POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT (September 2019)
LEGAL SERVICES ATTORNEY POSITION IN ROCHESTER,
NEW YORK
The Legal
Assistance of Western New York (LawNY) Rochester Office has an immediate
opening for a Staff Attorney at its office located in downtown Rochester. LawNY is funded in part by the Legal
Services Corporation and provides free legal services to low-income families
and individuals. The Rochester Office's
primary practice areas are civil rights, housing, public benefits, health law,
employment, and elder law. Our 40 member
staff includes attorneys, paralegals, and a legal support team who work closely
across areas of specialization to bring a holistic approach to addressing law
related issues affecting our clients and community.
The attorney
will be assigned to the Rochester Office's Eviction Prevention Team. The
Eviction Prevention Team focuses on helping low-income people maintain their
housing, housing subsidies and income supports such as public benefits, medical
coverage, child care, and emergency assistance.
The position requires frequent interaction and relationship building
with grassroots groups, community organizations, and social agencies. The attorney will utilize administrative
hearing forums and the court system to challenge evictions, wrongful public
benefit determinations and illegal practices. Working with other LawNY staff
members and the community, the attorney will develop strategies, including
affirmative litigation, to address systemic problems that adversely impact
low-income people. The attorney must
have the caring, patience, and emotional maturity to help low-income people
overcome crisis situations.
Program: LawNY is a not-for-profit law firm which provides civil legal services to low income
clients in a fourteen-county region in western New York State. LawNY staff
work in a cooperative environment and all staff members are expected to assist
other staff members to achieve the general purposes of our program.
Requirements: Admission to the New York State Bar is preferred. Law school graduates
who have taken the first available New York State bar examination following
completion of law school may qualify for a practice order pending admission to
the New York State bar pursuant to the LawNY practice order. Attorneys
admitted in another jurisdiction may qualify for a practice order for up to
eighteen months pursuant to a court rule. Applicants must have excellent legal
advocacy and writing skills, and must be able to communicate effectively with
people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
Most importantly, applicants must demonstrate strong commitment to
helping low-income and disadvantaged people overcome barriers to housing, and
medical and income supports. Preference
will be given to candidates who are bilingual in Spanish and English.
Salary/Fringe Benefits: Salary is dependent upon experience. The candidate will be placed on
the LawNY salary scale based upon their level of relevant experience. The
salary for admitted attorneys with three years of experience is $53,000 per
year. Fringe benefits include health,
dental, life insurance, short and long-term disability and generous leave time.
The position is available immediately and will remain open until filled.
Procedure: Applicants should submit a cover letter
describing qualifications, resume, and the name and contact information of (3)
references by October 4, 2019 to ensure full consideration. Applications will
be accepted beyond that date until the position is filled. Applications should be addressed to the
attention of Lori O'Brien, Deputy Director, and sent by e-mail to
lawnyapplications@lawny.org. Candidates can also apply via Indeed.com.
Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc. (LawNY) is an equal
opportunity employer. LawNY encourages applications from diverse candidates.
LawNY welcomes applications regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender
identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability,
genetic information or any other consideration protected by law. |