Posting Dates: March 29, 2024 – April 30, 2024

Harvest your potential with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets! Join our team and become an integral part of a team dedicated to fostering a competitive food and agriculture industry that benefits both producers and consumers alike. Here, you can cultivate your career in a dynamic environment that values innovation, sustainability, and community engagement. With a wide range of opportunities spanning from environmental science to economic development, you can find your niche in public service and grow both professionally and personally. Embrace the chance to join our team, and you’ll not only reap a fulfilling career but also sow the seeds for a healthier, stronger New York.

The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets is seeking a Senior Attorney to provide a full range of technical legal services supporting Department programs. This position serves as a legal advisor to program administrators, undertakes legal research, interprets statutes and regulations, drafts regulations and related rule-making documents, litigation papers, memoranda, opinions, and correspondence. Additionally, the Senior Attorney will be responsible for preparing and handling legal actions, including administrative hearings to enforce laws, rules, regulations, etc., provide assistance with the development of contracts, the solicitation of Requests of Proposals and Invitations for Bids, prepare drafts of proposed legislation and its submission after review to the Legislature and assist with the administration of Freedom of Information Law requests and document review.

This position offers the opportunity for a part-time telecommuting schedule and is perfect for a self-driven candidate interested in providing legal assistance and support to agency program administrators. The support to agency program administrators directly impacts the promotion of New York State agriculture and its high-quality and diverse products, fostering agricultural environmental stewardship and safeguarding the state’s food supply, land, and livestock to ensure the viability and growth of New York’s agriculture industries!

This is a PEF-represented position that offers excellent benefits! Benefits include but are not limited to inexpensive Health Insurance options, free Dental and Vision coverage, NYS Pension Plan membership, and generous paid time off. Within the first year, you are eligible for 5 days of personal time, 13 vacation days, 13 sick days, and 13 paid holidays!

The starting salary for the Senior Attorney is $90,806/ year, and the hiring salary for the PEF salary grade (SG) 25.

After one year at the salary grade 25, employees become eligible for yearly performance increases with a satisfactory performance evaluation. Over time, the performance increases lead to the job rate salary of SG-25, $114,444/ year!

NY HELPS Qualifications: Admission to the NYS bar and two years of post-licensure professional legal experience.

Specialized requirements beyond the minimum qualifications: 3 months to less than 1 year of Government Administrative Law Experience in Administrative Hearing Procedure and the State Administrative Procedures Act; AND at least novice experience in the following legal tasks: Advisory Memoranda, Case Preparation (Trial), Case Preparation (Administrative Hearings), Drafting Brief, Administrative Evidence Rulings/Credibility Determinations/Final Determinations/Sentencing, and Managing Hearings/Court Calendar.

Traineeship Qualifications: Candidates who have graduated from law school and who possess credentials and experience less than that described above will be required to serve in a traineeship leading to Senior Attorney, Grade 25. The length of the traineeship will be determined by the credentials and experience possessed by a candidate. As shown below:

Assistant Attorney 1, NS = Grade 18: Law School Graduation (or other eligibility to take the NYS Bar Examination)

Assistant Attorney 2, NS = Grade 20: Admission to NYS Bar

Assistant Attorney 3, NS = Grade 22: One year as Assistant Attorney 2 or admission to the NYS Bar and one year of subsequent professional legal experience

Senior Attorney, Grade 25: Admission to the NYS bar and two years of post-licensure professional legal experience.

Candidates who are eligible and interested in being considered for appointment to one of these opportunities must use this application to apply by April 30, 2024. Within this online application please upload your resume, cover letter, and unofficial transcript.

If you have any questions, please contact Amy Sacco in Human Resources at (518) 457-3216 or recruitment@agriculture.ny.gov.

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 this time, agencies may recruit and hire employees by making temporary appointments. In May 2024, if a temporary NY HELPS employee is satisfactorily performing in the position, the appointment will be changed from temporary pending Civil Service Commission Action to permanent non-competitive and the official probationary period will begin.

At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), 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 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.

Reassignment Qualifications: You must be a current Department of Agriculture and Markets employee and have one year of permanent, contingent-permanent, or 55 b/c service as a Senior Attorney, G-25; if you have less than one year, you must be reachable on the current eligible list for this location if one exists.

52.6 Transfer Qualifications to Title: Applicants may be appointed to this position permanently if they have: one year of permanent, competitive service in a title designated as appropriate for transfer under Section 52.6 of the Civil Service Law.

Specialized Requirements Beyond the Minimum Qualifications Needed for 52.6 Transfer: Candidates must be admitted to the New York State Bar Association, be licensed to practice law in New York State, and have two years of post-Bar legal experience to be appointed to the Senior Attorney, G-25; AND have 3 months to less than 1 year of Legal Experience in Procurements, Grants, and Government Contracts and Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs); AND have at least novice experience in Advisory Memoranda Legal Tasks.

70.1 Transfer Qualifications to Senior Attorney, G-25: Applicants may be appointed to this position permanently if they have: one year of permanent, competitive service in a title designated as appropriate for transfer under Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law. Such titles include but are not limited to: Senior Attorney Realty, G-25.

Reinstatement Under Rule 5.4: Applicants may be appointed to this position permanently if they were previous permanent New York State employees who resigned their positions may be reinstated to their former positions, or to positions to which they were eligible for transfer or reassignment without further examination. Employees separated from their positions may be reinstated within one year of the date of their separation. Employees separated from their positions who have also been separated from state service for more than one year may be reinstated upon approval by the state Civil Service Commission. 

55-b/c Qualifications: Applicants may be appointed to this position permanently if they meet these qualifications: you must be a graduate of an accredited law school with an LLB or JD degree.

Information about the Workers with Disabilities 55-b and the Veterans with Disabilities employment program 55-c can be found at https://www.cs.ny.gov/dpm/c55.cfm.