Coordinating Attorney, Economic Justice Law School Clinic Instructor
New York, NY
Full Time
Public Benefits Unit
Mid Level
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 370 impacted the lives of nearly 129,000 people last year.
Job description
NYLAG’s Public Benefits Unit (PBU) seeks a highly motivated attorney to be a coordinating attorney in the Public Assistance, SNAP, and Shelter Advocacy Practice. PBU specializes in helping clients obtain and maintain government issued public benefits including free health insurance, veterans' benefits, disability benefits, cash public assistance and food stamps, and homeless shelters. The PA/SNAP/Shelter Advocacy Practice represents clients seeking to obtain or maintain benefits specifically from the NYC Department of Social Services, including the Human Resources Administration and the Department of Homeless Services.
The Coordinating Attorney will teach NYLAG’s Economic Justice Clinic to St. John’s University School of Law students. NYLAG and St. John’s have partnered on this legal clinic for 14 years. Over the course of two semesters, St. John’s law students attend weekly 2-hour seminars at NYLAG and represent individual clients. The Coordinating Attorney will plan and teach seminars and will supervise 6-10 law school students who handle individual cases (which includes tracking case assignments, monitoring caseloads and all substantive legal work and meeting weekly with each student). The Coordinating Attorney will also maintain an independent caseload. Applicants must have demonstrated ability to mentor staff, a strong commitment to public service and have strong writing and oral advocacy skills. The Coordinating Attorney will report to the Supervising Attorney of the PA/SNAP/Shelter Advocacy Practice.
Duties and Responsibilities
Qualifications
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:
☒ 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 $89,392 - $98,003.
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.
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 370 impacted the lives of nearly 129,000 people last year.
Job description
NYLAG’s Public Benefits Unit (PBU) seeks a highly motivated attorney to be a coordinating attorney in the Public Assistance, SNAP, and Shelter Advocacy Practice. PBU specializes in helping clients obtain and maintain government issued public benefits including free health insurance, veterans' benefits, disability benefits, cash public assistance and food stamps, and homeless shelters. The PA/SNAP/Shelter Advocacy Practice represents clients seeking to obtain or maintain benefits specifically from the NYC Department of Social Services, including the Human Resources Administration and the Department of Homeless Services.
The Coordinating Attorney will teach NYLAG’s Economic Justice Clinic to St. John’s University School of Law students. NYLAG and St. John’s have partnered on this legal clinic for 14 years. Over the course of two semesters, St. John’s law students attend weekly 2-hour seminars at NYLAG and represent individual clients. The Coordinating Attorney will plan and teach seminars and will supervise 6-10 law school students who handle individual cases (which includes tracking case assignments, monitoring caseloads and all substantive legal work and meeting weekly with each student). The Coordinating Attorney will also maintain an independent caseload. Applicants must have demonstrated ability to mentor staff, a strong commitment to public service and have strong writing and oral advocacy skills. The Coordinating Attorney will report to the Supervising Attorney of the PA/SNAP/Shelter Advocacy Practice.
NYLAG will consider a reduced schedule (.8 FTE) for candidates with skills and experience that would allow them to meet job responsibilities with a reduced workweek.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Clinical Teaching/Supervision duties
- Create content to teach to law students about public assistance, SNAP and shelter access
- Supervise students handling public assistance, SNAP, and shelter access cases
- Track student case assignments and monitor caseloads
- Ensure maintenance of student case files and accurate timekeeping
- Staff Attorney duties:
- 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 in issues regarding homelessness, shelter, and public benefits
- Conducting Know Your Rights trainings for clients and potential clients
- Provide trainings to other NYLAG units and external partners on PA/SNAP/shelter topics
- Data entry and grant reporting
- Other duties as assigned
Qualifications
- Juris Doctorate and admission to the NYS bar required
- Minimum of five years of legal experience working in the area of free civil legal services, preferably in the area of public benefits
- Experience in supervision or mentorship and training required
- Demonstrated patience, empathy, persistence, and openness in delivering client services
- Ability to work effectively as a team
- Excellent writing, speaking, and organizational skills
- Demonstrated commitment to advancing equity, internally (as a team member) and externally (on behalf of clients)
- Creative, proactive problem-solving skills and ability to pivot and reprioritize based on immediate need
- Excellent people and client counseling skills, preferably with experience in a high-volume legal services context
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:
☒ 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 $89,392 - $98,003.
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.
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