Staff Attorney, Housing Group Advocacy (Citywide) - New York, NY

The Legal Aid Society's Civil Practice is seeking a Staff Attorney for the Housing Group Advocacy Project in neighborhood offices across the boroughs. The Housing Group Advocacy Project is an anti-displacement and tenant protection project focusing on supporting New York City communities facing rapid gentrification in the five boroughs of New York City.

The Staff Attorney will work with tenant associations, community-based organizations, government officials, and pro bono attorneys to help stabilize client communities by preventing the harassment and displacement of tenants, assisting tenants obtain repairs and essential services, and otherwise enforce and expand tenant rights. The Staff Attorney may be required to work in more than one community or borough depending on changing client needs and priorities; is required to handle tenant and community group representation, bring affirmative litigation to enforce tenant or housing rights; work with community or housing organizers; and conduct regular intake at community-based organizations, Housing Court, or other designated sites.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Represent clients in city, state and federal court proceedings, administrative hearings, and affirmative litigation
• Provide representation and advocacy with local, state, and federal agencies
• Provide training, community outreach and education to individuals, local community-based organizations, and housing advocates including during evenings and weekends
• Provide assistance and/or representation to tenants looking to form low-income, limited-equity HDFC coops, land trusts, or mutual housing associations
• Provide corporate governance assistance and/or representation to low-income limited-equity HDFC coops, land trusts, and/or mutual housing associations
• Conduct policy advocacy on behalf of clients
• Coordinate and collaborate with other groups and organizations
• Assist in organizing, expanding, and maintaining tenant associations, block associations, resident groups, and other housing groups
• Represent the Civil Practice and The Legal Aid Society in the community
• Promote the work of the office, the Housing Law Practice, and the Civil Practice
• Work with pro bono lawyers and partner organizations
• Conduct off-site intake, meetings, Know Your Rights sessions, and other community events during evening and weekend hours
• Other duties as assigned

• Admission to the New York State Bar or law grads eligible to practice law pursuant to N.Y. Judiciary Law * 478 and 484 required
• Excellent written and oral advocacy skills
• Excellent organizational skills
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a team and manage a high volume of cases
• Experience with or interest in housing and housing related issues faced by NYC low-income communities and one of the following:
  
  
  
  • past work in a housing practice either as an attorney or paralegal
  • successful completion of a housing clinic
  • past experience doing organizing or working in social services or in government as a constituent services staffer
  
  
  
  
• 
  
  
  
  • must have 3+ years of litigation experience, if no relevant organizing/housing experience
  
  
  
  
• Demonstrated commitment to and experience in public interest law and civil legal services
• Ability to coordinate and collaborate successfully with other groups and organizations
• Proficiency in languages other than English is highly desirable

SALARY TRANSPARENCY

The posting reflects the range of potential salaries for the role. The specific salary offers will be dependent on candidate qualifications, including collectively bargained salary steps for unionized roles.

Salary Range/Salary: $83,844 - $147,907

SALARY AND BENEFITS

The leadership of The Legal Aid Society believes in attracting and retaining exceptional talent committed to serving our clients. We offer a generous benefits package including health insurance, paid vacation, disability, and life insurance, and more. Salaries for our unionized jobs are governed by our Collective Bargaining Agreement. Please visit our Careers page for additional information. Salary and benefits information will be available to applicants, when and if an offer is made.

Click here to read more about the benefits of working at The Legal Aid Society

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

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

The leadership of 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, to understanding their diverse circumstances, and to meeting their needs. Our ability to achieve these goals depends on the efforts of all of us.

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. We do not accept paper submissions. Please visit our Careers Page to review all current job postings, and instructions on the application process. For technical difficulties or questions regarding this posting, please email jobpostquestions@legal-aid.org.

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.

Please submit these documents as a single combined PDF when you apply via the LAS (Legal Aid Society) Recruitment Portal.

• Cover letter
• Resume
• Writing sample