Chief Legal Officer

Non-Represented Employment Opportunity
To apply for this exciting career opportunity, please visit norta.com/jobs

This bulletin is posted to establish or add to a qualified list of candidates
This classification is at-will and the incumbent serves at the pleasure of the hiring authority.
This job specification should not be construed as an exhaustive list of duties, responsibilities, or requirements.
The Regional Transit Authority gets people moving around New Orleans. Our transit services bring hard-working commuters to their jobs, students to their schools, and fun seekers to entertainment, shopping areas, and restaurants. We provide mobility to residents of the city as well as tourists, taking them to and from their hotels to historical neighborhoods and countless attractions. RTA's system includes 5 streetcar lines, 30 bus routes, 2 ferry routes, and paratransit services. Our passengers take more than 19 million rides every year.
REPORTS TO
Chief Executive OfficerJOB SUMMARY
The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA) seeks an attorney. As in-house counsel to an expanding regional transit authority, this role will advise agency staff on complex legal matters and develop legal strategies and creative solutions that balance potential legal risks with strategic and public interests. We work with the Federal Transit Administration, elected officials, engineers, transportation planners, labor relations, procurement, and other dedicated agency staff to plan, design, build, and operate the region's transportation system.
Performs legal research and analysis to support legal department advising on a variety of legal matters including contract negotiations, labor relations and EEO matters property acquisition, property management and development, land use, and municipal law matters; prepares, reviews, and examines legal documents; assists in representing the RTA in litigation.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions upon request.

The General Counsel is responsible, but not limited to the following duties:

• Developing and leading legal strategy to promote and protect the agency's matters
• Leading agency labor relations arbitration matters
• Participation in labor union contract development and oversight of ratified contracts
• Overseeing the delivery of legal services and resources to accomplish agency goals
• Maintaining proper agency interactions with the relevant local, state, and federal governmental bodies, legislatures, and the community at large
• Advising the CEO and other senior officers on a variety of issues
• Participating in the formulation of general management policy as a member of the executive leadership team
• Managing a team of agency counsel and other members of the legal department
• Contributes to ensuring that the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policies and programs of RTA are carried out.

Required Knowledge of:

• Operations and activities of a legal services program.
• Legal principles, practices, and procedures of municipal, constitutional, contract, and administrative law.
• Methods and techniques of negotiating legal issues, contracts, and agreements.
• General and public contract law.
• Methods and techniques of legal research.
• Legal principles and developments.
• Judicial procedures and rules of evidence.
• Legal precedents and court decisions impacting litigation.
• State and federal court rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Modern office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers.
• Computer applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, and statistical databases.
• Pertinent federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations.

EDUCATION

• J.D. from an American Bar Association-accredited law school;
• Completed degree(s) from an accredited institution above the minimum education requirement may be substituted for experience yearly.

EXPERIENCE

• At least 10 years of experience related to the duties and responsibilities specified. Member in good standing of the State Bar of Louisiana.

OR: A combination of education and/or experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the essential functions.

• Defining legal issues, collecting, and analyzing information, and recommending action.
• Properly interpreting and analyzing laws, regulations, and policies.
• Preparing a variety of clear and concise legal documents including contracts, agreements, letters, memos, briefs, opinions, and other legal documents.
• Researching legal problems and preparing sound legal opinions.
• Negotiating with other parties.
• Analyzing and synthesizing information concisely, developing and making recommendations on strategies, and communicating recommendations to appropriate individuals within and outside the agency.
• Managing multiple projects concurrently.
• Managing multiple tasks, setting objectives/goals, and prioritizing as needed.
• Operating office equipment including computers and supporting word processing, spreadsheet, and database applications.
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with those contacted in the work.
• Applying principles and practices of technical area of expertise.
• Applying strong interpersonal techniques and demonstrating a consistent commitment and ability to work with diverse work groups and individuals.
• Demonstrating a positive customer service orientation with both internal and external clients.
• Applying appropriate oral and written communication techniques to various individuals ranging from Agency employees, the general public, elected officials, community leaders, and local, state, and federal agencies.
• Ability to manage direct and contracted staff

Employment Type: Full Time