The Legal Aid Society's Civil Practice Law Reform Unit is seeking an experienced, creative, and energetic lawyer for an available Staff Attorney position in the Public Benefits practice. This position, in collaboration with a small team, is responsible for protecting and expanding the rights of vulnerable New Yorkers to access federal, state, and local public benefits programs. More specifically, the Staff Attorney will be focusing on systemic reforms through a range of affirmative work, including but not limited to representation of individual clients, organizations, groups and classes; legislative and press advocacy; community education and coalition building; and consulting and technical assistance for Legal Aid staff, other community, and legal service providers.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

• File and litigate cases to address systemic benefit-related issues in City, State and federal court, represent clients in select administrative hearings, and advocate with local, State, and federal agencies
• Train Legal Aid staff, and staff in other organizations about public benefits issues; engage in community outreach and education to individuals, local community-based organizations, and advocates; develop and produce training materials
• Conduct policy advocacy on behalf of clients before the New York City Council and State Legislature, including the regular drafting and submission of testimony before various bodies of government and meetings with elected representatives and staff
• Coordinate and collaborate with practices and units at Legal Aid, other legal assistance organizations, community groups, and organizations, and people with lived experience on a dynamic and wide range of advocacy strategies to promote the interests and rights of vulnerable New Yorkers
• Work with pro bono lawyers on multiple long-term affirmative litigation matters in varying stages of litigation, including years-long monitoring and enforcement
• An important focus will be the intersection of public benefits and housing, as well as issues involving immigrants and persons with disabilities
• Collaborate regularly with Communications on press releases and media strategy to promote overall advocacy
• Collaborate with LAS Development and Grant and Contracts as needed
• Other duties as assigned, including to meet needs of the Law Reform Unit

• Admission to the New York State Bar
• Three plus years of experience
• Excellent written and oral advocacy skills are required, including public speaking ability
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team and manage a high volume of cases, projects, meetings, and regularly shifting obligations
• Ability to coordinate and collaborate successfully with other groups and organizations, as well as foster constructive working relationships with colleagues and fellow advocates, particularly in the context of complex bureaucracies and in the face of conflict
• Excellent organizational skills
• Ability to work with pro bono lawyers
• Experience in public benefits work is desirable but not required
• Proficiency in Spanish is desirable but not required

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: $81,425 - $143,640

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.

• Resume
• Cover letter
• Writing Sample