Staff Attorney (Housing and Domestic Violence)
STAFF ATTORNEY FOR CAPITAL REGION Domestic Violence and Homelessness Prevention
The Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, a nonprofit civil legal services program, is seeking an experienced attorney to provide legal assistance to victims of domestic violence and prevent homelessness and address the threat to housing stability caused by COVID 19 in Columbia and Greene Counties of New York State. Our mission is to fight for fairness, dignity, and justice for those living in poverty and for a society which is inclusive and equitable for all. We transform lives, build community, and empower people by using the law to address individual and systemic wrongs and inequities. We are committed to ensuring equitable treatment, services, and outcomes for People of Color. We seek an attorney who will be dedicated to our mission and will seek justice and fairness for households are experiencing domestic violence or at risk of homelessness, and who are suffering from financial and other hardships because of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are skilled, creative, and compassionate advocates combining a passion to serve with the skills and will to address both individual and systemic injustice. We are looking for an attorney who will join us, utilizing their legal skills to assist the low-income community in addressing domestic violence and the harms caused by COVID-19, particularly the threat to housing due to the pandemic. We take pride in providing holistic services to our clients with a wide range of programs and substantive law expertise and are assisting our communities in addressing domestic violence and the threats to housing stability cause by the pandemic. We are an integral part of the legal and human service community and expect this attorney to be deeply involved in the network of government, community members, housing and shelter providers and others dedicated to assisting at risk households in Columbia and Greene Counties. The attorney will have an excellent opportunity to work with a close knit and expert community of dv and housing/homeless prevention service providers dedicated to their rural communities.
The office for this position is in Albany, New York, the state capital. The two counties served by this attorney are nearby and offer, like Albany, a lively, family friendly place to live with a reasonable cost of living, excellent quality of life, and easy access to major metropolitan areas as well as year-round outdoor opportunities. Hudson, in Columbia County, is a sophisticated small city, as it and the surrounding area have become a destination for people from NYC and the lower Hudson Valley. Our office is a collegial and supportive workplace, encouraging and supporting staff development, mentoring and collaboration. We are implementing a formally adopted race equity priority, hiring a CDO Race Equity Director, and are working internally, in our legal work and in our relationship with the community to advance this priority.
Responsibilities: The attorney will implement LASNNY’s Homelessness Prevention response to the COVID -19 pandemic. The attorney will provide legal assistance to eligible Columbia and Greene County households who are at risk of homelessness by preventing evictions, securing mainstream benefits, and making referrals to services which will enhance the household’s ability to maintain permanent housing. The attorney will participate in the communities’ Coordinated Entry system and work collaboratively with government and nonprofit agencies, which provide supportive services, income, shelter, permanent supportive housing, homelessness prevention and rapid rehousing services and financial assistance, to plan and provide assistance to the homeless and at-risk residents. Legal assistance will include eviction defense, asserting COVID-19 special protections for tenants and fully utilizing the law to preserve tenancies and keep people safe in housing. Additionally, the attorney will protect public and subsidized housing tenancies and subsidies, address utility shut offs or denials of service, and secure emergency assistance, ongoing temporary assistance and other income supports necessary to achieving housing stability. After the eviction moratorium, the attorney will manage a financial assistance program to assist tenants. The attorney will also be expected to provide high quality, coordinated, victim sensitive, trauma informed civil legal services to victims of domestic violence, providing advice, brief service and in-court representation for victims of domestic abuse in family offense matters and related family matters which are inextricably intertwined with the family offense. The attorney will assist in securing comprehensive orders of protections, giving advice on criminal and family offense proceedings and in – court representation in civil proceedings. The attorney will have a close referral and working relationship with the dv shelter and related service providers and other actors in the legal system. Generally, the attorney will be expected to provide a full range of legal services, including counsel and advice, referrals, representation in administrative hearings, affirmative and defensive litigation, systemic advocacy, community legal education, outreach and engagement and community lawyering. The attorney will participate in the development and implementation of LASNNY’s race equity priority and their own professional development plan. The attorney will also be expected to conduct recordkeeping and reporting as required and work collaboratively with other LAS attorneys to ensure that efficient and effective legal assistance is provided which maximizes access to LAS services and addresses systemic issues.
Salary Range: $52,497 – $67,077 DOE We are a unionized program with excellent fringe benefits including: Three weeks of paid vacation in year one (four weeks in year two) as well as generous sick and personal leave time available immediately to the employee. Complimentary group term life insurance and long-term disability coverage. Expansive health insurance coverage with most of the premium employer paid. Other benefits include, dental, vision, FSA, an employer contributed retirement plan and many more.
Requirements: Admission to New York State Bar. Two to eight years’ experience. Applicants must demonstrate a strong commitment to helping poor and disadvantaged people overcome institutional barriers to employment, safety, housing, and income supports and the provision of assertive, compassionate victim sensitive trauma informed services to victims of domestic violence. Must be intelligent, hardworking, careful, reliable, have good judgment, attention to detail and a demonstrated commitment and sensitivity to the low-income community. Must be able to communicate effectively with clients and staff, work independently and efficiently and be able to problem solve and work collaboratively with community partner agency staff. Training or experience in community lawyering or community organizing or engagement, demonstrated strong listening and relationship building skills, experience, creativity and willingness to use varied legal and non-legal advocacy tools to advance community identified initiatives preferred. Must be willing to travel throughout the 16 county service area and have a car and a clean valid New York driver’s license. Strong computer, administrative, reporting and data entry skills required. Ability to speak Spanish a plus.
Application Deadline: July 22, 2021
No applications will be accepted without cover letter, resume, references and writing sample. To apply, please go to www.lasnny.org
To apply, please go to www.lasnny.org OR 1) Complete the Application linked here, or the mobile-friendly application linked here 2) Complete the Demographic Survey linked here We are an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer. Women, BIPOC, LGBTQ persons, applicants and recipients of public assistance, the elderly, protected veterans, and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.