Assistant General Counsel

BACKGROUND:

The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (the “Port Authority”) Law Department seeks experienced senior commercial attorneys to join its 100-person team as Assistant General Counsels for real estate and contracts. The work will consist of structuring, drafting, negotiation, risk analysis and advice related to:

• Real Estate transactions, including lease agreements for Port Authority-owned and operated assets, tenant management matters, landlord-tenant enforcement, interagency agreements, government approvals, licenses, permits and easements.

• Procurement and Contracts, including contracts for goods and services, maintenance and support contracts, construction contracts, financial contracts, technology contracts, related procurement matters, indemnification issue, intellectual property agreements, data sharing agreements, revenue and payment agreements, public-private partnership agreements, and confidentiality agreements.

The ideal candidates will bring exceptional leadership skills, extensive legal expertise, and the ability to guide and manage a dynamic team of commercial attorneys. This position reports to the Chief Business Counsel and will encompass a broad range of sophisticated matters involving high-value commercial and real-estate transactions, domestic and international transportation-related transactions, technology transactions, complex procurement processes and contracts and all other contractual matters arising in the course of the Port Authority’s daily operations as well as corporate governance advice on internal approvals.

QUALIFICATIONS:

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

• Member of the Bar in good standing in relevant jurisdictions, including New York or New Jersey.
• 15+ years of relevant legal experience with emphasis on one or more of the following areas:  general commercial transactions, real estate transactions, construction or procurement.  Law firm training is strongly preferred, but not required.   
• 5+ years’ experience in the supervision of other attorneys.

Ideal candidates will present the following profile:

• Proven ability to provide direction and supervision to a team of transactions attorneys, including case management and review/approval of complex legal documents while ensuring consistent high quality legal work.
• Detail-oriented with strong analytical, and drafting skills, accompanied by outstanding communication skills.
• Proven track record to perform effectively under pressure and to reconcile competing 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 while thoughtfully balancing and/or managing risk.
• Ability to take ownership of, and responsibility for, managing legal work on large, complex contracts with aggressive completion deadlines.
• Ability to operate in a constantly evolving complex legal environment, while maintaining the highest ethical standards and integrity.
• 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.

The Port Authority is also seeking staff commercial attorneys with less extensive experience to join the commercial team.  Attorneys who seek a broad range of exciting commercial drafting and negotiation opportunities for iconic infrastructure in the New York/New Jersey region should also let us know of your interest.