Staff Attorney
POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT (September 2019)
LEGAL SERVICES ATTORNEY POSITION IN ROCHESTER, NEW YORK
The Legal Assistance of Western New York (LawNY®) Rochester Office has an immediate opening for a Staff Attorney at its office located in downtown Rochester. LawNY® is funded in part by the Legal Services Corporation and provides free legal services to low-income families and individuals. The Rochester Office’s primary practice areas are civil rights, housing, public benefits, health law, employment, and elder law. Our staff of almost 50 people, including attorneys, paralegals, a legal support team and regional staff members work closely across areas of specialization to bring a holistic approach to addressing law related issues affecting our clients and community.
The attorney will be assigned to the Rochester Office’s Population Based Programming team. This Team focuses on helping low-income people within vulnerable populations receive holistic legal services. The position will focus predominantly on the needs of low-income seniors and veterans and will require frequent interaction and relationship building with grassroots groups, community organizations, and social agencies. Representation of clients through administrative hearing forums and the court system will include, but is not limited to: landlord/tenant matters, public housing, public benefits, wills and advanced care directives, rights of nursing home residents, social security, SSI & SSD issues, consumer law, and Medicare/Medicaid matters. Working with other LawNY® staff members and the community, the attorney will develop strategies, including affirmative litigation, to address systemic problems that adversely impact low-income people. The attorney must have the caring, patience, and emotional maturity to help low-income people overcome crisis situations.
Program: LawNY® is a not-for-profit law firm which provides civil legal services to low income clients in a fourteen-county region in western New York State. LawNY® staff work in a cooperative environment and all staff members are expected to assist other staff members to achieve the general purposes of our program.
Salary/Fringe Benefits: Salary is dependent upon experience. The candidate will be placed on the LawNY® salary scale based upon their level of relevant experience. The salary for admitted attorneys with three years of experience is $54,500 per year. Fringe benefits include health, dental, life insurance, short and long-term disability and generous leave time. The position is available immediately and will remain open until filled.
Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc.® (LawNY®) is 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 considered exempt pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Requirements: Admission to the New York State Bar is preferred. Law school graduates who have taken the first available New York State bar examination following completion of law school may qualify for a practice order pending admission to the New York State bar pursuant to the LawNY® practice order. Attorneys admitted in another jurisdiction may qualify for a practice order for up to eighteen months pursuant to a court rule. Applicants must have excellent legal advocacy and writing skills, and must be able to communicate effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Most importantly, applicants must demonstrate a strong commitment to helping low-income and disadvantaged people overcome barriers to housing, medical and income support. Preference will be given to candidates who are bilingual in Spanish and English.
Procedure: Applicants should submit a cover letter describing qualifications, resume, writing sample and the name and contact information of (3) references by October 11, 2019 to ensure full consideration. Applications will be accepted beyond that date until the position is filled. Applications should be addressed to the attention of Lori O’Brien, Deputy Director, and sent by e-mail to lawnyapplications@lawny.org. Candidates can also apply via Indeed.com.