Examples of Duties
The work involves giving legal advice and counsel to administrative employees of the Department of Social Services. Working under the general supervision of the Executive Director of Department of Social Services-Office of Counsel, the incumbent participates in various legal actions for the Department. The incumbent is responsible for performing professional legal work with latitude for the exercise of independent judgment. Supervision may be exercised over clerical employees. Does related work as required.
Typical Work Activities
Renders legal opinions on individual case problems; Gives counsel and advice on the interpretation of local, State and Federal laws; Coordinates activities in the legal area of the Department; Represents the Department in the prosecution of civil suits; Participates in the defense of civil suits against the Department; Participates in the areas of neglect and abuse, resident support, non-resident support and paternity proceedings in Family Court; Participates in civil fraud cases; Approves legal requirements in agency adoptions; Recovers claims against estates of deceased recipients in Surrogate’s Court and on liens from personal injury claims in Supreme Court; Presents cases for Department in Fair Hearings before Hearing Officer; Conducts incompetency and conservatorship proceedings in the Supreme Court and handles all appeals in these proceedings; Participates in Juvenile Delinquent and PINS proceedings; Participates in Medicaid and Temporary Assistance proceedings; Maintains confidential files, and sensitive records; Participates in related legal work as required.
Minimum Qualifications
Admission to the Bar of the State of New York and one (1) year of experience** in the practice of child abuse/neglect law, child support enforcement law, domestic relations Law, family law, public interest law, poverty law, elder law or welfare fraud law, or criminal prosecution.
NOTE**: Completion of (24) semester credit hours*** in any combination of the following fields of law school study: child abuse/neglect law, child support enforcement law, family law, public interest law, poverty law, elder law or welfare fraud law, or criminal prosecution may be substituted for the required one (1) year of experience
NOTE 2: *Per resolution presented to State Civil Service Commission, action approved and filed with the Department of State on October 24, 2025, under the Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide (HELPS) Program, this title is temporarily reassigned to NON-COMPETITIVE Classification.
NOTE 3: ***Your degree must have been awarded by a college or university accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education/U.S. Secretary of Education. If your degree was awarded by an educational institution outside the United States and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. A list of acceptable companies who provide this service can be found on the Internet at http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfm. You must pay the required evaluation fee.
