Staff Attorney

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT (December 2020)

GENEVA, NEW YORK

FULL-TIME STAFF ATTORNEY

The Geneva office of Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc. ® (LawNY) has an immediate opening for a Staff Attorney.  This position will emphasize a blend of practice areas, including the areas of Real Property/Foreclosure, Landlord/Tenant, and Family Law.  Relevant experience in such legal matters, or a blend of at least two, is preferred. 

Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc. ® is a not-for-profit law firm providing civil legal services to low-income clients in a fourteen county area of western New York including the Finger Lakes and Southern Tier regions.  The Geneva office directly serves residents of Livingston, Ontario, Seneca, Wayne and Yates 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:

• Maintain a full-time caseload representing eligible clients.
• Specialized knowledge in one or more of the following substantive areas of poverty law: Real Property/Foreclosure, Landlord/Tenant, and Family Court matters.
• Experience in foreclosure due to delinquency on mortgages or property taxes, low-income homeowner issues, landlord/tenant, fair housing, federal and state housing programs, code enforcement, mobile homes, redevelopment and land use, homelessness, bankruptcy, consumer issues, and the intersection of all these issues with racial justice.
• Experience in a variety of legal settings, including but not limited to litigation in various levels of New York State and federal courts, appellate practice, bankruptcy practice, mediations and negotiations, transactional work and administrative law hearings. 
• Supervise and train staff paralegals, AmeriCorps members, interns, and volunteers.
• Collaborate with other LawNY® advocates, the private bar, human services providers, non-profit organizations and community, client or other advocacy groups to address problems of the poor, including providing community legal education.

Desired Skills: 

• Prior legal experience with low-income and other oppressed communities and clients.
• Experience with the Courts and agencies in the Geneva service area are preferred.
• Strong problem-solving abilities, time management, and organizational skills. 
• Ability to work under deadline and manage multiple tasks.
• Ability to empathize and sensitively respond to people in crisis situations.
• Excellent use of Google Drive/GSuite, Word, and Excel; database programs a plus.
• Proficiency in Spanish is an advantage but is not required.
• Lived experience with our client communities is an advantage but is not required.
• Understanding of the principles of race equity analysis and the intersection of racism and poverty and their application to LawNY’s organizational life and to our work. 
• Passion for social justice and commitment to the mission of LawNY®.

Salary:  Salary is dependent on experience and based on a pay scale with annual increments.  Beginning salary for a Staff Attorney with no prior experience is $50,000 and the salary for a Staff Attorney with five years of relevant experience is $57,500 as per the LawNY® salary scale.  We also provide an excellent package of fringe benefits including health, disability, and life insurance as well as generous leave provisions.

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.