Fair Housing Attorney

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT – (SEPTEMBER 2020)

BATH, NEW YORK

FULL-TIME STAFF ATTORNEY

The Bath office of Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc.® (LawNY®) has an immediate opening for a Staff Attorney. The Staff Attorney will represent low-income individuals in fair housing cases based on violations of state and federal anti-discrimination laws. Approximately fifty percent of the Staff Attorney’s time will be dedicated to fair housing matters. In addition, the Staff Attorney will defend tenants in eviction proceedings and subsidized housing matters, as well as seek to remedy condition problems. The Staff Attorney may also represent tenants in other housing matters, including affirmative litigation.

LawNY® is a non-profit law firm that provides free civil legal services to low-income individuals and families in a fourteen county area of western New York including the Finger Lakes and Southern Tier regions.  The Bath office directly serves residents of Allegany and Steuben Counties.

LawNY® is committed to equitable inclusion across race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ability, sex, religion, economic circumstances, ethnicity, national origin, and culture. We are striving to transcend the construct of race and be an anti-racist law-firm. We encourage staff to bring their whole selves to work each day and pledge to celebrate every aspect of who they are.

Core duties:

• Provide legal advice to clients regarding fair housing and landlord-tenant law.
• Represent tenants in enforcing their housing rights through administrative advocacy, state and federal litigation and other venues.
• Work directly with the Fair Housing Testing Coordinator to investigate fair housing cases.
• Represent tenants facing eviction in summary proceedings.
• Educate partner agencies on fair housing law and our work in that area.
• Coordinate with partner agencies to access needed services for clients and to inform them of our work.
• Participate in and contribute to regular fair housing and housing workgroup meetings.
• Work collaboratively with other attorneys and paralegals.
• Perform other tasks as relevant to the grants under which this work is performed.

Desired skills:

• Ability to manage a large, rapidly moving caseload with critical deadlines.
• Anti-discrimination or housing law experience is preferred, or the ability to quickly learn and practice in a rapidly evolving area of law.
• Ability to work and manage time independently, but with the support of a supervisor when needed.
• Strong problem-solving, time management and organizational skills.

Salary: Salary is dependent on experience and based on a pay scale with annual increments. The entry level salary for a Staff Attorney is $50,000 increasing to $57,500 for a Staff Attorney with five years of experience. LawNY® provides an excellent health and benefit package as well as generous leave. This position is considered Exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc.® (LawNY®) is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. LawNY® encourages applications from diverse candidates. LawNY® welcomes applications regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, genetic information or any other consideration protected by law. This position is Exempt pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act.