What are the responsibilities and job description for the Staff Attorney, Public Benefits Unit position at Neighborhood Legal Services Inc?

Job Description

Summary of Responsibilities :

Neighborhood Legal Services (NLS), the largest provider of civil legal services in western New York, is seeking an attorney to staff a position in the Public Benefits Unit in its Buffalo office. The staff attorney will advocate to ensure that low-income and underserved residents in our community have sufficient income to maintain the essentials of daily living, and that those in need are served by systems that are just, equitable and responsive.

The staff attorney will advocate for individuals who are having difficulty accessing or maintaining health and income maintenance benefits such as temporary (cash) assistance, emergency assistance, temporary housing assistance, and SNAP (formerly Food Stamps).

The staff attorney will provide individual representation and will also identify changes needed in the delivery of outcome supports to create requisite systemic change. The staff attorney will address these challenges through affirmative advocacy, impact litigation, and policy work on behalf of underserved communities including people living with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ community, and people experiencing homelessness.

Responsibilities include case handling, legal research and writing, drafting of administrative and court documents, representation at administrative hearings, and litigation in state and federal courts. The position involves community outreach activities and participation in collaborative efforts with agency partners on public benefits matters.

Essential Responsibilities / Functions :

Provide a spectrum of legal assistance from advice / counsel by phone to affirmative litigation on public benefit issues;
Identify systemic problems that affect our clients’ rights and address these challenges through affirmative advocacy, impact litigation, and policy work;
Collaborate and coordinate with other NLS staff and community partners to assure effective referrals and holistic service delivery;
Conduct community outreach, education and training;
Ensure that all written work product is grammatically correct, carefully edited, well written, and appropriate for its audience;
Develop relationships and engage in collaborations with a range of public and private community partners, including governmental agencies, courts, and community based organizations, to ensure integrative services and address systemic barriers facing our client community;
Demonstrate cultural competency to work with low‐income clients across the spectrum of diversity, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio‐economic status, age, immigrant status, religious identity, physical and mental disabilities, and limited English proficiency;
Develop a substantive knowledge of all areas of law that impact our clients;
Maintain a current knowledge of developments in law, civil procedure, and civil litigation law and strategies; and
Develop a substantive knowledge of the social and economic forces that create poverty and inequality in the United States.

Consistent demonstration of skills, including the following :

Communicate with clients (including groups of clients), co-workers, community partners, opposing counsel, judges and court staff effectively;

Analyze applicable legal issues, perform legal research skills, plan case strategy;

Gather facts, give appropriate advice and referrals, draft all necessary documents, negotiate settlements if appropriate;

Try cases effectively in county, state and / or federal court and administrative hearings;

Address issues in a timely manner;

Organize and maintain appropriate documentation of activities;

Show commitment to bringing justice to low-income WNY residents;

Use computers as needed, including word processing and email;

Demonstrate good judgment, ability to handle stress, and initiative on a consistent basis,

Demonstrate a willingness to work as a team, and an overall positive attitude;

Engage in progressively more complex litigation and show creativity in advocacy;

Maintain contacts with community agencies and local client groups;

Speak to community groups and others and prepare materials for presentation;

Prioritize and implement NLS policies and procedures appropriately;

Follow instructions from a supervisor; and

Other appropriate functions when necessary.

Core Competencies

Strong personal work ethic and ability to organize time, manage diverse activities, and meet critical deadlines with minimal supervision;

Excellent writing, editing, and proof‐reading skills, with ability to be detail‐oriented;

Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to work collaboratively with a dynamic and multi‐sector team;

Curious and self‐directed with an ability to anticipate client and healthcare partner needs;

Cultural humility in working with low‐income clients across the spectrum of diversity, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio‐economic status, immigrant status, religious identity, physical and mental disabilities, and limited English proficiency; and

Familiarity with the diverse communities is a plus.

Qualifications

J.D. and NYS Bar Admission (considered if bar exam passed and admission pending)

Previous experience working with low-income and / or underserved communities preferred

Demonstrated commitment and sensitivity to low-income and underserved communities

Second language fluency preferred

Legal services background, or knowledge of general civil legal work;

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements :

Work in an office environment including working at workstation, attending meetings;

Traveling to meetings and hearings off-site;

Use of computer and other office machines such as fax, photocopiers and telephones; and

Ability to work in the evenings and weekends as required to serve clients.

NLS is an affirmative action / equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply. Employer recruits without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national or ethnic origin, citizenship, ancestry, sex, gender (including identity or expression), sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, or protected veteran status and any such candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

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