Senior Staff Attorney - Lending and Programs

Job Description

Job Description

JOB TITLE: Senior Staff Attorney - Lending and Programs

DEPARTMENT: Legal

REPORTS TO: The General Counsel

FLSA: Exempt

SALARY RANGES: $105,000 to $140,000

About the Center

The Center for New York City Neighborhoods, Inc. (the “Center”) is a not-for-profit that promotes and protects affordable homeownership so middle- and working-class households can build strong, thriving communities. We meet the diverse needs of homeowners by offering free, high-quality housing and counseling and services, coordinating a network of service providers across the city, and providing free or low-cost loans for homeownership.

Through its work, the Center supports and expands homeownership across New York by developing programs that focus on underserved communities. We have successfully delivered over $500 million to homeowners in several state-wide interventions, in response to physical, financial, and health crises, working with both the city and state to expand protections for New Yorkers. By helping homeowners individually and systematically, the Center achieves lasting change. To date, the Center, together with its partners, has helped more than 250,000 low- and moderate-income (LMI) families with a median annual income of $46,000 keep their homes and gain financial stability, preserving over $10 billion in neighborhood property value across New York.

Position Summary

The Senior Staff Attorney – Lending and Programs will serve in a fiduciary role as legal counsel to the Center and its related entities at the direction of the General Counsel. The Senior Staff Attorney - Lending and Programs will provide legal counsel and strategic guidance on a wide variety of lending, real property, litigation, and related subject matter that involves the core legal and programmatic needs and mission priorities of the Center.

This is a full-time, exempt position. This is a flexible, hybrid role intended for candidates within commuting distance from our office.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

● Act as a trusted legal advisor to the General Counsel and internal leadership and staff to serve the interests of the Center on legal compliance, mission objectives, and risk management, particularly concerning the Center’s core programmatic work, including homeowner stabilization, foreclosure defense, scam prevention, climate resiliency, and charitable mortgage lending.

● Provide legal counsel and prepare related memos and resolutions at the direction of the General Counsel to the Board and leadership on the Center’s lending programs and other housing, financial, and related programs (collectively, “Programs”), including governance and compliance controls among related entities.

● Provide legal counsel on compliance and other legal risks for Programs, particularly with federal and state lending laws, fair lending and housing regulations, consumer protection laws, lending cybersecurity requirements, anti-corruption, and due diligence for risk assessment and management, working collaboratively interdepartmentally to create and implement sustainable risk-limiting measures.

● Provide legal counsel on the activities of Sustainable Neighborhoods LLC, the Center’s wholly owned subsidiary, and other related entities as applicable, on compliance as an exempt, charitable mortgage lender and a Treasury-certified Community Development Financial Institution.

● Draft, review, manage, and provide legal advice in connection with lending instruments, contracts, certifications, and other binding documents in compliance with legal requirements and the Center’s policies.

● Support regulatory and third-party communications, including managing legal response to Lending Program compliance matters that arise, such as external regulatory inquiries, audits, investigations, or litigation.

● Supervise handling of legal correspondence and civil litigation filings in both state and federal courts related to residential foreclosure, bankruptcy, and other matters.

● Work collaboratively with program leaders to improve Programs from a legal perspective.

● Support legal and compliance programs related to the Programs, such as governance documents, memoranda, policies and procedures, standard forms, compliance tools, guidance, registrations, certifications, reporting, schedules, and general maintenance of corporate legal records, to assure continuity, knowledge transfer, and appropriate access for ongoing compliance.

● Review and provide advice on legal compliance and accuracy on any public-facing communications on Programs.

● Review and analyze the legal and policy implications of new or proposed legislation and regulations that affect the Center’s Programs and mission priorities.

● Engage and network with bar associations, funders, advocacy groups, and government agencies as a representative of the Center to strengthen relationships, foster collaborations, and enhance the Center’s legal and advocacy initiatives.

● Maintain and improve personal legal expertise by following developments and participating in continuing legal education and professional development suited to the legal needs of the Center.

● Serve on internal committees and task forces as assigned.

● May assist with other corporate legal matters and supervise the work of others in the Legal Department, including legal interns, upon assignment by the General Counsel.

● Foster a learning environment for colleagues that aligns with legal compliance to serve the mission objectives of the Center.

● Other duties as required.

Skills & Qualifications

Candidates are expected to meet the following key qualifications:

● Juris Doctorate from an accredited U.S. law school.

● Admitted to practice law in New York.

● At least six years of experience practicing law at a law firm, public interest, in-house, or public sector, engaged in the legal specialty of lending, litigation, and real property (candidates with greater experience are encouraged to apply).

● Legal knowledge and experience in several of the following areas:

○ Federal and state mortgage lending laws and consumer compliance and protection. ○ Civil litigation, particularly in residential foreclosure and consumer fraud.

○ Regulatory compliance for financial institutions and mortgage lenders.

○ Residential real property, trusts and estates, real estate transactions, disaster relief, or public benefits.

● Excellent judgement, legal analysis, and advising skills.

● Evidence of successfully managing multiple matters, meeting deadlines, leading projects, and resolving problems in a busy and fast-moving environment.

● Excellent communication skills, including demonstrated ability and judgement in the timely, effective transmission of legal advice and practical solutions on legal compliance and complex subject matters in written, presentation, and verbal form.

● Ability to be collaborative and effectively work with a diverse and interdisciplinary staff. ● Ability to adapt to changes in the law to support the organization and its application to business operations and governance.

● Commitment to the Center’s mission and providing outstanding staff support.

● Additional qualifications that may be considered: Because of the diversity of programs that the Center provides and the diverse needs of the organization, the Senior Staff Attorney applicant that has related experience in one of these areas should indicate it: cybersecurity, and data protection, tax exempt lending entities, or public policy or litigation in the areas of trusts and estates.

Values

● Demonstrate Ownership by showing initiative, active problem solving, being solution-oriented, acting conscientiously, and putting team results above individual accomplishments

● Demonstrate Growth Mindset through resilience, humility, engaging in expansive thinking, and showing curiosity and openness to learning

● Work collaboratively by demonstrating the ability to work in teams, exhibiting emotional intelligence, and having positive energy.

Salary

We offer a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package.

Application

To apply for this position, please submit your cover letter with salary requirements, resume, and at least 3 references through our website, cnycn.org.

Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. Applicant review will continue until the position is filled.

The Center strongly encourages Section 3 residents to participate in this hiring effort. Information to determine if you are a Section 3 resident can be obtained by contacting careers@cnycn.org.

Persons requiring reasonable accommodation to participate in this hiring effort are requested to contact careers@cnycn.org.

We thank you for your interest in career opportunities with the Center for NYC Neighborhoods.

The Center for NYC Neighborhoods is an equal opportunity employer. We recruit, hire, upgrade, train, and promote for all positions and job classifications without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, marital, veteran or disabled veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other status as a member of any other legally protected group or activity.

To learn more, visit cnycn.org

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