About CELJ:
Center for Elder Law & Justice (CELJ) is a civil legal services organization fighting for justice, primarily for low-income older adults, in 10 counties in Western New York. Our attorneys stop illegal evictions, save clients homes from foreclosure, put a stop to elder domestic violence, fight for public benefits, work with our local immigrant & refugee populations, and represent grandparents and other kinship care relatives in custody and neglect petitions in family court. We also advocate for systems-wide policy changes, commenting frequently on changes to regulations and working with local elected leaders on legislation that will impact the poor and vulnerable older adults in our area. We believe that independence and dignity are the hallmarks of justice.
Job Description:
CELJ is looking to strengthen our long-standing MedLaw Partnership, integrate legal and social services into health care settings, and increase the number of LGBTQI+ individuals receiving services. Faced with a history of discrimination, many LGBTQI+ older adults find themselves disproportionally affected by poverty, housing insecurity, lack of access to culturally competent health care services and social isolation.
To combat these realities, CELJ created its Aging with Pride program, a civil legal services initiative for older LGBTQI+ adults. Through this program, CELJ provides targeted outreach, tailored educational content and programming, and full-service representation in some of the following areas: advance planning (Power of Attorney, Health Care Proxy, and Last Will & Testament documents); name and gender marker changes; discrimination complaint advice; and long-term care resident advocacy.
The staff attorney will direct civil legal services to LGBTQI+ clients, with practice areas including housing, consumer, substituted decision making matters, elder law, public benefits, and more. They will consult and train medical providers to identify common legal issues, and develop collaborative working relationships with key hospital administrators, physicians, nurses and medical staff. The Staff Attorney will also work closely with health care providers and general counsel to address complex and intractable problems facing hospital patients.
Preferred Qualifications:
· Admitted to practice in NYS
· 2-5 years legal experience preferred
· Self-starter; self-motivated
· Must enjoy a fast-paced environment
· Able to handle multiple tasks
· Must be comfortable in a hospital setting
· This is not a traditional desk job; required to meet with patients bedside in healthcare facilities
· Program development experience preferred
· Communication and interpersonal skills required – must be comfortable collaborating with multidisciplinary staff
· Public speaking
· Able to identify and evaluate legal issues
· Commitment to communities we serve
· Travel required
CELJ offers a competitive benefits and compensation package, including:
· Generous vacation and sick time
· Employer covered health, dental & vision
· Fourteen holidays a year, plus two half-day holidays
· Summer hours between Memorial Day and Labor Day
· Payment of license fees and association dues
· Encouragement of professional development
· Eligible for Federal Loan Forgiveness
Salary range of 65k – 90k, based on experience and alignment with steps in union scale.
To Apply: Send cover letter and resume to HR Manager, Chandler Jones, Cjones@elderjusticeny.org
CELJ is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Employer recruits without regard to sex, race, sexual orientation, or gender identity, and any such candidates are strongly encouraged to apply |