AGENCY ATTORNEY – COMMISSION INITIATED

The New York City Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) works every day to implement the city’s Human Rights Law through enforcement, education, and outreach. The Commission seeks to address historic and contemporary inequities to cultivate a city where everyone can live, work, and thrive free from discrimination.

Through training, education, and policy initiatives, the Commission aims to root out discrimination. The Commission proactively identifies patterns of discrimination through testing employers, housing providers, and providers of public accommodation. The Commission also uses investigations, litigation, and other enforcement tools to address allegations of discrimination. In addition to investigating claims of discrimination brought to the agency by members of the public, the Commission also has the ability and obligation to affirmatively initiate its own investigations and complaints.

The Commission is seeking an Agency Attorney, Level Three to join our Law Enforcement Bureau (LEB). Agency Attorneys, Level Three, work within the LEB to enforce the New York City Human Rights Law through pre-complaint interventions, investigations, mediations, settlements, and litigation. Level Three attorneys may assist supervisors in overseeing the work of other LEB attorneys and staff, as well as serve as lead attorneys on complex litigation and investigations, and/or specialized projects in an area of developing law, procedure or policy guidance. This Agency Attorney, Level Three will specifically focus on building out LEB’s agency initiated, affirmative investigations, and litigation. This position will have a case docket of cases in housing, employment, healthcare, and public accommodations.

Responsibilities include:

- Interview members of the public alleging claims of discrimination; engaging in effective pre-complaint interventions, thorough investigations, and file complaints where appropriate.
- Investigate claims of discrimination and identify patterns or practices that may warrant Commission-initiated actions.
- Negotiate resolutions of claims and drafts settlement agreements. Monitor compliance with settlement agreements.
- Litigate cases from a threshold of determination of probable cause through and including referral to the hearings division.
- Represent the Commission before an Administrative Law Judge at conferences, and engage in discovery, including taking and defending depositions.
- Litigate cases at trial through and including issuance of an Administrative Law Judge’s recommendation and the issuance of a Commission decision and order.
- Provide training and collaborate with the Commission’s Community Relations Bureau to engage in coordinated approaches to rooting out systemic discrimination.
- Represent the Commission at community events, speaking engagements, and at bar associations.
- Perform all duties as needed to advance the work of the Law Enforcement Bureau

AGENCY ATTORNEY - 30087

1. Admission to the New York State Bar; and either "2" or "3" below.
2. One year of satisfactory United States legal experience subsequent to admission to any state bar; or
3. Six months of satisfactory service as an Agency Attorney Interne (30086).
Incumbents must remain Members of the New York State Bar in good standing for the duration of this employment.
In addition to meeting the minimum Qualification Requirements:
To be assigned to Assignment Level (AL) II, candidates must have one year of experience at Assignment Level I or two years of comparable legal experience subsequent to admission to the bar, in the areas of law related to the assignment. 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.

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.