Assistant Counsel Jobs
Assistant Counsel jobs are open across corporate legal departments, financial services, healthcare, government agencies, and nonprofits, at every level from entry-level to senior, with specializations in litigation support, regulatory compliance, and contract management. Find a role that fits from the openings below and apply directly.
Find Assistant Counsel JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 554+ Assistant Counsel jobs
INTRODUCTION
The Office of Labor Relations (OLR) represents the Mayor in the conduct of all labor relations between the City of New York and labor unions representing employees of the City. The Commissioner serves on behalf of the Mayor as the City’s liaison with both labor and management in the private sector. The office is authorized by Executive Order 38 (February 7, 1967), amended by Executive Order 13 (July 24, 1990). Additionally, OLR administers the Health Benefits Program, Management Benefits Fund, Employee Assistance Program, Work Well NYC, Medicare Part B Reimbursement and Pre-Tax Benefits & Citywide Programs including the Deferred Compensation Plan and NYCE IRA. In addition to negotiating collective bargaining agreements, OLR serves as a resource to agencies with regard to workforce labor issues and works with the Municipal Labor Committee (MLC) to pursue innovations in a variety of areas, particularly regarding City health insurance programs. The staff at OLR assist their fellow agencies in handling personnel and payroll issues, conducting labor-management meetings, representing the City at representation hearings, and handling all employee grievances and arbitration matters while also negotiating collective bargaining agreements with the City's 149 bargaining units.
Office of the General Counsel (OGC): Under the supervision of the General Counsel, OGC serves as the agency’s legal counsel, providing legal support and advice agency-wide on the wide range of issues that arise at the agency given the breadth of its portfolio. In addition to advising on collective bargaining and labor relations, the legal team attorneys represent the city before the Office of Collective Bargaining (OCB) in administrative proceedings, including arbitrations, and serve as neutrals during Step III grievance proceedings. The legal team is also responsible for contracts administration across the various procurements held by OLR’s administered programs. Further, OGC is responsible for ensuring compliance with the various regulatory requirements that set the legal framework for the employee benefits programs that serve the city’s approximately 300,000 employees and city retirees and their dependents. Lastly, the legal team liaises with the Law Department on litigation, discovery, and is responsible for FOIL, privacy, and the other day-to-day legal matters that arise for an agency’s in-house counsel team.
JOB SUMMARY
OGC seeks an Assistant General Counsel to support the agency’s broad portfolio. Reporting into the Managing Counsel, and working closely with OGC leadership on a team of approximately 15 legal and procurement professionals, the Assistant Counsel will represent the city in arbitration proceedings, assist on data privacy and compliance projects, and handle the various day-to-day legal matters that arise as assigned, including FOIL, MOUs, legislative review, and research projects. The successful candidate must be interested in the agency’s portfolio, including labor relations, compliance, and employee benefits and healthcare. They must be highly organized, detail-oriented, flexible, and possess the ability to work well with a variety of personalities and entities. Further, they must be solutions oriented, eager to learn, and a problem solver who can work both collaboratively and independently without close supervision to ensure they stay on task and deadlines are met. Patience, flexibility, sound judgment, creativity, and a good sense of humor to help ensure a collegial environment are also necessary for successful integration to OGC’s small team.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
- Representing the city in administrative proceedings, including arbitrations pursuant to collective bargaining agreements and improper practice claims before the Office of Collective Bargaining (OCB);
- Researching and drafting legal documents, including briefs, agreements (e.g., MOUs, contracts, side letters), and Memoranda;
- Reviewing agency communications prior to their release;
- Gaining a command of the collective bargaining law and familiarizing themselves with the unions that the agency engages with during labor negotiations;
- Preparing briefing documents for a variety of audiences, including decision-makers and non-attorneys;
- Handling FOIL assignments under the supervision of the Agency Privacy Officer (APO);
- Helping to develop contract templates and guidance for the agency’s programs;
- Liaising with the Law Department as needed (e.g., discovery requests);
- Assisting in the development of processes and systems for efficient management of the legal team’s workstreams, cases, and communications;
- Other duties as needed.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Graduation from an American Bar Association approved law school
55a Program Note: This position is open to qualified persons with a disability through the 55-a Program.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness
As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.
Residency Requirement
New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.
SALARY
$75,992.00 – $108,786.00
INTRODUCTION
The Office of Labor Relations (OLR) represents the Mayor in the conduct of all labor relations between the City of New York and labor unions representing employees of the City. The Commissioner serves on behalf of the Mayor as the City’s liaison with both labor and management in the private sector. The office is authorized by Executive Order 38 (February 7, 1967), amended by Executive Order 13 (July 24, 1990). Additionally, OLR administers the Health Benefits Program, Management Benefits Fund, Employee Assistance Program, Work Well NYC, Medicare Part B Reimbursement and Pre-Tax Benefits & Citywide Programs including the Deferred Compensation Plan and NYCE IRA. In addition to negotiating collective bargaining agreements, OLR serves as a resource to agencies with regard to workforce labor issues and works with the Municipal Labor Committee (MLC) to pursue innovations in a variety of areas, particularly regarding City health insurance programs. The staff at OLR assist their fellow agencies in handling personnel and payroll issues, conducting labor-management meetings, representing the City at representation hearings, and handling all employee grievances and arbitration matters while also negotiating collective bargaining agreements with the City's 149 bargaining units.
Office of the General Counsel (OGC): Under the supervision of the General Counsel, OGC serves as the agency’s legal counsel, providing legal support and advice agency-wide on the wide range of issues that arise at the agency given the breadth of its portfolio. In addition to advising on collective bargaining and labor relations, the legal team attorneys represent the city before the Office of Collective Bargaining (OCB) in administrative proceedings, including arbitrations, and serve as neutrals during Step III grievance proceedings. The legal team is also responsible for contracts administration across the various procurements held by OLR’s administered programs. Further, OGC is responsible for ensuring compliance with the various regulatory requirements that set the legal framework for the employee benefits programs that serve the city’s approximately 300,000 employees and city retirees and their dependents. Lastly, the legal team liaises with the Law Department on litigation, discovery, and is responsible for FOIL, privacy, and the other day-to-day legal matters that arise for an agency’s in-house counsel team.
JOB SUMMARY
OGC seeks an Assistant General Counsel to support the agency’s broad portfolio. Reporting into the Managing Counsel, and working closely with OGC leadership on a team of approximately 15 legal and procurement professionals, the Assistant Counsel will represent the city in arbitration proceedings, assist on data privacy and compliance projects, and handle the various day-to-day legal matters that arise as assigned, including FOIL, MOUs, legislative review, and research projects. The successful candidate must be interested in the agency’s portfolio, including labor relations, compliance, and employee benefits and healthcare. They must be highly organized, detail-oriented, flexible, and possess the ability to work well with a variety of personalities and entities. Further, they must be solutions oriented, eager to learn, and a problem solver who can work both collaboratively and independently without close supervision to ensure they stay on task and deadlines are met. Patience, flexibility, sound judgment, creativity, and a good sense of humor to help ensure a collegial environment are also necessary for successful integration to OGC’s small team.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
- Representing the city in administrative proceedings, including arbitrations pursuant to collective bargaining agreements and improper practice claims before the Office of Collective Bargaining (OCB);
- Researching and drafting legal documents, including briefs, agreements (e.g., MOUs, contracts, side letters), and Memoranda;
- Reviewing agency communications prior to their release;
- Gaining a command of the collective bargaining law and familiarizing themselves with the unions that the agency engages with during labor negotiations;
- Preparing briefing documents for a variety of audiences, including decision-makers and non-attorneys;
- Handling FOIL assignments under the supervision of the Agency Privacy Officer (APO);
- Helping to develop contract templates and guidance for the agency’s programs;
- Liaising with the Law Department as needed (e.g., discovery requests);
- Assisting in the development of processes and systems for efficient management of the legal team’s workstreams, cases, and communications;
- Other duties as needed.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Graduation from an American Bar Association approved law school
55a Program Note: This position is open to qualified persons with a disability through the 55-a Program.
Public Service Loan Forgiveness
As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.
Residency Requirement
New York City residency is generally required within 90 days of appointment. However, City Employees in certain titles who have worked for the City for 2 continuous years may also be eligible to reside in Nassau, Suffolk, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, or Orange County. To determine if the residency requirement applies to you, please discuss with the agency representative at the time of interview.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.
SALARY
$75,992.00 – $108,786.00
See All 554+ Assistant Counsel Jobs
Jump back to the full list of openings and apply to any assistant counsel role that fits.
Find Assistant Counsel JobsAssistant Counsel Job Market
A snapshot from current openings nationwide, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Jobot24
- Office of the Attorney General24
- IDEA Public Schools11
- Polsinelli9
- City of New York8
Top Industries Hiring
- Law & Legal Services165
- Education95
- Healthcare & Medical Services62
- Government & Public Sector54
- Staffing & Recruiting25
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in assistant counsel jobs.
- Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school
- Active bar admission in at least one U.S. jurisdiction
- One to three years of experience in a relevant legal practice area
- Demonstrated ability to draft and review contracts, agreements, or legal memoranda
- Experience with legal research tools such as Westlaw or LexisNexis
- Strong written and oral communication skills for internal and external stakeholders
Tips for Your Assistant Counsel Job Search
Tailor your resume to practice area
Assistant counsel roles vary sharply between corporate transactional work, regulatory compliance, and litigation support. Customize your resume for each posting by leading with experience directly matching the employer's stated practice area, not a generic legal summary.
Highlight bar admission and jurisdictions clearly
Many postings filter candidates by bar admission before reviewing anything else. List every jurisdiction where you're admitted near the top of your resume, and note any pending admissions so hiring managers don't overlook you during an initial screen.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists assistant counsel openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Research the employer's legal structure first
In-house assistant counsel roles at a publicly traded company involve SEC compliance exposure that a nonprofit or private company role won't. Knowing the employer's structure lets you speak precisely to their legal needs in your cover letter and interviews.
Prepare for a writing sample request
Most assistant counsel interviews include a writing sample review. Select a memo, brief, or contract redline that matches the employer's practice area, and be ready to walk interviewers through your analytical choices and any constraints you were working under.
Negotiate start date around bar exam cycles
If you're awaiting results from a bar exam, address it directly in negotiations rather than leaving it ambiguous. Many employers will agree on a conditional start date tied to admission, so raise this before an offer is finalized rather than after.
Assistant Counsel Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most assistant counsels?
The companies hiring the most assistant counsels right now include Jobot, Office of the Attorney General, and IDEA Public Schools, with the largest share of openings in New York, California, and Texas, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of June 2026. Industries with consistent demand include financial services, healthcare systems, and large corporations with in-house legal departments.
How many assistant counsel jobs are remote?
About 24% of assistant counsel openings are fully remote or hybrid as of June 2026, which is lower than many other legal roles given the collaborative nature of in-house work. Compliance-focused and contract review roles tend to offer the most remote flexibility, while litigation support and government positions are more likely to require on-site presence.
How do you become an assistant counsel?
You become an assistant counsel by earning a JD, passing the bar exam in your target jurisdiction, and building experience in a relevant practice area through law firm work, a judicial clerkship, or a government legal office. From there, you apply directly to in-house or government roles that match your practice area, demonstrating both legal competence and the ability to advise non-lawyer colleagues.
Can you get an assistant counsel role with little legal experience?
Yes, some assistant counsel positions are designed for early-career attorneys, particularly at government agencies, nonprofits, and companies with structured legal rotational programs. To strengthen your application with limited experience, emphasize any transactional or regulatory work from clinics, clerkships, or internships, and target employers whose practice area aligns closely with your law school coursework or writing samples.
What does the assistant counsel interview process look like?
The assistant counsel interview process typically begins with a phone or video screen with HR or a recruiter, followed by one or two substantive interviews with members of the legal team or the general counsel. You'll often be asked to discuss a past legal matter you handled, review a writing sample you've submitted, and sometimes complete a short practical exercise such as a contract redline or a legal issue memo under time constraints.
Where can I find and apply to assistant counsel jobs?
You can find and apply to assistant counsel jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States in one place. Find roles that match your practice area, experience level, and preferred location, then apply directly to each listing from the page.
See All 554+ Assistant Counsel Jobs
Jump back to the full list of openings and apply to any assistant counsel role that fits.
Find Assistant Counsel Jobs