Associate or Senior Campus Counsel - Contracts Western Campuses

Position: Associate or Senior Campus Counsel - Contracts for SUNY Western Campuses
Job 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 OGC is responsible for providing legal services to the System and the 29 state operated campuses.

The OGC consists of more than 45 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 New York State Office of the Attorney General defends litigation brought against SUNY), 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 SUNY, 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.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

The Western Campuses Associate or Senior Campus Counsel for Contracts will competently and comprehensively provide clients with legal services primarily pertaining to contracts and business transactions, along with other complex and emerging issues for the Office of General Counsel ("OGC") satellite office in Buffalo, NY for the SUNY Western Campuses ("West Cam"). In addition, the successful candidate will interface with other OGC colleagues across SUNY to coordinate the delivery of consistent legal services, including participation in OGC staff meetings and trainings.

The Associate or Senior Campus Counsel reports to the Chief Campus Counsel for West Cam with the West Cam Presidents being the chief clients for all legal matters. The SUNY campuses that make up the Western Campuses include Alfred State, Brockport, Buffalo State, Fredonia, and Geneseo.

The candidate will provide legal advice to managers and others at the campuses and will be expected to handle and oversee a broad range of assignments such as:

• Draft, negotiate, review documents and provide advice on a wide variety of matters, including:
  • purchase of goods and services, construction, and business transactions
  • memoranda of understanding and agreements between SUNY, SUNY-affiliated entities, other state agencies and external entities, as well as between different state university centers and programs
• Review proposed transactions, licenses, contracts, and other agreements to assure compliance with federal and state law, particularly New York state finance laws, and applicable SUNY policies;
• Act as a liaison with the NYS Office of the Attorney General on litigation involving contracts and business transaction and the NY Office of the State Comptroller on business transactions;
• Advise and provide guidance to campus procurement staff on complex contracts and agreements, insurance, and risk management issues;
• Develop and revise standardized contract templates, in collaboration with other OGC attorneys, and tools to assist clients;
• Interpret local, state, and federal laws and regulations as they apply to campus activities, especially on transactional and business matters;
• Advise and aid in the development of campus policies and provide training related to transactional and business matters;
• Support and contribute to SUNY and West Cam's commitment to SUNY's four pillars: student success; research and scholarship; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and, economic development and upward mobility;
• Create and implement playbooks, guidelines, and best practices for contract review;
• Other substantive areas of responsibility not related to contract law/review may also be assigned and expected to be learned; and,
• Other duties or projects as assigned as appropriate to rank and departmental mission.

Requirements:

Required Qualifications:

• Juris Doctor degree (or foreign equivalent).
• Admitted to New York State Bar in good standing or eligibility for admission to the NYS Bar within six months.
• 5 years practicing as an attorney (Associate Campus Counsel) or 7 years (Senior Campus Counsel), with at least 3 years of continuous and recent legal experience in drafting, reviewing, revising, negotiating, finalizing, and completing various types of contracts.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Five years of continuous and recent legal experience in drafting, reviewing, revising, negotiating, finalizing, and completing various types of contracts, with a particular emphasis on complex commercial contracts.
• Knowledge of…