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Minimum Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Must be a 3rd year law student at an accredited law school in New York State (3L)
• Have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0, or the letter grade equivalent.
• Must be able to work full-time summer (37.50 hours per a week) and part-time fall and spring (5-15 hours per week, with the opportunity to work more hours depending on availability)

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong computer research skills, such as Lexis
• Strong writing and editing skills
• Desire to work in public service

Duties Description

The Office of General Counsel is seeking Student Interns to assist with drafting motions, deposition preparation, discovery, review of ethics inquiries, reviewing and drafting appeals, legal research and writing, and review of and response of FOIL requests to support the following departmental functions:

Special Projects: Provides advise and legal guidance to Executive Management on initiatives, business, and operational issues.

Appeals: Administrative appeals of decisions issued by Administrative Law Judges in

workers’ compensation claims, and support for appeals to the Appellate Division, Third Department.

Premium Collection: Handling of premium collection matters which involve issues of non-payment of premium and any court action or negotiation of settlements related to premium owed.

Contracts: Support for the contracts and procurement of goods and services, involving diverse range of work, including areas such as investments and real estate.

Ethics: Ensures that the both the Agency and its personnel comply with legal obligations related to the requirements for the filing of financial disclosure statements, mandatory Ethics training, approval of Outside Activities, approvals of Honoraria, approvals for Official Activity/Service payments, and the acceptance of gifts, including widely attended events.

Hearings Division: Appears at Workers’ Compensation Board hearings and litigates claims on behalf of NYSIF and its policy holders.

Labor Relations: Works closely with NYSIF Administration and Human Resources providing advice on matters involving employee conduct, pre-employment reviews, reasonable accommodation requests and collective bargaining agreement/union contract questions. Counsel represents NYSIF in employee disciplinary proceedings and appears in matters at New York’s Division of Human Rights and the EEOC.

1B Litigation: Defense of employers in third-party suits involving contribution and indemnification actions.

Specialized Litigation: Provides counsel to executive management and all internal departments on litigation matters affecting the agency and assists outside counsel and the Attorney General’s Office in all stages of litigation against the agency and/or its officers.

Loss Transfer: Loss transfer matters stemming from motor-vehicle accidents in the context of workers’ compensation claims.

Fringe Benefits

Additional Comments

• Competitive Compensation.
• Future Career Growth Potential.
• Open and Supportive Team-Based Environment.
• Plentiful Vacation, Personal, and Sick Leave Accruals.
• Paid State and Federal Holidays.
• Full Medical, Vision, and Dental.
• Retirement Options.
• Possibility of Telecommuting, Flextime, and Alternative Work Schedules.

Please note, the official Civil Service title for this position is Student Assistant.

The New York State Insurance Fund (NYSIF) was established in 1914 as part of the original enactment of the New York State Workers’ Compensation Law. NYSIF's mission is to guarantee the availability of workers’ compensation insurance at the lowest possible cost to New York employers and to provide timely, appropriate indemnity and medical payments to injured workers, while maintaining a solvent fund. Since inception, NYSIF has fulfilled the dual roles for which it was created: to compete with other carriers to ensure a fair marketplace and to be a guaranteed source of coverage for employers who cannot secure coverage elsewhere.

NYSIF is the largest workers' compensation carrier in New York State and among the nation’s top ten largest workers' compensation carriers. As of November 30, 2023, NYSIF insures approximately 140,000 workers’ compensation insurance policyholders and provides disability benefits coverage for off-the-job injuries to approximately 57,400 New York employers, with more than $1.4 billion in annual earned premiums and over $20 billion in assets.

In addition to workers’ compensation insurance, NYSIF provides disability benefits coverage for off-the-job injuries to more than 56,000 New York employers. In 2018, NYSIF added paid family leave as a component of its disability benefits product, providing New Yorkers with job-protected, paid time away from work to care for their families.

NYSIF Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The New York State Insurance Fund (NYSIF) prioritizes and champions diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) throughout our agency. NYSIF provides equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status, or any other protected category under federal, state, and local law. We believe that embracing our differences brings richness, new ideas and experiences to NYSIF, which energizes a creative and innovative work environment. We strive to foster a workplace where diverse individuals are able to participate fully in the decision-making process and have ample opportunity for advancement. We are committed to investing the necessary resources and attention to improving the engagement, retention, and promotion of the extraordinary talent we have.