Supervising Attorney for Benefits and Housing Law

About the Role

Volunteers of Legal Service (VOLS) seeks an experienced and motivated Supervising Attorney to lead our benefits and housing law work across our projects and partnerships. This role will supervise one Staff Attorney and report to the Legal Director.

Organizational Mission

For 40 years, VOLS has partnered with New York City’s leading law firms and companies as well as community-based organizations to help close the access to justice gap for low-income New Yorkers. VOLS provides free, civil legal services to New Yorkers with limited resources, including seniors, veterans, individuals entitled to public benefits, immigrant youth, children and their families, mothers in prison or jail, and small business owners. Last year, VOLS assisted clients on more than 4,000 legal matters, and our services benefited over 6,200 individual New Yorkers. VOLS’ staff of 21, including 15 attorneys and law graduates, works with volunteers from over 80 law firms/companies to exponentially increase our impact. We partner with 150 community groups to ensure that our services are accessible and address local needs. VOLS strives to build and retain a diverse and inclusive team, and we actively seek a diverse candidate pool. We strongly encourage candidates who have had lived experience in the communities we serve.

VOLS Projects

While the Supervising Attorney for Benefits and Housing Law will work across our projects, they will primarily work in our Benefits Law Project, our Children’s Project, and in our partnership with the Jericho Project.

The VOLS Benefits Law Project (BLP) helps low-income New Yorkers more equitably access essential public benefits to which they are entitled. This project assists with unemployment insurance benefits, Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption (SCRIE)/ Disability Rent Increase Exemption (DRIE) benefits for seniors and disabled adults under the NYC Rent Freeze Program, and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.

The VOLS Children’s Project helps under-resourced families resolve legal problems that may impact a child’s health and ability to succeed in school. Law firms provide legal clinics and workshops to schools and hospitals to provide individual legal services to students and their families. Through this project, volunteer lawyers can resolve housing conditions, impending evictions, loss of income support, access to food stamps and Medicaid, and immigration issues that can cause a great deal of stress and disruption, impacting school performance and health outcomes.

VOLS partners with the Jericho Project’s Rapid Rehousing program that serves young adults ages 18-24 experiencing homelessness or living in shelters. This program helps re-house young adults by providing a variety of financial and social services. VOLS provides legal services to their clients and provides training and technical assistance to the Jericho Project’s staff.

Responsibilities:

· Staff supervision and project management:

o Supervise project staff by providing support and coaching to enhance their skills, knowledge, and professional development.

o Monitor project team duties, schedules, and work output.

o Evaluate staff performance both formally and informally and regularly provide appropriate feedback.

o Monitor intakes, screen matters for pro bono placement and in-house advice and representation.

o Assist with grants management and reporting in coordination with the Legal Director and development team.

· Direct Client Representation:

o Carry a small caseload of advice and full representation matters.

o Conducting client intakes including helpline callbacks and in-person clinics.

o Use LegalServer, our web-based case management system, to maintain data on clients, services, and impact.

o Prepare and draft legal documents, pleadings, motions, briefs, and appeals.

o Conduct legal research and keep current on all applicable law and procedures within their practice.

· Pro bono engagement:

o Develop, manage, and sustain pro bono initiatives, including legal clinics, in collaboration with the Legal Director, Pro Bono Specialist, and VOLS’ pro bono partners.

o Train, and mentor volunteer lawyers on VOLS benefit and housing law matters.

o Design and conduct CLEs and workshops for the pro bono bar in collaboration with the Legal Director, Pro Bono Specialist, and VOLS’ pro bono partners.

· Community Engagement and Advocacy:

o Identify, establish, and maintain relationships with community partners in collaboration with Legal Director.

o Conduct training for community partners and speak on legal panels.

o Represent VOLS at state and local hearings on policies affecting clients.

· Participate in committees and collaborative efforts to benefit the office, as appropriate.

· Performing other duties as assigned by the Legal Director.

Qualifications:

· Juris Doctor and admission in good standing to the New York Bar.

· A minimum of 6 years of experience working in legal services.

· At least 2 years’ experience as a housing attorney providing direct representation to tenants in eviction proceedings and similar settings.

· Demonstrated commitment to social justice, providing high-quality, free legal services to low-income New Yorkers, and promoting volunteerism.

Preferred Qualifications:

· Experience supervising legal staff.

· Experience working with pro bono attorneys.

· Knowledge of public benefits including unemployment insurance, public assistance, Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, SSI, SCRIE, DRIE, and VA benefits, a plus.

· Public speaking experience.

· Bilingual fluency in one of the top five languages spoken in NYC.

This position will be hybrid, with the opportunity to telecommute up to 8 days per month. Local travel to meetings and other events is required to meet programmatic or client needs.

All candidates must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 including a Bivalent vaccine dose or latest 2023–2024 COVID vaccine formula, unless provided a reasonable accommodation pursuant to applicable federal, state and local statutes.

The annual salary range for this position is $85,000 to $95,000 commensurate with experience. VOLS offers an excellent benefits package, including health, life and disability insurance, a retirement plan to which VOLS contributes and the option to contribute to a 403(b) plan. We provide 25 days of paid vacation,12 days of paid sick leave, and 3 personal days annually.

This position will be hybrid, with the opportunity to telecommute up to 8 days per month. Local travel to meetings and other events is required to meet programmatic or client needs.

How to apply:

To apply for the position, please email your cover letter and resume to apply@volsprobono.org with the subject line " Supervising Attorney." Request for writing sample and 3 references to follow. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. No phone or email inquiries, please.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commitment:

VOLS strives to build and maintain a diverse workplace that embraces staff with different backgrounds, identities, and experiences. We seek a diverse applicant pool and particularly welcome and encourage applicants from marginalized communities, including, but not limited to, those who identify as Black, Indigenous, people of color, women, queer, transgender, gender non-conforming, disabled, immigrants, uniformed service, people from low socio-economic backgrounds, and those directly impacted by the legal system.

VOLS is an equal opportunity employer, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion/creed, age, disability, sexual orientation, biological sex, gender identity/expression, family status, military service or any other status protected under the law.