N.Y. Workers' Compensation Law § 84: General attorney

§ 84. General attorney. There shall be a general attorney of the state

fund. He shall have such legal and other assistants as may be required,

within the limits set forth in the budget.

It shall be the duty of the general attorney to advise the

commissioners and the management of the fund upon all matters of law

arising in connection with any contract or policy of insurance issued by

the fund, and upon any claim or award of compensation. He shall appear

as the attorney of record in all suits and other proceedings to which

the state fund or the commissioners thereof are parties. He shall

conduct all appeals on behalf of employers insured in the fund and on

behalf of the fund itself, except where there is a divergence of

interest between the employer and the fund, in which case he shall

appear on behalf of the fund alone. He shall prosecute all claims

against third parties under the subrogated rights of the state fund, in

accordance with the provisions of section twenty-nine of this chapter.

He shall have the right, subject to the approval of the commissioners,

to employ special counsel in matters involving special difficulty, and

to provide for the payment of their compensation and expenses out of the

state fund.