Staff Attorney, Shelter and Economic Stability Project

About NYLAG:

Founded in 1990, NYLAG is a leading civil legal services organization combatting economic, racial, and social injustice by advocating for people experiencing poverty or in crisis. Our services include comprehensive, free civil legal services, financial empowerment, impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community partnerships. NYLAG exists because wealth should not determine who has access to justice. We aim to disrupt systemic racism by serving individuals and families whose legal and financial crises are often rooted in racial inequality. NYLAG goes to where the need is, providing services in more than 150 community sites (e.g. courts, hospitals, libraries) and on our Mobile Legal Help Center. During COVID-19, most of our services were virtual to keep our community safe. NYLAG’s staff of 380 impacted the lives of nearly 129,000 people last year.

Job description

NYLAG has an immediate opening for a staff attorney who will work jointly in the Public Benefits Unit (PBU) focusing on access to homeless shelter, cash public assistance and food stamps. The PBU Shelter and Economic Stability Project represents clients seeking to obtain or maintain shelter and/or benefits from the NYC Department of Social Services, including the Human Resources Administration and the Department of Homeless Services. The attorney will work with the Shelter and Economic Stability Project to provide community-based services to clients engaging with the New York City shelter system including expanding outreach efforts, community intake and advice, and representation of clients experiencing homelessness or lacking access to critical benefits. Applicants should demonstrate a commitment to direct service work and have strong writing, oral advocacy, and client communication skills.

Duties and Responsibilities

This attorney’s primary responsibilities include:

• Intake and represent individual clients experiencing homelessness or lacking access to critical benefits in obtaining appropriate shelter and public benefits
• Engage in policy work to influence City and State-level laws, regulations, policies and practices regarding homelessness, shelter, and public benefits
• Create and engage in impact litigation regarding laws, regulations, policies and practices regarding homelessness, shelter, and public benefits
• Training community partners on issues regarding homelessness, shelter, and public benefits
• Know your rights trainings for clients and potential clients
• Practice principles of cultural humility and client-centered lawyering
• Train and manage clinic students, volunteers, and interns, as needed
• Track, draft, and generate reports for grant management, as needed
• Interact with a diverse client population in a sensitive and professional manner
• Work with and mentor pro bono attorneys, volunteers, and law students working with NYLAG;
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Admission to New York Bar or passage of a recent NY Bar Exam or equivalent is preferred; individuals with a JD who will be sitting for the July 2024 bar exam will be considered
• 1 to 3 years of civil legal services, clinical, fellowship, and/or clerkship experience preferred. 
• Demonstrated interest in social justice.
• Ability to work in and value a collaborative team model.
• Fluency in Spanish preferred.
• Experience working with diverse populations.
• Demonstrated ability to handle escalated client situations
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative and work independently
• Excellent written, oral and analytical skills

NYLAG’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

NYLAG is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, immigrants, veterans, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people, and those with lived experiences in the communities we serve are strongly encouraged to apply.

Employment type:

• Full-time

Professional Level:

• Entry Level
• Professional

Salary Range: NYLAG is a unionized workplace, and salaries are set pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement. The current salary range for this position is between $77,079 and $81,675.

Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, 401k, life insurance, long term disability, commuter benefits, flexible spending accounts (FSA) for Medical and Dependent care.

Application Instructions: Please save resume and cover letter on one pdf.

Covid Vaccination Policy: Please note, to safeguard the health and well-being of our employees and clients, NYLAG requires all employees to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, unless a medical or religious exemption is approved.

NYLAG is committed to a hybrid work policy for staff whose work does not require their full-time presence in the office. NYLAG’s current policy is that most staff are required to work in NYLAG’s offices or do other in-person work at least two days each week. This policy is subject to change.