General Counsel

Job Description

DCAS's mission is to make city government work for all New Yorkers. From managing New York City’s most iconic courthouses and municipal buildings, to purchasing over $1 billion annually in goods and services for more than 80 City agencies what we do ensures that all agencies can deliver on their mission. Our reach touches every facet of city government and is instrumental to the successful day-to-day operations of the City of New York.

Our commitment to equity, effectiveness, and sustainability guides our work providing City agencies with the critical resources and support needed to succeed, including:
- Recruiting, hiring, and training City employees.
- Managing 55 public buildings.
- Acquiring, selling, and leasing City property.
- Purchasing over $1 billion in goods and services for City agencies.
- Overseeing the greenest municipal vehicle fleet in the country.
- Leading the City's efforts to reduce carbon emissions from government operations.

When you work at DCAS, you're not just working for one agency, but in service of them all. It's an opportunity to provide impactful support, quality customer service, and help protect the future of New York City for generations to come. Visit our website at nyc.gov/dcas to learn more about the work we do.

The Office of General Counsel (OGC) serves as legal counsel for the 12 lines of service, or units, that comprise DCAS. Accordingly, OGC has a broad and diverse legal portfolio, with most attorneys concentrating on one of the following subject matter areas: Human Capital (Civil Service and Employment Law); Procurement; Real Estate (leasing, acquisitions, and disposals); and Compliance (discipline, labor relations, and audit). OGC’s DCAS and citywide legal support also extends to litigation of landlord-tenant matters, performing legislative review, policy, Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests, and providing legal and strategic advice in the areas of fleet administration, energy, and facilities management/construction. Further, OGC works with Corporation Counsel on special matters present before the agency that may require litigation or additional review, pursuant to the City Charter.

The General Counsel of the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) plays an essential role in advancing the agency's mission by providing strategic legal oversight across one of the most operationally diverse portfolios in city government. From managing legal matters related to procurement, real estate, and civil service policies to guiding compliance in areas such as energy management, labor relations, and privacy, the General Counsel ensures DCAS operates within the law while achieving its operational goals.

This position is not only the agency’s chief legal advisor but also a strategic partner to the Commissioner and executive team balancing legal risk with innovation, efficiency, and effective governance. As DCAS continues to evolve to meet the City’s dynamic needs, the General Counsel will lead legal strategy during periods of transformation, helping to shape agency policy, support major citywide initiatives, and build a legal team that drives excellence and accountability. The General Counsel is indispensable to ensuring that DCAS remains a legally sound, forward-thinking, and high-performing agency serving all New Yorkers.

The New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) is seeking a highly skilled, strategic and dynamic attorney to serve as General Counsel. This role requires an experienced attorney with a deep understanding of municipal operations, exceptional leadership and management skills, and the ability to navigate complex legal landscapes within a diverse portfolio of legal matters including citywide and agency procurement; real estate transactions; facilities management; civil service and citywide personnel policies; fleet operations; energy management; records access; privacy; labor relations; and employee discipline; and any other legal or compliance responsibilities as DCAS in-house counsel. The General Counsel will provide trusted legal guidance and strategic advice to the Commissioner, executive leadership, senior management and staff across all DCAS lines of service. The successful candidate will oversee and direct a team of approximately 60 attorneys, auditors and support staff, ensuring the agency operates in full compliance with federal, state and local laws, regulations.

This position is ideal for a legal professional with extensive experience in public sector law. The role requires a leader who can embrace organizational change, drive transformation and establish forward-looking legal strategy to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the agency while balancing legal risk, operational and policy considerations. The successful candidate will be skilled at managing transitions,