The State University of New York Managing Counsel Contracts

Job description

Duties Description The Office of General Counsel (OGC) provides legal services and support to the Board of Trustees, the Chancellor and senior officers for the State University of New York (SUNY) at SUNY System Administration at Albany, New York, and the presidents and administrators of the campuses within the System.

Under the leadership of the Senior Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs and the General Counsel, the SUNY Office of General Counsel is responsible for providing legal services to the System and the 29 state operated campuses.

The OGC consists of more than 50 experienced higher education attorneys, paralegals and support staff located in Albany at the System Administration headquarters and in campus-based offices at the four University Centers, Health Science Centers, and various SUNY colleges.

The legal practice of the OGC involves a substantial array of topics, including public procurement, governance and ethics, legislation, health care, capital construction, public finance, labor grievances and arbitration, litigation oversight (the State's Attorney General defends litigation brought against the University), student affairs, and the use of real property, among others.

The OGC represents the State University in interactions with State officials who may regulate the affairs of the State University, including the Attorney General, State Comptroller, the Governor and staff, and members of the State Legislature and staff as well as other state and local agencies and entities.

The Managing Counsel - Contracts will lead the OGC's Contracts Practice Group, which spearheads the OGC practice in the areas of procurement, contracts, and business transactions.

Particular areas of focus include commercial transactions for services, commodities, revenue contracts, energy-related agreements, grants and memoranda of understanding; real property transactions including commercial leases, use permits, easements and abandonments; state government procurement and contracting including Requests for Proposals, Requests for Information, solicitations of Interest, advertising exemptions, debriefings, bid protests, Office of State Comptroller (OSC) audits, policy matters and assistance to campuses and campus counsel on all of the foregoing.

The Contracts Practice Group will also have primary responsibility for the development and revision of standard contract templates, in collaboration with other OGC attorneys, and related tools, policies, procedures and training to assist all SUNY clients on contract, procurement, transactional and business matters.

The Managing Counsel - Contracts will directly supervise the work of the other System Administration attorneys in the OGC Contracts Practice Group.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The State University of New York System Administration, located in Albany, New York invites applications for the position of Managing Counsel - Contracts.

As a staff member of the Office of the General Counsel, the Managing Counsel - Contracts will serve as the lead attorney for the OGC in providing clients across campuses with legal services related to procurement, contracts, and business transactions.

Responsibilities will include reviewing, negotiating, drafting, finalizing and assisting with obtaining regulatory approval for contracts for the organization; advising on solicitation document compliance, responses to regulator audit questions; debriefings; bid protests and bid protest appeals; draft and/or reviewing a full array of agreements which include data use agreements, subordination, attornment, estoppels, lease surrender, lease renewals, lease amendments, early termination agreements and eviction proceedings; short-term licensing agreements for use of commercial space; affiliation and partnership agreements; and, other forms of agreement, where required; drafting and reviewing interagency Memoranda of Understanding (MOU); handling emergency procurements, outside counsel contracts and related regulatory approvals; researching legal issues, statutory and regulatory interpretation; managing or supervising the tracking of all contract-related matters within the designated matter management system; providing clients and OGC team members with training on various contractual legal issues; working with OGC leadership to provide strategic thought and leadership on ways to effectively and efficiently manage contract practice across SUNY; answering legal inquiries from SUNY System and campus clients; as well as handle University-wide matters and other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications Required Qualifications:

- Juris Doctor degree from an accredited American Bar Association law school (or foreign equivalent).


- Admission to the New York State Bar in good standing (or eligibility for admission within six months) and a strong academic background.


- Experience advising clients on complex procurement and/or contracts matters.
- This position requires 8+ years of legal practice or relevant experience prior to beginning the position.

-12+ years of experience advising clients with complex contracts and real property issues, especially with governmental entities.
- Demonstrated success in building, leading, and managing a team, and developing and implementing new systems.
- Knowledge of applicable federal and State of New York laws and regulations related to grants and contracts.
- Significant experience in complex case management.
- Superior written and oral communication and interpersonal skills, and the ability to present complex legal concepts to diverse, non-legal professionals.
- Experience in preparing and providing legal training on various legal and compliance issues.
- Legal experience working in higher education and/or government law.

Required Skill Profession

Lawyers, Judges, And Related Workers