Job Description
Assistant Counsel - Office of General Counsel
About University at Albany:
Established in 1844, the University at Albany (UAlbany) is one of four flagship research universities in the 64-campus State University of New York (SUNY) system. With more than 23,000 members within its campus community, UAlbany is home to 9 colleges and schools and over 50 research centers and institutes across 3 campuses. It has been one of the nation's 131 elite Carnegie Classified "R1" doctoral degree granting universities since 2005. In addition to its very high research activity, it is distinguished for its many academic strengths and close ties to government and industry, and for having one of the most diverse student populations in the SUNY system, with 43 percent of the student body identifying as underrepresented minorities.
With its nationally respected programs, top-ranked professors, and strategic location in New York's capital, UAlbany offers a world-class education to approximately 17,000 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and professional students, as of fall 2025. The University is home to more than 1,200 instructional faculty.
UAlbany is a leader in undergraduate and graduate education, offering over 150 undergraduate academic programs and over 125 doctoral and graduate level programs. In 2020, UAlbany received reaccreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. U.S. News & World Report gives high rankings to many of UAlbany's graduate programs.
Located in Albany, New York, New York State's capital, the University is convenient to Boston, New York City, and the Adirondacks.
Job Description:
The Assistant Counsel is a member of the SUNY Office of General Counsel ("OGC") assigned to represent the University at Albany Campus, and is located on the UAlbany Campus. The position is responsible for all matters affecting the legal interests of the Campus, reporting directly to the Chief Campus Counsel at UAlbany for all legal matters.
Primary Responsibilities:
- This position advises on a wide range of legal issues pertaining to University business, its relationships with affiliated entities, and its administrators, faculty, and staff. Those responsibilities include providing up-to-date and timely legal advice based on thorough research on:
- Student leaves of absence, discipline, dismissal, and appeals;
- Compliance with state and federal laws and regulations, including Title IX, Title VI, Title VII, FERPA, New York Education Law Article 129-b;
- Faculty hiring, promotion, tenure, investigations, discipline, termination and discrimination;
- Drafting and negotiating contracts within the context of New York State finance and procurement guidelines;
- Reviewing the legal ramifications of external audits, and
- FOIL handling and interpretation.
- This position will also assist in UAlbany litigation, which is primarily handled in court by the NYS Attorney General as trial counsel, and represents UAlbany and UAlbany employees in state and federal administrative agency proceedings.
- Key Position Responsibilities include:
- Developing, negotiating, reviewing academic agreements with other colleges and universities;
- Providing advice and recommendations regarding campus-based policies;
- Legal support to the Office of Enterprise Risk Management;
- Advising in various student-related matters concerning academic leaves, discipline and dismissal;
- Creating clear, concise, enforceable, persuasive legal drafts and writing supported by competent legal authority;
- Representing UAlbany and UAlbany employees in state and federal administrative agency proceedings as well as, on occasion, in state and federal courts;
- Representing UAlbany in employee and student discipline matters; discrimination cases and internal investigations, and with labor and employment issues;
- Developing and delivering training to campus constituencies on key compliance issues including 1st Amendment, attorney-client privilege, record retention/e-discovery, email, FOIL, media responses, NYS Ethics, and other areas of importance to the campus;
- Maintaining good relationships and communicating effectively with clients;
- Adhering to the highest professional and ethical standards; and
- Keeping clients updated on changes to the law affecting the University's legal interests.
- SUNY Office of General Counsel (OGC) Duties: This position interfaces with their OGC colleagues to coordinate the delivery of consistent legal services, including the participation in OGC staff meetings and trainings. Lastly, this position directly handles all other duties as may be assigned by the SUNY General Counsel.
Requirements:
Minimum Qualifications:
- J.D. degree from an ABA accredited law school
- Applicants must demonstrate an ability to develop inclusive and equitable relationships within our diverse campus community
- Applicants must demonstrate an ability to support diversity, equity, access, inclusion, and belonging relative to their role
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with:
- At least one (1) year of legal experience;
- Admission in good standing to the New York State Bar (or ability to gain admission within one year);.
- Higher Education Law;
- Employment and Discrimination Law (including arbitrations and interrogations);
- Litigation experience on behalf of SUNY or another New York State agency;
- Policy development;
- Student Affairs related issues (including small claims);
- Research related to contractual issues; and
- Procurement contracts.
Additional Information:
Professional Rank and Salary Range: Assistant Counsel, MP, $105,000 - $115,000.
Special Notes: Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. If you currently need sponsorship or will need it in the future to maintain employment authorization, you do not meet eligibility requirements. Additionally, please note that UAlbany is not an E-Verify employer.
The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, or Clery Act, mandates that all Title IV institutions, without exception, prepare, publish, and distribute an Annual Security Report. This report consists of two basic parts: disclosure of the University's crime statistics for the past three years; and disclosures regarding the University's current campus security policies. The University at Albany's Annual Security Report is available in portable document format [PDF] by clicking this link http://police.albany.edu/ASR.shtml
Pursuant to NYS Labor Law 194-A, no State entity, as defined by the Law, is permitted to rely on, orally or in writing seek, request, or require in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current wage, or salary history as a condition to be interviewed, or as a condition of continuing to be considered for an offer of employment, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation, and for the purpose of verifying information, may such requests be made. If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Governor's Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at info@goer.ny.gov.
THE UNIVERSITY AT ALBANY IS AN EO/AA/IRCA/ADA EMPLOYER
Please apply online via https://albany.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdetails.jsp?JOBID=196843
Application Instructions:
Applicants MUST submit the following documents:
- Resume/CV
- Cover letter stating all the required minimum qualifications and any of the applicable preferred qualifications
- Contact information for three professional references
Note: After submitting your resume/CV, the subsequent pages give you instructions for uploading additional documents (i.e. cover letter etc.).
A review of applications will start on February 12, 2026 and the search will remain open until the position is filled.
