Department of Law | Albany County, NY

Albany County Department of Law Office of the County Attorney Eugenia Condon, County Attorney Harold L. Joyce Albany County Office Building 112 State Street, Room 600 Albany, NY 12207 Phone (518) 447-7110 Fax (518) 447-5564

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We are a public law firm staffed by 23 attorneys and legal staff to support those attorneys and operations.

The County Attorney operates under the provisions of Article 11 of the NYS County Law and Article 15 of the Albany County Charter. The statutory language defines our mission: "The County Attorney shall be the chief legal advisor for the County, and every agency and officer thereof, on all civil matters and proceedings and shall prosecute and defend on behalf of the County all civil actions and proceedings brought by or against the County, County officers and employees."

In short, the Department of Law advises, reviews, enforces and defends all legal issues.

The Department of Law has developed three bureaus

The Civil Litigation Bureau which defends all civil and administrative actions brought against the County;
The Family Law Bureau which prosecutes abuse/neglect petitions and juvenile delinquents, litigates adult protective issues and instigates actions for resource recovery; and
The Municipal Bureau which advises County officers, renders legal opinions, reviews FOIL requests, drafts and reviews contracts and enforces all consumer affairs and health related laws.

Assignments include work in the areas of

Tort litigation
Article 78s
Election Law
Tax enforcement
Bankruptcy
Consumer Transactions
Health Code Violations
Employee Matters
Real Property
Construction
Purchasing
Environmental Pollution
Juvenile Delinquency
Abuse/Neglect
Mental Hygiene Law
Support Collection
Adult Protection
Medicaid
Zoning
Highways
Sewers
Legislation
FOILs

…and many others

We also

Prepare and review contracts and other legal instruments;
Draft local laws and resolutions; and
Perform other duties as prescribed by law, the County Executive or by request or resolution of the County Legislature

Our mission is to provide these legal services in the most competent, professional and ethical manner possible thereby ensuring effective legal counsel performed at the highest level of excellence.