Neighborhood Legal Services, Inc. is seeking to hire two attorneys to join our Medical Legal Partnership (MLP), a cutting edge model of legal service delivery spanning all of Neighborhood Legal Services' substantive practice areas through a lens of individual and public health. Neighborhood Legal Services has partnered with a local community healthcare provider to deliver wraparound civil legal services to underserved communities. The goals of our MLP work are improving health outcomes, stabilizing low-income individuals and families, and reducing the negative impacts of poverty. The attorneys selected for this position will have the unique opportunity to gain experience and provide representation across multiple practice areas.
As a Neighborhood Legal Services Attorney you will have the opportunity to do the following:
- Gain broad experience and training in a range of civil legal substantive areas and legal strategies including advocacy on behalf of underserved communities including LGBTQ individuals;
- Provide a spectrum of legal assistance from advice/counsel by phone to full representation in a wide range of civil legal matters;
- Identify systemic problems that affect our clients' rights and address these challenges through affirmative advocacy, impact litigation, and policy work;
- Collaborate and coordinate with healthcare partners to assure effective referrals and holistic service delivery;
- Conduct community outreach, education and training; and
- Develop relationships and engage in collaborations with a range of public and private community partners, including governmental agencies, courts, and community based organizations, to ensure integrative services and address systemic barriers facing our client community; and
- Work with persons experiencing family or intimate partner violence in addressing their civil legal needs.
Core Competencies:
- Strong personal work ethic and ability to organize time, manage diverse activities, and meet critical deadlines with minimal supervision;
- Excellent writing, editing, and proof-reading skills, with ability to be detail-oriented;
- Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to work collaboratively with a dynamic and multi-sector team;
- Curious and self-directed with an ability to anticipate client and healthcare partner needs;
- Cultural humility in working with low-income clients across the spectrum of diversity, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, immigrant status, religious identity, physical and mental disabilities, and limited English proficiency; and
- Familiarity with the diverse communities is a plus.
Qualifications:
- J.D. and New York State Bar Membership (may be pending)
- Previous experience working with low-income and/or underserved communities preferred
- Second language fluency preferred
- Experience working at a legal services nonprofit or providing pro bono assistance preferred
Applications: Neighborhood Legal Services is committed to building a culturally diverse workplace and strongly encourage women, persons of color, LGBTQ individuals, veterans, persons with disabilities, and persons from other underrepresented groups to apply. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the positions are filled. Please send (1) cover letter, (2) resume, (3) references, and (4) writing sample to: sfudala@nls.org Be sure to refer to the posting "Social Justice Attorney- MLP" in the title of your email; or mail to: Sandra Fudala, Neighborhood Legal Services, 237 Main Street, Suite 400, Buffalo, New York 14203.
Salary & Benefits:
- Competitive starting salary of $52,000
- Excellent Benefits including health insurance and generous leave time.
- An opportunity to work on the cutting edge of legal services innovation and growth
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