Staff Attorney, Law Reform Unit presso The Legal Aid Society

The Legal Aid Society’s Civil Practice Law Reform Unit is seeking an experienced, creative, and energetic lawyer for an available Staff Attorney position in the Homeless Rights Project (HRP). This position, in collaboration with a small team, is responsible for protecting and expanding the rights of homeless New Yorkers along with advocacy partner and institutional client Coalition for the Homeless. More specifically, the HRP Staff Attorney will be focusing on systemic reforms through a range of affirmative work relating to homelessness, including but not limited to representation of individual clients, organizations, groups and classes; legislative and press advocacy; community education and coalition building; and consulting and technical assistance for Legal Aid staff, other community, and legal service providers.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Participate as part of a team or individually in affirmative litigation in State and Federal Court proceedings
• Work with pro bono lawyers on multiple long-term affirmative litigation matters in varying stages of litigation, including years-long monitoring and enforcement
• Conduct policy advocacy on behalf of clients before the New York City Council and State Legislature, including the regular drafting and submission of testimony before various bodies of government and meetings with elected representatives and staff
• Coordinate and collaborate with practices and units at Legal Aid, other legal assistance organizations, community groups, and organizations, and people with lived experience on a dynamic and wide range of advocacy strategies to promote the interests and rights of homeless New Yorkers
• Advocate with local, State, and federal agencies
• Represent individual clients in administrative hearings, State and federal court proceedings,
• Collaborate regularly with Communications on press releases and media strategy to promote overall advocacy
• Train Legal Aid staff, and staff in other organizations about homeless rights; engage in community outreach and education to individuals, local community-based organizations, and advocates; develop and produce training materials and maintain updated Know Your Rights
• Occasional t off-site outreach and client intake, including during weekend and evening hours
• Assist with staffing the Homeless Rights hotline
• Report to LAS Development and Grant and Contracts as needed
• Other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS

Required qualifications:

• Admission to the New York State Bar
• Excellent written and oral advocacy skills are required, including public speaking ability
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team and manage a high volume of cases, projects, meetings, and regularly shifting obligations
• Ability to coordinate and collaborate successfully with other groups and organizations, as well as foster constructive working relationships with colleagues and fellow advocates, particularly in the context of complex bureaucracies and in the face of conflict
• Excellent organizational skills
• Ability to work with pro-bono lawyers
• Internal candidate must have fulfilled any Legal Aid Society commitments associated with their current position

Preferred qualifications:  

• Proficiency in languages other than English is desirable but not required.

SALARY AND BENEFITS 

The salary range represents a good faith estimate of the range we expect to pay for this role. The actual salary offered may vary depending on many factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills, and experience, as well as collectively bargained salary steps for unionized roles. 

Salary Range: $84,000- $152,500

The Legal Aid Society offers a generous benefits package including health insurance, paid vacation, disability, and life insurance, and more. Click here to read more about benefits. 

Higher Education and Loan Forgiveness 

The Legal Aid Society is a qualified employer for the purposes of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness. This position allows an employee to take advantage of PSLF and other State and Federal loan forgiveness programs. Additionally, employees who are New York residents may be eligible for assistance from New York state to assist with loan repayments, depending on years of practice. To learn more, click the links below.  

studentaid.gov 

hesc.ny.gov/loan-forgiveness-programs 

WORK AUTHORIZATION 

All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer without sponsorship for a work visa or permit. We are currently unable to sponsor employment visas or permits. (However, for citizens of Canada and Mexico, LAS will provide a letter documenting employment status that is needed to obtain a TN visa.) 

HOW TO APPLY 

All applications must be completed online via the career portal. We do not accept emailed applications. Submit the following documents as a combined PDF: 

• Cover Letter 
• Resume  

For technical difficulties or questions regarding this posting, please email [email protected]. 

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY 

As an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer, The Legal Aid Society prohibits discriminatory employment actions against and treatment of its employees and applicants for employment based on actual or perceived race or color, size (including bone structure, body size, height, shape, and weight), religion or creed, alienage or citizenship status, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity (one’s internal deeply-held sense of one’s gender which may be the same or different from one’s sex assigned at birth); gender expression (the representation of gender as expressed through, for example, one’s name, choice of pronouns, clothing, haircut, behavior, voice, or body characteristics; gender expression may not conform to traditional gender-based stereotypes assigned to specific gender identities), disability, marital status, relationship and family structure (including domestic partnerships, polyamorous families and individuals, chosen family, platonic co-parents, and multigenerational families), genetic information or predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, arrest or pre-employment conviction record, credit history, unemployment status, caregiver status, salary history, or any other characteristic protected by law. 

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION 

The Legal Aid Society is committed to a work culture of zealous advocacy, respect, diversity and inclusion, client-oriented defense, access to justice and excellent representation. We are dedicated to building a strong professional relationship with each of our clients (people), to understanding their diverse circumstances, and to meeting their needs. Our ability to achieve these goals depends on the efforts of all of us and our ability to build strong relationships with our colleagues. Every member of our community is expected to continuously learn about the dynamic, evolving, and emerging field of knowledge of identity, bias, and systemic forms of oppression and participate in productive efforts to dismantling bias in all forms.