Assistant Corporation Counsel – Tort, State Law Enforcement Defense Unit

State Law Enforcement Defense Unit (“SLED”) Intake Attorneys are responsible for reviewing, analyzing, preparing, and updating incoming alleged-police-misconduct cases assigned to the SLED Unit and supervising the SLED Intake support professionals. The Intake team is responsible for sending out initial requests for records and following up as needed. This process is essential to the team’s efforts to refer cases for early settlement and to provide court-ordered discovery once a CSO/PC is issued. The attorneys also engage in motion practice, including but not limited to motions to change venue, motions to dismiss on procedural grounds, and defending default motions. Lastly, they prepare CSO responses, as per the unique requirements in alleged-police-misconduct CSOs that travel on an expedited path.

Duties Include:

• reviewing and developing litigation strategies for new SLED cases;
• participating in and/or conducting case reviews;
• meeting with support professionals and supervisors to discuss case-preparation strategies;
• drafting and serving amended pleadings and impleaders in select cases;
• requesting document discovery and securing relevant evidence;
• assembling and redacting discovery responsive to case scheduling orders
• analyzing agency documents and on-line data;
• drafting affirmative and defensive motions;
• conducting factual and legal research;
• conducting interviews of police officers;
• maintaining an updated spreadsheet of assigned Intake cases;
• referring cases to the Special Litigation Unit and Early Intervention Unit, as well as directly negotiating matters to resolution;
• determining whether a case should be removed to federal court;
• updating Law Manager and the on-line Intake database; and
• performing other litigation tasks as required.

After the completion of orientation, attorneys hired by the Law Department will have the opportunity to elect to work from home under one of the following two programs. The first option allows attorneys to work remotely on a limited and irregular basis. The second option is a Citywide pilot program, which allows participants to select two set days to work from home each week. The two days will need to be approved by the attorney’s division and take into consideration the needs of the division, as the pilot program requires more than 50% staff coverage each day. In addition, if an attorney needs to appear in court, a client meeting or other in-person work related event on a set work from home day, they will need to attend to those in-person responsibilities and will not be able to work from home that day. Participants in the pilot program must set one work from home location where they will work remotely. This pilot program is currently being tested Citywide to determine its efficacy for City agencies and is not yet a permanent program.

ASSISTANT CORPORATION COUNSEL - 30112