About NYLAG

Founded in 1990, the New York Legal Assistance Group provides free civil legal services to low-income New Yorkers. The organization serves immigrants, seniors, the homebound, families facing foreclosure, renters facing eviction, low-income consumers, those in need of government assistance, children in need of special education, domestic violence victims, persons with disabilities, patients with chronic illness or disease, low-wage workers, low-income members of the LGBTQ community, Holocaust survivors, and others in need. The organization's annual operating budget is over $27 million. Serving more than 75,000 New Yorkers annually, New York Legal Assistance Group maintains a paid staff of approximately 280, supported by 2,200 pro bono attorneys and other volunteers and interns. For more information, applicants are encouraged to visit www.nylag.org.

Mission

The New York Legal Assistance Group uses the power of the law to help New Yorkers in need combat social and economic injustice. We address emerging and urgent legal needs with comprehensive, free civil legal services, impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community education.

NYLAG's Special Litigation Unit (SLU) brings class-action lawsuits and other impact litigation challenging systemic violations of our clients' rights under federal and state law, to ensure access to public benefits (such as public assistance, food stamps, Medicaid, and home care) and enforce the rights of immigrants, people with disabilities, and consumers. 

Values that guide us

• We reduce the effects of poverty by providing high quality, effective civil legal services. 
• We partner with our clients to help them transform their lives and strengthen their communities.
• We address our clients' multiple legal needs by collaborating across our practice areas.
• We are at the forefront of identifying and understanding New Yorkers' most pressing legal needs, rapidly adapting to meet these needs with innovative programs and partnerships.
• We assess need broadly, recognizing that need is not a function of income alone.
• We collaborate with community organizations and engage pro bono attorneys and volunteers to serve a greater number of people with unmet civil legal needs.
• We achieve systemic change through class actions, impact litigation and by advocating for just laws and policies.
• We work to create a welcoming and inclusive work environment that reflects the communities we serve.
• We teach and train the next generation of legal service professionals.

Job Description:

The SLU Paralegal will assist staff attorneys with existing litigation and litigation that is in development. Current and recent SLU lawsuits include: Colon v. Devos, an action on behalf of student loan borrowers who were defrauded by the for-profit college they attended, the Sanford-Brown Institute, seeking a declaration that their student loans are unenforceable; Josefina S. et. al. v. The City of New York, challenging the failure of the New York City Administration for Children's Services to provide appropriate accommodations to parents with intellectual disabilities; Samele et al. v. Zucker, a class action on behalf of Medicaid home health service recipients challenging the State's and their managed care plan's failure to protect them from reductions in care when the plan closed; Salazar v. Duncan, an action against the U.S. Department of Education on behalf of students eligible for student loan discharges; Colaj v. Roberts, an action on behalf of asylum applicants with work authorization who have been wrongfully denied Safety Net Assistance; and M.W. v. Achievement First Crown Heights, which sought relief for students with disabilities enrolled at a New York City charter school. SLU is also litigating or developing potential litigation in the fields of homeless services, immigration, tenants'rights, veterans' rights, and other issues.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The SLU Paralegal will provide general litigation support, which includes assisting with case research, discovery, and the preparation and filing of litigation documents; interviewing and assisting individual clients; obtaining facts from clients and others about cases; managing case files; non-legal research, writing, and editing tasks; providing administrative support; and responding to new tasks and responsibilities as they arise. The Paralegal will have the opportunity to observe and participate in class action lawsuits in federal and state courts.

The Paralegal will also work on post-settlement aspects of NYLAG cases, including by responding to calls from class members; maintaining and tracking data about class members' inquiries; and, in some cases, advocating for class members in their efforts to enforce their rights under the settlement agreements. 

Qualifications:

Applicants must be college graduates and fluent in Spanish.

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.