Associate Attorney

Duties Description

The Office of the General Counsel in the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) provides legal advice, assistance, and guidance to Agency 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.

Duties Description

The Office of the General Counsel in the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) provides legal advice, assistance, and guidance to Agency 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 the Office of the General Counsel perform the following general tasks:
provide legal counsel and recommendations to Executive and management teams; communicating legal advice to State Parks’ staff; draft, review and approve contracts; assist in development of internal policies and procedures; develop legislative and regulatory proposals; interpret laws, rules, regulations and policies; conduct legal research; analyze legal opinions, briefs, and other documents; and advise on Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests, ethics inquiries, and litigation demands.

Under the direction of the General Counsel, the candidate will provide legal services and support to multiple divisions and programs within State Parks including but not limited to program areas focused on park operations.

• Review and advise on information technology agreements, intellectual property licensing and other agreements related to data use.
• Review and draft terms and conditions for park use/special event permits; provide legal guidance to programs managing reservations, passes and camping (including, for example, Reserve America, the Empire Pass and golf courses).
• Review and advise on First and Fourth Amendment issues, including questions relating to free speech, assembly, searches and seizures, among others.
• Assist in audit and compliance actions for assigned program areas; review and advise on policies, procedures, guidance, and litigation related to assigned program areas, and research novel legal issues to provide recommended courses of action.
• Provide subject matter supervision to senior attorneys in assigned program areas, including training and the review and discussion of applicable laws.
• Review and comment on proposed legislation affecting Agency programs and operations and participate in the drafting of Agency regulations in compliance with SAPA requirements.
• Provide legal assistance and advice to Emergency Management Bureau Staff related to preparedness and response; advise on compliance with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations; and assist in the preparation of legal documents related to disasters, emergencies, and other incidents.
• 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.
• Provide legal counsel to the Marine Services Bureau, which oversees various aspects of boating on state waters including law enforcement, safety education, and public vessel inspections, by interpreting applicable laws and regulations, drafting policies, recommending programmatic guidance, and overseeing grants.
• Advise law enforcement personnel of the New York State Park Police and Park Rangers on legal matters 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.
• Provide legal counsel to the Snowmobiles Bureau, which 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, by interpreting applicable laws and regulations, drafting policies, recommending programmatic guidance, and…