Position Information

NY HELPNo

AgencyOffice of Cannabis Management

TitleCounsel (General Counsel) - VID 200193

Occupational CategoryLegal

Salary GradeNS

Bargaining UnitM/C - Managerial/Confidential (Unrepresented)

Salary RangeFrom $156757 to $197170 Annually

Employment Type Full-Time

Appointment Type Temporary

Jurisdictional Class Exempt Class

Travel Percentage 20%

Schedule

Workweek Mon-Fri

Hours Per Week 37.5

Workday

From 8 AM

To 5 PM

Flextime allowed? No

Mandatory overtime? No

Compressed workweek allowed? No

Telecommuting allowed? Yes

Location

County Albany

Street Address 1220 Washington Ave. Building 9

City Albany

StateNY

Zip Code12226

Job Specifics

Duties Description The mission of the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) is to build New York’s cannabis industry on commitments to equity, regulatory integrity, and public health. Through partnership and collaboration, OCM ensures that the economic engine of cannabis is engaged with, inclusive of, and responsive to cannabusinesses, local communities, and New Yorkers. OCM’s scope is wide, encompassing units dedicated to licensing and compliance, trade practice investigations, law enforcement, economic and environmental analysis, policy construction, cannabusiness development, internal audit, and administrative hearings, among others.

Reporting to the Executive Director for OCM, the General Counsel is the key advisor on all legal, regulatory, and legislative issues impacting OCM and is the chief advisor to the Executive Director in matters of law. This position oversees the staff and operations of OCM’s Office of General Counsel (OGC); the role also serves as a legal advisor to the Cannabis Control Board (CCB), Cannabis Advisory Board (CAB), and OCM’s wider Executive Office team. The General Counsel is OCM’s lead liaison to the Office of Counsel to the Governor and the NYS Office of the Attorney General.

Duties include, but may not be limited to:
• Serve as legal counsel to OCM and the CCB.
• Advise on policy, litigation, legislation, and regulations.
• Identify opportunities for improvement in current regulations and propose amendments to meet OCM, the CCB, and industry needs.
• Prepare and review CCB resolutions, drafts of regulation, and legislation including State Budget and departmental language.
• Review proposed and existing federal, state, and local legislation affecting OCM and the CCB and make recommendations for appropriate action.
• Prepare and review legal documents.
• Partner with the NYS Attorney General’s Office on litigation strategy.
• Represent OCM and the CCB on all legal matters. Act as primary legal liaison with the Office of Counsel to the Governor, the Legislature, the NYS Office of the State Comptroller, the NYS Division of the Budget, the Department of Civil Service, District attorneys, the NYS Commission on Ethics and Lobbying in Government, and other legislative, judicial, and administrative offices.
• Advise the CCB and supervise the CCB Board Counsel. Engagement with the CCB includes but is not limited to navigating the scope and application of Cannabis Law, Open Meetings Law, the State Administrative Procedure Act, and other laws; briefing the CCB on legal issues; collaborating with the CCB on resolution development, and leading executive sessions during CCB meetings.
• Consult with OCM Administration staff on OCM labor relations and the employee discipline process.
• Build out organizational capacities within OCM OGC, including internal policy development, and workflow and communication practices.
• Identify gaps in resources and training for OGC staff.
• Develop and mentor OGC staff.
• Be hands on and engaged in agency operational issues. Regulated cannabis is a fast-paced and dynamic legal domain with a new legal and policy framework and OCM is the youngest New York State agency. The position requires an individual who is a quick study, at ease with the deeply collaborative nature of the OCM Executive Team, and able to guide OGC’s overall practice development.

Skills:
• Familiar with federal or state administrative and regulatory practice.
• Adept in risk analysis and strategic decision-making.
• Capable in legal research (Westlaw, Lexis Nexis, etc.) and emergent technologies, including AI in the legal context.
• Able to synthesize and appreciate the nuances of complex agency issues.
• Able to manage a team of employees in a legal setting.
• Excellent at writing and communication, for both legal and non-legal audiences.
• Adept at interpersonal, analytical, research, problem-solving, multi-tasking, and organizational skills.
• Understand the importance and application of Executive agency privilege and confidentiality.
• Able to work strategically and collaboratively across OCM units; and
• Able to work under intense pressure and meet tight deadlines.

Minimum Qualifications Candidates must have a law degree from an accredited law school; admission to, and member in good standing of, the New York State Bar; and eight years of relevant post-bar experience.

Preferred qualifications:
• Demonstrate the ability to manage a team of employees in a legal setting.
• Excellent writing, communication, inter-personal, analytical, research, problem-solving, multi-tasking, and organizational skills.
• Ability to maintain and handle confidential documents and information.
• Ability to work strategically and collaboratively with inter-departmental units.
• Ability to communicate highly complex information clearly and succinctly, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to work under intense pressure and meet restrictive deadlines.
• Admission to the New York State Bar and ten years of recent full-time relevant and satisfactory legal experience subsequent to admission to any bar, five years of which must have been in the supervision of other attorneys, and/or in an administrative, managerial, or executive capacity.

NOTE: IN ORDER TO AWARD THE PROPER CREDIT FOR WORK EXPERIENCE, RESUMES MUST INCLUDE MONTH AND YEAR FOR START AND END DATES. IF ANY OF THIS EXPERIENCE IS LESS THAN FULL TIME YOU MUST INDICATE THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF HOURS WORKED PER WEEK.

Additional Comments NOTE:
• Travel may be required (approximately 20%), including during evening and weekends, depending on mission and assignment.
• Possession and maintenance of a valid Driver’s License issued by the NYS Department of Motor Vehicle is required, or otherwise demonstrate the capacity to meet the transportation needs of the job.

The Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) is an equal opportunity employer, and we recognize that diversity in our workforce is critical to fulfilling our mission. We encourage applicants for all communities to apply. For a full version of OCM’s EEO/AA statement and benefits of joining OCM, please visit: About | Office of Cannabis Management (ny.gov).

NOTE ON TELECOMMUTING: Employees are required to apply and obtain approval through management to telecommute according to the agency’s Telecommuting Program Guidelines.

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

How to Apply

Name Human Resources/JHG

Telephone 518-473-5282

Fax 518-486-1631

Email Address HRresumes@ogs.ny.gov

Address

Street NYS Office of General Services, HRM

31st Floor Corning Tower, Empire State Plaza

City Albany

State NY

Zip Code 12242

 

Notes on ApplyingPlease submit a resume and cover letter to HRresumes@ogs.ny.gov detailing how you meet the minimum qualifications along with the month/year and, if less than full time, the average hours worked per week for each position listed. Indicate the Position Title & Vacancy ID number of each position you are applying to.