Attorney (Litigation)

The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey Law Department (Authority) has a career opportunity for a highly qualified senior attorney to join its Manhattan-based 125+ person team.  Litigation attorneys at the Port Authority handle defense of the agency in a variety of areas, including personal injury claims arising at our transportation facilities and in our many activities regulated by state and federal authorities.  Attorneys also bring actions against a wide range of commercial counterparties.  The job requires significant time in the courtroom and thoughtful advocacy given the Port Authority’s unique statutory authority as a bistate agency.   

The selected candidate will have an ability to contribute in a meaningful way to current and future regional transportation programs and a broad array of initiatives that the Authority is undertaking in the New York-New Jersey region in a collaborative team of 100 attorneys and other legal staff. 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Expert in civil procedure in state and federal courts in New York and New Jersey; excellent oral and written advocacy skills and presence before a court in trial settings
• Represent the Agency in state and federal court proceedings and administrative proceedings involving commercial matters in New York and New Jersey
• Prepare cases for and manage litigation at all levels and at various stages, including but not limited to demand, mediation, motion practice, discovery, trial, and appeal
• Manage significant financial, strategic, and reputational risks to the agency while eliciting input from key internal stakeholders and communicating effectively with senior management
• Give accurate and timely counsel to client departments on a variety of legal topics, offering proactive advice on possible legal issues and providing business-friendly options
• Fully able to advise on litigation strategy and assess likelihood of prevailing in litigation
• Able to negotiate settlements, including drafting and effectuating settlement agreements
• Manage outside counsel services, including legal spending and fee approvals
• Ensure the Port Authority conducts its business in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations
• Advise the General Counsel, the First Deputy General Counsel, the Deputy General Counsel, Executive Officers, Agency Chiefs, Department Directors, and other senior management on litigation matters pertaining to the Port Authority
• Stay abreast of new laws, legal decisions and legislative actions that affect the Port Authority and advise senior staff of their implications

QUALIFICATIONS: 

Candidates must possess the following qualifications to be eligible for this position: 

• Law degree from a top tier or highly regarded law school
• Member of the Bar in good standing in New York and New Jersey
• At least 10 years of litigation experience, including significant courtroom advocacy and trials, gained through a combination of major law firm and in-house or government roles of increasing visibility and responsibility.
• Detail-oriented with strong litigation, analytical, and drafting skills, accompanied by outstanding communication skills
• Proven track record to perform effectively under pressure and to reconcile conflicting priorities toward resolution
• Exercise sound judgment, with savvy approach to recognition of intersection of public, business, and political components of work
• Ability to think strategically and to act decisively regarding legal challenges facing the agency with the ability to balance and manage risk within time constraints
• Ability to take ownership of, and responsibility for, managing legal work on large, complex projects with aggressive completion deadlines
• Operate in a constantly evolving complex legal environment, while maintaining the highest ethical standards and integrity
• Ability to train and mentor attorneys with different skill levels
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Access, Excel, One Drive, Outlook, PowerPoint, Share Point, Word), Adobe Acrobat and familiarity with document/matter management systems)
• Creative problem-solver with high integrity and ethics; able to find pragmatic legal solutions to business issue
• Willingness to work collectively and ethically, in a matrixed organization, considering multiple stakeholder views
• Emphasis on professional and self-development
• Engagement among colleagues and business teams in a collegial and business-friendly manner