About NYLAG
Founded in 1990, the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) is a leading not-for-profit civil legal services organization advocating for adults, children, and families that are experiencing poverty or have low income. We tackle the legal challenges and systematic barriers that threaten our clients’ economic stability, well-being, and safety. We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion and constantly improving how we respond to systemic issues of racism that affect our clients in their pursuit of justice. We address emerging and urgent needs with comprehensive, free civil legal services, direct representation, impact litigation, policy advocacy, financial counseling, medical-legal partnerships, and community education and partnerships. Last year, we affected the lives of 90,800 people.
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.
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:
NYLAG has an immediate opening for a Temporary Staff Attorney in the Consumer Protection Unit (CPU). CPU represents clients in a full range of consumer rights matters by helping low-income individuals fight fraud, predatory lending, and illegal debt collection practices. In addition, NYLAG advocates for clients who face possibly devastating income loss due to civil court judgments; defaulted student loans from predatory for-profit schools; sub-prime loan conditions; and lending scams targeting historically poor, limited English proficient, and/or immigrant communities. CPU staff work not only to resolve the immediate problem, but also to ensure long-term security for victims and their families.
Duties and Responsibilities:
The Staff Attorney role will be dynamic role that will focus on and handle a wide range of consumer debt issues that are handled by CPU. The Staff Attorney will staff the Consumer Debt Volunteer Lawyer for the Day Program (VLFD), in the Bronx, Staten Island, or Queens a few days per week. VLFD is a limited representation court-based program, wherein attorneys and other volunteers represent debtor defendants in court for that day/appearance only. The Staff Attorney will handle and/or provide advice on cases relating to all aspects of consumer debt, which includes issues relating to federal student loans, private student loans, auto loans, and bankruptcy. Finally, the Staff Attorney role will also include providing legal advocacy for clients in the restructuring, refinancing, and settling of taxi medallion loan debt. The Staff Attorney will be expected to manage multiple projects at once, attend court at least once a week, and work in close collaboration with NYLAG CPU staff and NYLAG partners.
Qualifications:
NYLAG seeks a highly motivated attorney admitted to the NYS Bar with a demonstrated commitment to public interest law. Applicants must have excellent communication, advocacy, research, and writing skills; perform well under pressure, have excellent time management skills, and be quick learners. Successful applicants will take direction and constructive feedback well, be flexible with schedule changes when they arise, and have a strong interest in litigation and be comfortable appearing in court. Civil legal services experience, especially in the area of consumer law, is highly preferred.
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.
Employment type:
☒ Full-time
☒ Temporary
Professional Level:
☒ Professional
Salary:
Salary range is $71,576-$84,810 and is commensurate with experience.
Benefits: Excellent benefits. |