NEW YORK STATE UNITED TEACHERS

The nysut legal department consists of the general counsel, three managing attorneys, approximately 32 staff attorneys and their support. It functions as the general counsel for the organization and related organizations. In addition, the general counsel offers representation to affiliates and individual union members in certain matters. As general counsel, it represents the organization in all judicial and administrative proceedings involving the organization. It also gives advice and counsel to the organization in all matters of governance, affiliate relations, statutory and regulatory compliance, and contract negotiation and enforcement, among other things. It also offers representation to affiliates and individual members in a wide variety of matters including disciplinary hearings where tenured union members face dismissal from their employment, licensing hearings where certificated union members face the revocation or suspension of their professional licenses, arbitration enforcement proceedings where the affiliate's corresponding employer refuses to abide by an arbitration agreement or award, as well as in numerous types of judicial and administrative proceedings in employment related matters and in matters of educational or civil service regulation or funding. The general counsel will represent local unions where the local union is alleged to have breached its duty of fair representation or has allegedly engaged in other forms of unlawful discrimination. Upon appropriate request, the general counsel will provide legal opinions to the organization and its affiliates on all matters of legal inquiry. Similarly, it provides training on a variety of legal issues.