Senior Attorney (NY HELPS)

Duties Description

The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) is seeking a Senior Attorney to join its small and collaborative team within Counsel’s Office.

State Parks oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, trails, beaches, pools, golf courses, and boat launches, among other recreational amenities, across New York State, in eleven distinct park regions. State Parks is proud to have just celebrated the system’s centennial. Every employee demonstrates a commitment to serving the public, to protecting natural, historic and cultural resources, to providing creative and innovative programs and services, and to excellence and professionalism.

Working under the supervision of the General Counsel, Counsel’s Office provides legal advice, assistance, and guidance to State Parks’ programs and administrative support divisions. State Parks’ programs and divisions are as varied as its many parks and historic sites. They include Business Innovation, Capital Projects, Concessions, Emergency Management, Environmental Stewardship and Planning, Finance, Grants, Health & Safety, Historic Preservation, Marine Services, Park Police, Partnerships, Real Property, and the New York State Snowmobile Program, among others. Attorneys within Counsel’s Office perform the following general tasks: providing legal counsel and recommendations to Executive and management teams; communicating legal advice to State Parks’ staff; drafting, reviewing and approving contracts; assisting in development of internal policies and procedures; developing legislative and regulatory proposals; interpreting laws, rules, regulations and policies; conducting legal research; analyzing legal opinions, briefs, and other documents; and advising on Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests, ethics inquiries, and litigation demands.

The candidate will provide legal support for multiple programs in support of park and regional operations, including:
• Health & Safety - Advise Directors and Regional Managers in the Health & Safety and Water Safety bureaus on matters related to occupational health and safety regulations and laws and patron risk management; assist in compliance reviews and investigations concerning safety issues under the Public Employee Safety and Health (PESH) Act; review documents such as compliance plans, safety policies and trainings; and provide legal guidance regarding federal aviation laws and regulations regarding unmanned aircraft systems.
• Park Police - Provide legal guidance to law enforcement personnel of the New York State Park Police and Park Rangers relating to law enforcement reports and criminal procedures and policies; research case law that may impact criminal investigations or law enforcement; and assist in developing trainings related to criminal and constitutional law.
• Emergency Management - Provide legal assistance and advice to Emergency Management Bureau Staff related to preparedness and response; advice on compliance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations; and assist in the preparation of legal documents related to disasters, emergencies, and other incidents.
• Marine Services - The Marine Services Bureau oversees various aspects of boating on state waters including law enforcement, safety education, and public vessel inspections. The Senior Attorney would provide legal counsel to this bureau by interpreting applicable laws and regulations, drafting policies and grant oversight.
• New York State Snowmobile Program - The Snowmobiles Bureau promotes the safe and proper use of snowmobiles for recreation and commerce throughout New York State by encouraging their use and development and minimizing detrimental effects of such use upon the environment. The Senior Attorney would provide legal counsel to this bureau by interpreting applicable laws and regulations, drafting policies and grant oversight.
• Regulations and Legislation - Advise agency program managers on interpretation of State Parks’ regulations in Title 9 of the New York Compilation of Codes, Rules, and Regulations (NYCRR) implementing the Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Law, the Navigation Law, and the Environmental Conservation Law; support intergovernmental operations in the review of proposed and enacted legislation for potential impacts to state parkland and agency operations.
• Regional Permits and Programming - Review and draft terms and conditions for regional permits; provide legal guidance to programs managing camping reservations, golf courses, and patron passes.
• The candidate may assist in other program areas or oversee special projects, as needed, and perform other duties as may be assigned by the General Counsel or Supervising Attorney.

Up to 50% telecommuting and compressed work schedules are negotiable after a 90-day evaluation period.

Minimum Qualifications

This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS). For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply.

At a future date, it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all of the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.

NON-COMPETITIVE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Admission to the NYS bar and two years of post-licensure professional legal experience.

COMPETITIVE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Must be reachable on the appropriate New York State Civil Service eligible list.

70.1/52.6 TRANSFER QUALIFICATIONS:
One year of permanent or contingent permanent in an eligible title for transfer determined to be similar by Civil Service. For transfers, a list of approved titles is available through Civil Service GOT-IT at https://careermobilityoffice.cs.ny.gov/cmo/gotit/. The GOT-IT site will inform you if your title is transferrable.

It is essential that candidates clearly and concisely indicate exactly how they meet the above minimum qualifications in their resume/email submission. Failure to show how you meet the minimum qualifications above may result in disqualification and removal from consideration.

NOTE: Admission to the New York State Bar and current registration to practice law in New York State is required for continued employment. Disbarment or loss of registration shall result in termination or suspension of employment.

Additional Comments

BENEFITS:
Generous benefits package, worth approximately 65% of salary, including:
Paid Time Off:
• 44 days - 13 Vacation days, 13 Sick days, and 5 Personal Leave days, 13 Holidays.
• PEF: Three (3) days of professional leave annually to participate in professional development.
Health Care Benefits:
• Eligible employees and dependents can pick from a variety of affordable health insurance programs.
• Family dental and vision benefits at no additional cost.

Additional Benefits:
• New York State Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) Membership
• NYS Deferred Compensation
• Access to NY 529 and NY ABLE College Savings Programs, as well as U.S. Savings Bonds
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
• Paid Parental Leave

Some positions may require additional credentials or a background check to verify your identity.

Closing Date/Time: 06/20/25

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• New York State Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation

• 518-474-0453

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