project and Public Programs Departments.
• Supports compliance with grant agreements.
• Assists in strategizing about litigation matters, including Article 78 actions; coordinates with outside counsel, including the Attorney General’s office, on construction and professional service-related claims; conducts legal research on specific matters to assist work of outside counsel; supports discovery related to lawsuits, including overseeing work of paralegals.
• Works with Human Resources on matters related to staff, including but not limited to investigating employment-related complaints and preparing recommendations for review.
• Conducts staff training, including related to procurement procedures, ethics, and workplace behavior.
• Supports the HRPT President, General Counsel and other members of the Trust’s Executive staff team on new matters as required.

** Required Education and Experience:**

• J.D. and New York Admittance, with a minimum of four years of related experience;

• Excellent writing ability, including legal drafting, preparation of reports and memoranda, and Board/intergovernmental communications;

• Strong organizational skills with ability to act decisively and meet deadlines in a rapidly evolving and regulated environment;

• Ability to conduct legal research; and

• Ability to work independently, as well as collaboratively with staff and with outside park stakeholders.

** Essential Traits:**

• Ethical conduct

• Strategic thinking/decision making

• Problem solving/analysis

• Thorough/detailed/organized

• Outstanding work ethic/deadline driven

• Self-starter with ability to think creatively and flexibly

** _Compensation/Benefits: _**

Competitive salary of $125,000 - $155,000 annually depending upon the applicant’s experience and qualifications and number of years practicing law. Excellent benefits package including: paid holidays, vacation time, sick and personal time, transportation allowance, medical, dental and vision insurance, and participation in New York State Pension System.

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Application Process:

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

More information on the Hudson River Park is available at:

www.hudsonriverpark.org

The Hudson River Park Trust is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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 Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at info@goer.ny.gov