The Met Museum

Legal Assistant

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: The Legal Assistant supports staff attorneys in all legal and administrative functions, including calendar management, document preparation, file management, and internal/external communications.

GENERAL STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:


As the Legal Assistant, you will support attorneys in all legal and administrative functions, including calendar management, document preparation, file management, and internal/external communications.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

  • Coordinate and schedule meetings

  • Document and process incident reports and insurance claims

  • Assist with insurance certificate and proof of insurance requests

  • Document and distribute auto insurance cards and registrations

  • Assist with the Museum’s annual non- fine arts insurance renewal

  • Draft Committee meeting minutes

  • Assist in the preparation of document productions and litigation support

  • File and support annual federal and state registration applications, including Certificates of Residency and NYS public solicitation license

  • Liaise with Planned Giving team on non-tangible asset trust and estate matters (e.g., bequests of cash, retirement account distributions, etc.)

  • Support trust and estate attorneys with tangible asset trust and estate matters (e.g., bequests of art, archival material, etc.)

  • In collaboration with tax attorneys, manage outside counsel for annual multi-state charitable registration renewals

  • Develop and maintain project tracking systems and follow up with attorneys and external parties on responses and deadlines

  • Draft and maintain digital and paper records of correspondence, notes, notices, filing confirmations, estate materials, and other matter documentation

  • Prepare files for deposit in Museum Archives

  • Answer incoming calls and transfer or take messages, as necessary

  • Provide coverage for other legal assistants, as necessary

  • Other duties, as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS & REQUIREMENTS

  • Bachelor’s degree required, with coursework in a legal field a plus.

  • 1-2 years of administrative or legal assistant experience

  • Familiarity with legal terminology and processes preferred

  • Experience with document management and filing systems

  • Ability to handle confidential information with discretion

  • Strong organizational and time-management skills

  • Excellent written and verbal communication abilities

  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook)

  • Detail-oriented with a high level of accuracy

  • Ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment

  • Professional demeanor and strong interpersonal skills

  • Adaptability and willingness to assist with varied tasks

COMPENSATION RANGE:

  • Pay Range: $41.00 - $42.00 / Hourly

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.