About NYLAG
Founded in 1990, NYLAG is a leading civil legal services organization combatting economic, racial, and social injustice by advocating for people experiencing poverty or in crisis. Our services include comprehensive, free civil legal services, financial empowerment, impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community partnerships. NYLAG exists because wealth should not determine who has access to justice. We aim to disrupt systemic racism by serving individuals and families whose legal and financial crises are often rooted in racial inequality. NYLAG goes to where the need is, providing services in more than 150 community sites (e.g. courts, hospitals, libraries) and on our Mobile Legal Help Center. During COVID-19, most of our services are virtual to keep our community safe. NYLAG’s staff of 300 impacted the lives of nearly 90,000 people last year.
Job Description:
LGBTQ Law Project
The LGBTQ Law Project of the New York Legal Assistance Group seeks an experienced fulltime attorney to join our team. The LGBTQ Law Project serves New York City’s low-income lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) communities by providing free representation and advice on a wide array of civil legal matters, including legal name and gender marker changes, immigration (including removal defense), family law matters (orders of protection, custody and visitation, divorce, and adoption), housing and employment discrimination, wills and advance directives and access to gender affirming healthcare. We engage with community partners to provide legal services in community settings throughout the five boroughs. The LGBTQ Law Project also provides educational outreach on issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community and engages in systemic advocacy efforts to reform city, state and federal policies to ensure that LGBTQ+ New Yorkers have equal access to critical services, benefits and legal protections.
Duties and Responsibilities:
The Staff Attorney will provide direct representation to LGBTQ+ clients in civil legal matters including legal name and gender marker changes, immigration, housing and employment discrimination, family law matters, wills and advance directives, and gender affirming healthcare. Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to representing clients in civil courts (state and federal) and administrative hearings, researching and drafting educational materials, conducting in person and telephone intake and follow-up, and managing a full caseload. The Staff Attorney will contribute to the LGBTQ Law Project’s community outreach and education efforts through presentations and will work with Project Director to establish and maintain relationships with community partners. The Staff Attorney will participate in systemic advocacy work on issues that directly impact LGBTQ+ New Yorkers. Additional duties may be assigned to meet the changing needs of the LGBTQ+ community.
Qualifications:
- J.D. degree and admission or pending admission to New York State Bar is required;
- Fluency in Spanish is preferred;
- Civil legal services, clinical, fellowship, and/or clerkship experience preferred;
- Demonstrated commitment to the LGBTQ+ community and knowledge of the complex and systemic issues faced by our clients;
- Ability to work in and value a collaborative team model;
- Ability to juggle a variety of tasks and roles often under time pressure;
- Ability to collaborate successfully with other groups and organizations;
- Excellent written, oral and analytical skills;
- Communicate effectively with clients, community organizations, attorneys, the judiciary and the public;
- Experience working with diverse communities and clients who are survivors of trauma.
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
Professional Level:
☒ Professional
Salary: NYLAG is a unionized workplace, and salaries are set pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement. The current salary range for this position is $73,046 - $74,574.
Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, 401k, life insurance, long term disability, commuter benefits, flexible spending accounts (FSA) for Medical and Dependent care.
Application Instructions: Please save resume and cover letter on one pdf.
Covid Vaccination Policy:Please note, to safeguard the health and well-being of our employees and clients, NYLAG requires all employees to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, unless a medical or religious exemption is approved.
NYLAG is committed to a hybrid work policy for staff whose work does not require their full-time presence in the office. NYLAG’s current policy is that most staff are required to work in NYLAG’s offices or do other in-person work at least two days each week. This policy is subject to change. |