The Legal Aid Society’s Civil Practice has experienced and entry-level Staff Attorney positions available citywide in the Housing Justice – Tenant Defense unit. The Tenant Defense handles a broad range of individual and group tenant representation at the trial and appellate levels, including holdovers, nonpayment proceedings, administrative hearings, and affirmative litigation in state and federal courts. The Staff Attorney will also work with tenant associations, tenant organizers, community-based organizations, partner legal services agencies, and pro bono attorneys. The staff attorney will be assigned to a home office but may be asked to staff virtual court shifts and/or accept cases where needed while we continue to experience disruptions to our regular practice systems due to the Covid pandemic.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Client representation and advocacy with city, state, and federal agencies and in court proceedings, administrative hearings, and affirmative litigation
• Conduct regular courthouse-based and off-site intake, including during evening hours
• Provide training, community outreach, and education to individuals, local community-based organizations, and housing advocates
• Policy advocacy including advocacy before legislative, administrative, and judicial bodies to advance the interests of clients
• Represent and promote the work of the office, the Civil Practice, and The Legal Aid Society in the community
• Work collaboratively with other organizations, pro bono lawyers, and partners
• Maintain a full caseload of clients
• Some weekend and night advocacy may be necessary
• Other duties as assigned

Please submit these documents as a single combined PDF when you apply via the LAS (Legal Aid Society) Recruitment Portal.

• Resume
• Cover letter
• Writing Sample

• Admission to New York State Bar, or J.D. (has passed the bar exam or met all  requirements for admission)
• Excellent written, analytical, organizational and oral advocacy skills
• Demonstrated commitment and interest in serving racially and socioeconomically oppressed communities
• Demonstrated commitment to and experience in public interest law and civil legal services
• Ability to work independently, as well as collaboratively, and manage a high volume of cases
• Proficiency in languages other than English is desirable, but not required

SALARY TRANSPARENCY

The posting reflects the range of potential salaries for the role.  The specific salary offers will be dependent on candidate qualifications, including collectively bargained salary steps for unionized roles.

Salary Range: $73,868 to $130,308

SALARY AND BENEFITS

The leadership of The Legal Aid Society believes in attracting and retaining exceptional talent committed to serving our clients. We offer a generous benefits package including health insurance, paid vacation, disability and life insurance, and more. Salaries for our unionized jobs are governed by our Collective Bargaining Agreement. Please visit our Careers page for additional information. Salary and benefits information will be available to applicants, when and if, an offer is made.

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION

The leadership of The Legal Aid Society is committed to a work culture of zealous advocacy, respect, diversity and inclusion, client-oriented defense, access to justice and excellent representation. We are dedicated to building a strong professional relationship with each of our clients, to understanding their diverse circumstances, and to meeting their needs. Our ability to achieve these goals depends on the efforts of all of us.

HOW TO APPLY

All applications must be completed online. We do not accept paper submissions. Please visit our Careers Page to review all current job postings, and instructions on the application process. For technical difficulties or questions regarding this posting, please email

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As an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer, The Legal Aid Society prohibits discriminatory employment actions against and treatment of its employees and applicants for employment based on actual or perceived race or color, size (including bone structure, body size, height, shape, and weight), religion or creed, alienage or citizenship status, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity (one’s internal deeply-held sense of one’s gender which may be the same or different from one’s sex assigned at birth); gender expression (the representation of gender as expressed through, for example, one’s name, choice of pronouns, clothing, haircut, behavior, voice, or body characteristics; gender expression may not conform to traditional gender-based stereotypes assigned to specific gender identities), disability, marital status, relationship and family structure (including domestic partnerships, polyamorous families and individuals, chosen family, platonic co-parents, and multigenerational families), genetic information or predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, arrest or pre-employment conviction record, credit history, unemployment status, caregiver status, salary history, or any other characteristic protected by law.