Assistant General Counsel

Founded in 1856, Harris Beach and its subsidiaries provide a full range of legal and professional services for clients across New York state, as well as nationally and internationally. Harris Beach is among the country’s top law firms as ranked by The National Law Journal. Clients include Fortune 100 corporations, privately-held companies, emerging businesses, public sector entities, not-for-profit organizations and individuals. Principal industries Harris Beach represents include education, energy, financial, food and beverage, health care, insurance, manufacturing, medical and life sciences, real estate developers, and state and local governments and authorities. The firm’s more than 200 lawyers practice among offices throughout New York state in Albany, Buffalo, Ithaca, New York City, Rochester, Saratoga Springs, Syracuse, Uniondale, Washington, D.C. and White Plains, as well as in New Haven, Connecticut and Newark, New Jersey.

Location:  Rochester, NY                                                                 

Description:   Harris Beach PLLC is seeking an Assistant General Counsel to supervise the firm’s docketing department, develop and review audit letter responses, review and revise contracts, and oversee litigation holds. This individual will provide assistance to the Chair of Risk Management Committee (CRMC) with tasks such as subpoena responses, research related to legal ethics and other miscellaneous tasks related to risk management.

Responsibilities:

• Manage firm’s centralized contract management service including the review and revision of contracts and oversight of related policies and procedures


• Oversee the firm’s centralized docketing and efiling department including supervising team members


• Assist CRMC with litigation holds including determining when a hold is necessary, identifying personnel and matter numbers to be held, and notifying internal personnel


• Address claims and circumstances to potentially reduce risk by investigating underlying facts and interfacing with outside counsel and insurers


• Manage responses to subpoenas directed to the firm including document production, preparation for potential testimony, and the preservation of client confidentiality


• Oversee the implementation of walls related to conflicts and/or litigation holds


• Work with CRMC on various risk management issues, including researching legal ethics issues, drafting memos summarizing research, analyzing conflicts of interest and preparing waivers, and reviewing and drafting confidentiality agreement


• Assist attorneys and professional staff with questions related to conflicts and provide assistance writing conflict waivers as needed


• Facilitate Risk Management Committee meetings and serve as a committee member


• Assist HR with lateral associate conflict checks


• Facilitate the periodic review and revisions of engagement letters


• Audit letter response development and review including assisting attorneys with revisions as needed


• Advise attorneys in preparing motions to withdraw and verify confidential information is not disclosed in such motions


• Review, revise, and draft risk management policies


• Review and analyze issues related to attorneys’ outside interests (investments, board positions, etc.)


• Oversee risk management training including CLE and partnership presentations

Qualifications:

• 3+ years’ experience practice areas of litigation, labor and employment and/or compliance investigation or comparable areas of law


• Bar admission in a United States jurisdiction required; admission to or ability to waive into New York State Bar preferred


• Juris Doctorate from ABA accredited law school required


• 3+ years in a law firm setting (preferred)


• 3+ years of experience with commercial contracts, conducting internal investigations and deposing opposing parties and fact witnesses (preferred)


• Prior experience managing a small team (preferred)


• Experienced public speaker


• Strong writing skills


• Conscientiousness, dedication, self-discipline, and a strong sense of responsibility


• Capability of functioning with differing personalities and prioritizing important matters and dates organization


• Military experience welcome

Harris Beach is committed to an inclusive environment and we welcome applications from diverse candidates. Harris Beach PLLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Salary information below will vary depending upon relevant experience for the position and geographic locations. 

The firm’s policy prohibiting unlawful discrimination applies to all aspects of employment, including hiring, placement, assignment of duties, training, promotion, compensation & benefits and termination. It is the policy of Harris Beach PLLC that all applicants and employees enjoy a positive, respectful and productive work environment, free from behavior, actions or language constituting unlawful harassment. Accordingly, harassment or discrimination of any kind based on an individual’s race or color, sex, age, religion, national origin, marital status, disability, military status, genetic predisposition, carrier status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, creed, domestic violence victim status or any other legally protected status is strictly prohibited. Harris Beach complies with the provisions of the Human Rights Law, all other State and Federal statutory and constitutional non-discrimination provisions including non-discrimination on the basis of prior criminal conviction and prior arrest.