Legal Director Jobs in New York

Legal Director jobs in New York draw consistent demand across financial services, media, healthcare systems, and technology, with openings ranging from senior in-house counsel stepping into a first director role through seasoned executives overseeing enterprise-wide legal operations. New York City leads hiring by a wide margin, with Westchester County and Albany also generating steady openings for roles tied to regulated industries and state government affairs. Established employers such as JPMorgan Chase, Pfizer, and Consolidated Edison maintain ongoing needs for legal directors, particularly in regulatory compliance, corporate transactions, and litigation oversight. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

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Overview

Open roles28
Top employerAirwallex
Top cityNew York, NY
Cities hiring10
Work type73% Hybrid
Top industryLaw

Showing 5 of 28+ Legal Director jobs

Brookfield Asset Management
Director, Legal, Brookfield Capital Solutions
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Brookfield Asset Management
Added 1d ago
Director, Legal, Brookfield Capital Solutions
Brookfield Asset Management
New York, New York
Business Operations
$200k - $250k/yr
1,001-5,000

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Brookfield Asset Management
Director, Legal and Regulatory
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Brookfield Asset Management
Added 1d ago
Director, Legal and Regulatory
Brookfield Asset Management
New York, New York
Business Strategy
Compliance & Risk
Consulting & Professional Services
$250k - $300k/yr
Master data management
1,001-5,000

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St. John's University
Director of the Mattone Family Institute for Real Estate Law
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St. John's University
Added 2d ago
Director of the Mattone Family Institute for Real Estate Law
St. John's University
Jamaica, New York
Clinical Support
Healthcare Administration
Project Management
$111k - $124k/yr
1,001-5,000

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Biograph
Director of Legal
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Biograph
Added 2w ago
Director of Legal
Biograph
New York, New York
Project & Program Management
Solutions Engineering & Architecture
Technical Program Management
$150k - $200k/yr
Hybrid

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City of New York
Director, Legal Affairs
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City of New York
Added 2w ago
Director, Legal Affairs
City of New York
Brooklyn, New York
Compliance & Legal
Corporate Development & M&A
Legal Counsel
$110k - $116k/yr
Hybrid
10,000+

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Legal Director Jobs by City in New York

Where New York roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Rochester
2 jobs
Albany
1 job
Latham
1 job
Queens
1 job
Jamaica
1 job
Brooklyn
1 job
Harrison
1 job
Manhattan
1 job

Legal Director Job Market in New York

A snapshot from current New York openings, updated as new roles post.

Who's Hiring

Airwallex
Airwallex2 open roles
Brookfield Asset Management
Brookfield Asset Management2 open roles
Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Metropolitan Transportation Authority2 open roles

Top Industries Hiring

  • Law & Legal Services
  • Banking & Financial Services
  • Consulting & Professional Services

What New York Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in legal director jobs across New York.

  • Active membership in the New York State Bar Association or admission to the New York State Bar
  • Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school plus substantial post-admission legal experience
  • Demonstrated experience managing in-house legal teams or supervising outside counsel relationships
  • Deep knowledge of New York corporate, regulatory, or industry-specific law relevant to the employer
  • Proven ability to advise executive leadership and boards on legal risk and governance matters
  • Strong background in contract negotiation, compliance program development, and litigation management

Legal Director Jobs in New York: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a legal director in New York?

Becoming a legal director in New York requires admission to the New York State Bar, which means passing the New York Bar Examination administered by the New York State Board of Law Examiners and satisfying the character and fitness review. From there, most candidates build toward the role through years of practice in corporate, regulatory, or litigation work, often moving through associate, senior counsel, and assistant general counsel positions at large New York employers or law firms before being considered for a director-level seat.

How much do legal directors make in New York?

Legal directors in New York earn a median of about $207,860 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $85,200 for the lowest 10% to over $391,420 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.

Which companies hire legal directors in New York?

Employers hiring legal directors in New York right now include Airwallex, Brookfield Asset Management, and Metropolitan Transportation Authority, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. New York's concentration of financial institutions, pharmaceutical companies, and large media organizations means demand for legal directors with regulatory compliance and transactions experience is especially consistent across the city and surrounding metro area.

Which New York cities have the most legal director jobs?

New York, Rochester, and Albany account for the largest share of legal director openings in New York. New York City dominates because of its density of corporate headquarters, financial institutions, and major hospital systems, while Westchester County and Albany generate openings tied to regulated industries and state government-adjacent organizations that require directors with deep knowledge of New York law and policy.

Are there remote legal director jobs in New York?

Yes, but they're less common than in purely analytical fields, since legal directors frequently attend board meetings, negotiate in person, and oversee teams on-site. About 87% of legal director openings tied to New York are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting a market that favors flexibility without full relocation of the role. Contract review, compliance oversight, and policy work are the functions most likely to be performed remotely.

How can I get hired as a legal director in New York with little or no experience?

The most realistic path is to enter through a staff or associate counsel role at a large New York employer and build toward the director level from within. Major New York hospital systems, financial institutions, and municipal agencies routinely hire junior in-house attorneys and offer structured mentorship toward senior legal positions. Candidates who hold active New York Bar admission, have completed a clerkship with a New York state or federal court, or have concentrated experience in a high-demand area such as healthcare compliance or securities regulation tend to move up faster than those with general backgrounds.

Where can I find and apply to legal director jobs in New York?

You can find and apply to legal director jobs in New York on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings tied to the New York market. Search the listings to see roles that match your experience and area of legal practice, then apply directly to the ones that fit your background.

See All 28 Legal Director Jobs in New York

Find roles in New York that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

Find Legal Director Jobs