The Met Museum

Associate General Counsel

The Met Fifth Avenue, New York, NY Full time

About the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in two iconic sites in New York City—The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters. Millions of people also take part in The Met experience online.

Since its founding in 1870, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. We are committed to fostering a collaborative and respectful work environment with a staff as diverse as the audiences we engage. Our staff members are art lovers who are passionate about working toward a common goal: creating the most dynamic and inspiring art museum in the world.

At The Met, every staff member – from security officers to researchers to scientists and beyond – lives by our core values of respect, inclusivity, collaboration, excellence, and integrity. 

Respect: Engage one another with collegiality, empathy, and kindness, always.

Inclusivity: Ensure that all are and feel welcome and valued.

Collaboration: Reach across boundaries to exchange ideas and work together toward our shared mission.

Excellence: Lead the cultural world in quality and expertise—and inspire curiosity and creativity.

Integrity: Hold ourselves to the highest moral standards, admit when we fall short, and then evolve. 

GENERAL STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

Working closely in conjunction with the General Counsel and the Senior Associate General Counsel focused on labor and employment issues, you will provide a wide range of legal services to several Museum departments, with a particular focus on Human Resources activities. You will identify, analyze and communicate legal developments. You will also provide legal counsel regarding investigations of compliance issues, including discrimination allegations.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

  • Provide legal counsel and representation to the Museum on employment and other personnel-related matters.

  • Advise HR on internal investigations of legal or policy violations, including discrimination allegations.  Supervise outside investigators where applicable.

  • Advise on leaves of absence and accommodations issues

  • Advise on general employment and personnel matters including:  hiring, promotions, performance management, discipline, discharge, and reorganizations

  • Provide counsel and coordinate response to internal and external audits, investigations, discovery, and subpoenas

  • Provide counsel for and administer the Museum’s J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa program

  • Review independent contractor, internship, fellowship, and research scholar arrangements

  • Draft, review, and revise contracts

  • Supervise outside counsel on employment litigation matters.  Respond to agency charges and other litigation matters, as assigned

  • Research, draft, and advise on Human Resource policies

  • Provide advice and counsel on labor, benefits, visa, and classification matters, as assigned

  • Develop and present training 

  • Keep apprised of new developments and best practices in the field

  • Other duties as assigned

REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Law degree required

  • Admitted to New York Bar or eligible to waive in

  • Eligibility to serve as an Alternate Responsible Officer for the Museum’s J-1 Exchange Visitor program

  • 5 years’ legal practice experience in Labor & Employment law at a major law firm and/or in-house

  • Experience responding to administrative agency charges and investigations

  • Employment litigation experience

  • Strong familiarity with major employment laws, including Title VII, ADEA, ADA, FMLA, FLSA, OSHA, and state and local law equivalents

  • Significant counseling experience preferred, particularly in a unionized setting

  • Experience in traditional labor law (NLRA) matters strongly preferred

  • Familiarity with benefits and immigration laws a plus

  • Excellent writing and public speaking skills

  • Sound judgment and a strong work ethic

  • Interest in working as part of a team

  • Commitment to collegiality and consistent positive engagement across the institution

  • This role is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement (up to 1 day remote per week) after six months

COMPENSATION RANGE:

  • Pay Range: $215,000.00 - $245,000.00 / Annually

The advertised pay scale reflects the good faith minimum and maximum salary range for this role. The advertised pay scale is not a promise of a particular wage for any specific employee. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may be dependent on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, education, special licensing or qualifications, and other factors.

Visa Sponsorship

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Location Requirements

At time of employment, employees are expected to be located within commuting distance of the Museum. “Commuting distance” means that they are located in one of following states: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or Pennsylvania (the “Tri-state and PA” areas), and be able to commute to and from the Museum in a single day.

Benefits Offerings

The Museum provides competitive compensation, and generous benefits and perks for all eligible employees. Note: Benefits Offering may differ based on Employee Status.

  • Medical, dental, vision and life insurance
  • 403(b) basic retirement plan and optional matching retirement plan with an outstanding employer match
  • Considerable paid time off, including annual leave, sick leave, and 13 Museum holidays
  • Long-term disability coverage
  • Flexible Spending Accounts & Health Savings Account (pre-tax income for eligible health care expenses)
  • Commuter benefits (pre-tax income for parking or mass transit expenses)
  • Free financial-planning services
  • Financial assistance for relevant coursework, seminars, and training programs
  • 25% discount for staff in Museum shops
  • A subsidized staff cafeteria
  • Access to the Museums Council pass, which grants free admission to various museums and cultural institutions

We recognize that it is highly unlikely that someone meets 100% of the desired attributes for a role. If much of this job description describes you, then please apply for this role.

The Met is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, The Met will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed in this process, please contact benefits@metmuseum.org.  

The Metropolitan Museum of Art provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, alienage or citizenship status, marital status or domestic partner status, genetic information, genetic predisposition or carrier status, gender identity, HIV status, military status and any other category protected by law in all employment decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, training and apprenticeship, promotion, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, transfer, lay-off and termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment.