Director
New York, NY
Full Time
Domestic Violence Law Unit
Senior Manager/Supervisor
About NYLAG:
Founded in 1990, NYLAG is a leading civil legal services organization combating 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 129,000 people last year.
Job description
New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) seeks a full-time director for its Domestic Violence Law Unit (DVLU), an interdisciplinary team of attorneys and paralegals advocating on behalf of survivors of intimate partner violence and sexual assault in New York City. DVLU provides safety planning, advocacy, advice, and representation to survivors in matrimonial and family law matters (including order of protection, custody/visitation, contested divorce, uncontested divorce, child/spousal support proceedings, and related appellate proceedings), and domestic violence based immigration applications (including VAWA self-petitions, battered spouse waivers, U visa, T visas, adjustment of status, and related applications). DVLU believes that access to trauma-informed, client-centered representation is crucial for our clients’ paths towards self-determination, safety, and security, and we are seeking a leader that shares and role models these values.
The Director must be a skilled and dynamic leader. They will be responsible for the overall unit operations, providing legal and programmatic oversight to DVLU and engaging with communities and other stakeholders to ensure services responsive to community need. The job requires substantive knowledge and experience in all of the areas of law that DVLU practices, complex litigation, supervising staff, working in a unionized environment, and managing grants and programs.
The Director will report to a Vice President.
Duties and Responsibilities
Qualifications
In addition, successful candidates will:
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:
Managerial
Salary Range: The current salary range for this position is between $123,000- $138,580 (commensurate with experience).
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 in 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 combating 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 129,000 people last year.
Job description
New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) seeks a full-time director for its Domestic Violence Law Unit (DVLU), an interdisciplinary team of attorneys and paralegals advocating on behalf of survivors of intimate partner violence and sexual assault in New York City. DVLU provides safety planning, advocacy, advice, and representation to survivors in matrimonial and family law matters (including order of protection, custody/visitation, contested divorce, uncontested divorce, child/spousal support proceedings, and related appellate proceedings), and domestic violence based immigration applications (including VAWA self-petitions, battered spouse waivers, U visa, T visas, adjustment of status, and related applications). DVLU believes that access to trauma-informed, client-centered representation is crucial for our clients’ paths towards self-determination, safety, and security, and we are seeking a leader that shares and role models these values.
The Director must be a skilled and dynamic leader. They will be responsible for the overall unit operations, providing legal and programmatic oversight to DVLU and engaging with communities and other stakeholders to ensure services responsive to community need. The job requires substantive knowledge and experience in all of the areas of law that DVLU practices, complex litigation, supervising staff, working in a unionized environment, and managing grants and programs.
The Director will report to a Vice President.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Provide legal and programmatic oversight to the DVLU team, a staff of 16, as well as law students participating in DVLU’s clinic program;
- Develop and manage unit priorities, develop long-term strategies, manage unit growth, identify and respond to programmatic issues, develop trainings protocols, and policies, and other responsibilities as needed to ensure we are able to fulfill DVLU’s mission and strengthen an internal workplace in which our staff feel supported and are able to thrive;
- Work collaboratively within DVLU and NYLAG to develop creative, responsive, and community informed programming;
- Oversee onboarding structure, and support the professional growth of DVLU staff through ongoing training and other opportunities;
- Serve as a leader, internally and externally, in centering survivor’s voices and experiences in public discourse and programming, and advocating for policies and practices that advance survivor justice;
- Develop and manage relationships with communities, community-based organizations, the judiciary, stakeholders, and funders;
- Participate in conferences, meetings, taskforces, and trainings both internally and externally as needed to further the work of DVLU;
- Collaborate with finance and development teams to manage funding, grants, and budgets;
- Work in partnership with NYLAG’s Pro Bono & Volunteer Unit to further develop pro bono opportunities and trainings, to expand access to services for communities;
- Serve as an internal resource to other NYLAG Units on issues related to domestic violence, trauma-informed services, family law, and domestic violence-based immigration work;
- Other duties as needed.
Qualifications
- Member in good standing of the New York Bar is required.
- At least eight years’ experience as an attorney, at least five of which should include working with survivors of domestic violence practicing family and/or matrimonial law. Individuals who have experience practicing family appellate law and/or domestic violence-based immigration law will be strongly considered.
- Demonstrates understanding and commitment to providing client-centered, trauma-informed services, and providing support for vicarious trauma faced by staff engaged in this work.
- Dedication to advancing survivor's rights, race equity, and social justice issues.
- Demonstrates and supports a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion.
- Experience managing projects and grants and supervising teams.
- Excellent communication skills.
- Highly organized and able to juggle multiple priorities.
In addition, successful candidates will:
- Demonstrate commitment to active mentorship of staff and effective team-building.
- Demonstrate ability to cultivate and develop inclusive and equitable working relationships with staff, clients, and community members.
- Model collaborative engagement, transparent communication, and conflict-resolution.
- Embrace creative, proactive problem-solving skills, and persistence to achieving justice for survivors.
- Embrace incorporating perspectives of communities, community-based organizations, and stakeholders in identifying programmatic goals and priorities.
- Demonstrate strong program/project management skills, including efficiently leveraging resources to strengthen our collective capacity to do our work.
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:
Managerial
Salary Range: The current salary range for this position is between $123,000- $138,580 (commensurate with experience).
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 in 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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