Supervising Attorney, Emergency Response Team (ERT)

Subject to continued funding and staffing priorities, the City-wide Housing Practice at The Legal Aid Society is seeking Supervising Attorneys to join our brand-new Emergency Response Teams (ERT) in The Bronx Neighborhood Office.

Every day across New York City, hundreds of low-income families end up in the various housing courts seeking immediate assistance as they have been evicted or are facing eviction within the next 24 hours. These critical cases require immediate action. Under this program, a team of supervisors, attorneys, and paralegals will operate as an emergency response team to provide representation to these clients. The ERT provides clients with legal and social services, with the dual objectives of preventing the immediate threat of homelessness, and stabilizing families over time to reduce the risk of homelessness in partnership with social services agencies.

Applicants should have a demonstrated commitment to addressing fundamental issues of poverty and justice within a comprehensive civil legal services model of representation. The Supervising Attorneys report to the Director of the Tenant Defense Housing practice for the assigned borough as well as to the Attorney-in-Charge of the City-wide Housing practice. The Supervising Attorneys will be responsible for the smooth and effective running of the Project in the assigned office. The Supervising Attorneys will also coordinate some grant projects, be a mentor to and supervise new and experienced staff and provide legal leadership in working with other staff to prioritize legal issues. The Supervising Attorneys are involved in all aspects of day-to-day operations and work closely with the Director, other Supervising Attorneys, Staff Attorneys, Paralegals to train, supervise and mentor staff. The Supervising Attorneys participate in Practice-wide management discussions and decision-making and are responsible for maintaining relationships with other stakeholders in the legal, court, and service communities.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Supervise staff attorneys, paralegals, and volunteers
• Monitor and maintain a high standard of representation and client service
• Maintain a reasonable individual caseload
• Develop impact and/or affirmative litigation
• Assist with the development, funding, implementation, and reporting of programs
• Coordinate intake
• Provide oversight of pro bono initiatives within the office
• Respond to client, community, and staff concerns
• Evaluate office needs and identify necessary resources to address the needs
• Analyze legal issues, develop legal strategy, and supervise the implementation of legal strategies
• Prepare and submit necessary grant-reporting paperwork
• Assist with planning and conducting citywide and statewide coalition meetings and task forces
• Foster and encourage teamwork and communication
• Reinforce and maintain staff accountability
• Train and mentor staff
• Evaluate conflicting demands and prioritize workload
• Develop and maintain community support and relationships with community-based organizations, advocates, government agencies, elected officials, and the courts
• Represent the Civil Practice and Legal Aid in the community
• Conduct community education, training, and outreach and promote the work of the office, the Housing Practice, and the Civil Practice
• Conduct off-site intake, including during evening hours as needed
• Other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS

Required qualifications:

• Admission to the New York State Bar
• Minimum of three years of Housing practice
• Excellent litigation skills and experience litigating individual and group cases in various forums, including state and federal courts
• Demonstrated commitment to addressing fundamental issues of poverty and justice within a comprehensive civil legal services model of representation
• Knowledge in various practice areas within civil legal services practice
• Excellent oral and written advocacy skills
• Demonstrated commitment to and experience in public interest law and civil legal services
• Demonstrated commitment to policy advocacy and administrative reform
• Experience working with vulnerable populations, including but not limited to seniors
• Demonstrated leadership ability
• Grant-writing and fundraising experience
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills
• Commitment to exploring alternative approaches for legal practice
• Ability to work in a collaborative team model

Preferred qualifications:

• Minimum of three years of legal practice preferred
• Supervisory, mentoring, and management experience preferred
• Proficiency in languages other than English is desirable, but not required
• Pro bono, government, public service, and academic experience will be considered, but is not required

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.

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: $99,444 - $163,507

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
• Writing Sample

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.