The Legal Aid Society's Civil Practice has an opening for a Staff Attorney in the Rikers Island Civil Re-Entry Project with the Robin Hood Foundation. The Staff Attorney will interview prisoners on Rikers Island who are scheduled to be released shortly and will provide advice and representation to such people, with a concentration on housing, public benefits and family law issues. The primary purpose of the project is to try to stabilize the housing and benefits situations of such clients to enable them to avoid eviction while they are incarcerated and to return to their apartments upon release with a minimum of disruption, so as to enable them to reintegrate into the community and with their families as quickly and with as little disruption as possible. The position will be based in the Bronx Neighborhood Office, and it is anticipated that initial represented cases will be primarily Housing Court matters and administrative hearings.

The Rikers Island Civil Re-Entry Project Staff Attorney will be stationed on Rikers Island three days per week on most weeks. Although intake is primarily conducted on Rikers Island, the staff attorney will be expected to provide representation citywide. The other days will be spent in the office, preparing cases or in court. This allocation of time will remain flexible to accomplish the project goals. This Project is supported with private foundation support, and the attorney will assist with the collection of necessary grant data and the writing of appropriate progress reports. The Staff Attorney will be expected to work on litigation and policy advocacy within the subject matter and to participate in city- and state-wide coalitions and task forces concerning re-entry and reintegration. The Staff Attorney will also be expected to develop and maintain support and relationships with re-entry concerned community-based organizations; conduct community education, training, and outreach; and promote the work of the Project.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

* Client representation in city, state and federal court proceedings, administrative hearings and affirmative litigation
* Training, community outreach, and education to individuals, local community-based organizations, and reentry advocates
* Policy advocacy on behalf of clients
* Coordination and collaborative work with other groups and organizations
* Represent the Civil Practice and The Legal Aid Society in the community
* Conduct community education, training and outreach and promote the work of the office, the Reentry Practice, and the Civil Practice 
* Work with pro bono lawyers
* Conduct off-site intake, including during evening hours

SECONDARY DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

* Other duties as assigned

* Admission to the New York State Bar
* Experience preferred; favorable consideration will be given to attorneys who have familiarity with housing law issues
* Excellent written and oral advocacy skills
* Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a team and manage a high volume of cases
* Demonstrated commitment to and experience with public interest law and civil legal services
* Ability to coordinate and collaborate successfully with other groups and organizations
* Excellent organizational skills
* Proficiency in languages other than English is desirable, but not required

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY 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

You must apply online at the LAS Recruitment Portal. The Legal Aid Society is reducing its carbon footprint and therefore paper applications are not accepted. Only PDF documents will be accepted. If your document is not a PDF, your application will not be processed. Applications submitted without all the required materials will not be processed. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis so applicants are encouraged to apply early.

The Legal Aid Society is an Equal Opportunity Employer -- Women, People of Color, Members of the LGBTQ+ communities, Veterans, and People with Disabilities are encouraged to apply.

For technical difficulties or questions regarding this posting, please email jobpostquestions@legal-aid.org opens an email client application.