Job Summary
This position is located in the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), Office of the General Counsel (OGC). The District of Columbia (District) leads the Washington, DC metropolitan region in affordable housing investments, and DHCD is the lead District agency that administers programs to deliver affordable housing to low- and moderate-income District households. The OGC provides comprehensive legal services, including counsel, recommendations, legal reviews, opinions, and transactional services related to the mission and programs of the agency. DHCD’s mission is to create and preserve opportunities for affordable housing and economic development and to revitalize underserved communities in the District. The OGC’s practice areas include, but are not limited to, affordable housing financing, loan defaults and remedies, real estate dispositions, grants management, condominium law, legal compliance, personnel and labor relations, litigation management, legislation and rulemaking, ethics, and appropriations.
DHCD seeks an attorney manager with significant experience representing clients in complex affordable housing financing transactions and experienced in other substantive areas that fall within the scope of legal services the OGC provides. The Deputy General Counsel works under the general supervision of the General Counsel and assists the General Counsel with developing and implementing program policies and procedures to address the agency’s needs and goals; providing risk assessment; planning and managing DHCD’s legal service operations.
Major Duties And Responsibilities
- Assists the General Counsel with planning, managing, developing, and mentoring subordinate attorneys and legal support staff, including establishing standards, assigning and reviewing work, providing guidance to subordinate staff, and evaluating performance.
- Assists the General Counsel with researching and providing oral and written analysis and counsel on critical and complex legal and policy issues as assigned by the DHCD Director and the Director’s designees.
- Manages or oversees the management of OGC’s legal case management software contract and related contracts for the hosting platforms; ensures that OGC staff are effectively using the case management software; keeps abreast of new case management products and makes recommendations to the General Counsel regarding products that will improve workflow efficiencies.
- Serves as principal legal counsel to DHCD program divisions as assigned by the General Counsel.
- Negotiates, drafts, reviews, and supervises the negotiation and preparation of legal documents for real estate financing transactions, grants, inter-agency agreements, land dispositions, real estate loan defaults, D.C. Council contract approvals, and other matters.
- Drafts templates for frequently used legal instruments and documents for agency programs to include secured and unsecured loans, grants, covenants, intercreditor and subordination agreements, land disposition agreements, real estate transfer documents, ground leases, and loan workout documents.
- Monitors agency’s litigation and claims portfolio and presents briefings, analyses, and recommendations to the General Counsel and other agency management officials on case development and settlements; provides litigation support to Office of the Attorney General attorneys representing DHCD in litigation matters.
- Manages responses to subpoenas.
- Advises agency managers on employment and labor relations matters; conducts workplace investigations; represents DHCD in administrative employment proceedings.
- Acts as or supervises the agency FOIA Officer; directs subordinate staff in the processing of FOIA requests, ensuring compliance with the District’s requirements.
- Provides technical assistance and advice to the agency’s legislative staff in drafting legislation and regulations; provides technical assistance and advice to agency program managers in drafting agency policies and procedures.
- Reviews for legal sufficiency all proposed rulemakings and final rulemakings prior to submission to the D.C. Register.
- Advises the General Counsel and other agency senior staff and program managers when new legislation requires agency rulemaking or Mayor’s Order and provides technical assistance and advice in rulemaking development or drafting of Mayor’s Order.
- Along with the General Counsel, serves as DHCD Trustee and fulfills agency Trustee obligations as needed.
Qualifications And Education
Qualified applicants must have a law degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association. The incumbent must have at least five (5) years of post-Juris Doctorate professional attorney experience (7 years preferred) advising and representing clients in affordable housing financing, commercial real estate financing, real estate dispositions, ground leasing, economic development, foreclosures, regulatory compliance, legislative and regulatory drafting, employment and labor relations, or other relevant experience commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position.
Knowledge of tools used to create affordable housing, including affordability covenants, low-income housing tax credits, ground leasing, tax abatements, soft subordinate debt, HUD housing programs, and operating subsidies such as housing vouchers is desirable. Applicants must be skilled in interpreting and applying legal principles and must exercise sound judgment in providing advice.
Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor, and train others.
Licensure and Certification
Must be an active member in good standing of the District of Columbia Bar or have the ability to waive in and be admitted within 360 days of appointment. If not currently a member of the District of Columbia Bar at the time of application for this position, prior to the incumbent’s appointment, the incumbent must submit proof that a completed bar application has been submitted to the District of Columbia Bar. An appointee to a Legal Service position shall remain a member in good standing of the District of Columbia Bar during their employment in the Legal Service.
Work Conditions/Environment
The work is performed in an office setting. Work is primarily sedentary.
Other Significant Facts
Applicants must submit a legal writing sample, a resume, and a list of three references in order to be considered for this position.
Tour of Duty: Monday – Friday 8:15 AM – 4:45 PM (Subject to change)
Pay Plan, Series, Grade: LX-905-01
Promotion Potential: No Known Promotion Potential
Collective Bargaining Unit (Non-Union): This position is not in a collective bargaining unit.
Position Designation: This position has been deemed Security Sensitive under the guidelines of the DC Personnel Manual. Incumbents of this position are subject to enhanced suitability screening pursuant to Chapter 4 of DC personnel regulations. Accordingly, incumbents must successfully pass a criminal background and consumer credit check as a condition of employment and will be subject to periodic criminal background checks, reasonable suspicion drug and alcohol testing, and post-accident or incident drug and alcohol testing for the duration of their tenure.
EEO Statement: The District of Columbia Government is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, family responsibilities, matriculation, physical handicap, or political affiliation.
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