SUPERVISING ATTORNEY, COLLATERAL CONSEQUENCES TEAM – CIVIL DEFENSE PRACTICE

THE NEIGHBORHOOD DEFENDER SERVICE OF HARLEM, INC. (NDS)

is a community-based, client-centered, holistic public defense office located in Harlem, providing criminal, civil, immigration and family court representation to residents of Northern Manhattan and The Bronx who cannot afford to hire a lawyer. NDS clients are represented by multidisciplinary teams including attorneys, advocates, and social workers from across practices. NDS seeks to hire an experienced attorney to be a supervisor for our Collateral Consequences Team.

OVERVIEW

The Collateral Consequences Team (CCT), one of the teams comprising the Civil Defense Practice, plays an integral role in the fulfillment of NDS’s holistic mission. CCT represents clients facing the collateral consequences that stem from contact with those systems. We provide services in eviction prevention, employment matters, asset forfeiture proceedings, public benefits hearings, and civil rights in order to prevent and mitigate collateral consequences and provide essentials of life stability for clients, their family members, and the residents of Northern Manhattan. The Supervising Attorney is responsible for supervising all aspects of CCT’s work and ensuring the delivery of high quality, client-centered representation.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Supervise attorney and non-attorney advocates in providing excellent, client-centered representation to low- and no-income clients facing collateral consequences of contact with the criminal legal and family regulatory systems;
• Promote professional development of staff members through regular case reviews, litigation support, trainings, evaluations, and mentorship;
• Handle modest caseload, including full representation in court cases in New York and Bronx counties, providing representation to clients in an array of collateral civil consequences;
• Represent NDS at Coalition meetings and community-based initiatives to decrease the effects of various collateral consequences; and,
• Embrace NDS’ philosophy of client-centered, community-based, holistic representation and commitment to excellence.

QUALIFICATIONS The ideal candidate will bring:

• A demonstrated commitment to social justice issues and experience working with individuals of diverse backgrounds;
• J.D. Degree and admission to practice law in New York State or eligible for admission;
• At least three years of experience providing direct civil legal services;
• Familiarity with various forms of civil litigation, including but not limited to, administrative hearings, civil court proceedings, and Article 78 petitions;
• Possess knowledge of and/or willingness to learn about the criminal legal and/or family regulatory systems and their intersection with civil issues;
• Excellent organizational and communication skills;
• Demonstrated leadership capabilities;
• Must be able to travel throughout New York City to the various courts, administrative agencies and to client appointments;*
• Foreign language fluency, particularly Spanish, is highly desirable
• Please note that NDS staff are required to work in-person two days per week.

COMPENSATION

Compensation is commensurate with experience and is in adherence to the NDS compensation scale. For this position, the salary range for 3-15 years of experience is $100,990.25 - $141,996.19. Full medical and dental benefits, as well as other benefits, are provided.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested applicants should submit a cover letter and resume in a single PDF through NDS’s website at neighborhooddefender.org/careers by November 15th.

Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

Candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At NDS we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

The Neighborhood Defender Service is committed to creating a diverse environment that reflects the community we serve. NDS is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. NDS encourages people with incarcerated loved ones, formerly incarcerated people, people of color, women, queer, transgender, gender non-conforming, and gender fluid people to apply.

Full medical and dental benefits, as well as other benefits, are provided.