Job Description
Job DescriptionSalary: No experience: $70,000; 30 years experience: $106,100
POSITION DESCRIPTION
Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc. (LawNY) has an immediate opening for a Staff Attorney at its office located in Ithaca, NY. The staff attorney will provide legal representation to clients who are trying to overcome barriers to employment caused by their old criminal records. The Reentry Project is a job creation/job retention project, and a key component of LawNYs racial justice efforts. According to the Pew Research Center, in 2018, black Americans represented 33% of the U.S. sentenced prison population, nearly triple their 12% share of the U.S. adult population. By challenging illegal barriers to employment, LawNYs Reentry Project helps clients secure employment licenses, seal old criminal records, and navigate complex legal processes, thereby increasing the clients chances of attaining self-sufficiency.
LawNY currently operates a regional pro bono reentry project, with funding from the Legal Services Corporations Pro Bono Innovation Fund (PBIF). The Staff Attorney will provide support to the LawNY pro bono team operating the PBIF project. Thai support will include assisting in the development of training for volunteers, as well as substantive law support on reentry issues to project staff and volunteers.
The Staff Attorney will also conduct community outreach and continue to grow collaborations LawNY has established with local community organizations, including the Alliance of Families for Justice, Cornells ILR School, Ithaca Area Economic Development, OAR of Tompkins County, and Ultimate Reentry Opportunity (URO).
We encourage applicants with a wide range of substantive legal experience to apply. We expect those who fill this position will grow and adapt their practice to the needs of the community and the organization. The candidate must have the caring, patience, and emotional maturity to help low-income people overcome crisis situations.
Staff Attorneys at LawNY provide comprehensive legal services to eligible clients and the ideal candidate should have a strong understanding of how civil legal issues affecting low-income communities intersect with social and economic justice. Staff Attorneys play a critical role in realizing LawNYs vision of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Every Staff Attorney is expected to actively engage in learning and becoming increasingly skilled in practice that supports this vision.
QUALIFICATIONS These are the basic requirements for the position.
- Admitted to practice and in good standing in New York State, eligible for admission without examination, or willing to take the next available Bar examination.
- Demonstrated commitment of service to low-income people.
COMPENSATION PACKAGE
The beginning salary for a Staff Attorney at LawNY with no experience is $70,000 and the salary for a Staff Attorney with thirty years of experience is $106,100. Salary will be based on experience. LawNY is a qualifying employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program(PSLF).
LawNY provides an excellent package of fringe benefits including:
- 94% Employer paid Medical Premium with 100% Employer paid in-network deductible
- 100% Employer paid Dental Insurance
- 100% Employer paid Life Insurance
- 100% Employer paid Enhanced Short-term Disability
- 100% Employer paid Long-term Disability
- Vision Insurance
- 20 Paid Vacation days per year
- 12 Sick days per year
- 5 Personal days per year
- 13.5 Holidays plus 2 floating Holidays per year
- 35-Hour Work Week
- Hybrid Work Schedule (new staff are able to work from home up to 3 days per week. After 6 months, this increases to 5 days per week with Manager approval, as workload permits)
RESPONSIBILITIES
These are the most significant responsibilities and primary functions of the position.
- Litigation and advocacy experience in court and/or administrative forums.
- Experience working in a public defenders office and/or representing clients in criminal proceedings, including experience reviewing peoples criminal records.
- Experience incorporating an anti-racist and anti-oppressive lens into legal practice.
- An understanding of the concepts of structural and institutional racism and their impact on underserved and underrepresented communities.
- Strong interpersonal skills, including a commitment to providing trauma-informed services.
- Lived experience with our client communities.
- True fluency in a language other than English that is spoken by our clients.
- Ability to use Google Drive/GSuite, Word, and Excel; database programs a plus.
ADDITIONAL TRAITS AND SKILLS These are the traits, attributes, attitudes, and skills that speak to the candidates ability to succeed in the position. While no one candidate will possess all of the qualities listed, the ideal candidate will have many of these qualities. LawNY encourages each candidate to think about their own personal knowledge, skills, and experience, as well as professional skills and experience in relation to this list.
- Maintain a full-time caseload representing eligible clients served by our Re-entryUnit.
- Provides legal services to low income clients and client groups regarding these matters including advice, negotiation, litigation and administrative advocacy.
- Interacts respectfully with clients from a wide range of backgrounds, with an awareness of the importance of cultural competence and humility.
- Collaborates with other LawNY advocates, human services providers, non-profit organizations and community groups as well as the courts, administrative tribunals and the private bar to address legal problems within our community, including providing community legal education.
- Contributes to a safe and healthy work environment for fellow employees.
- Cooperates in all grant reporting requirements, program reporting, timekeeping, file maintenance, case closing and compliance review.
- Maintains a high level of professional competence through attendance of training sessions, seminars and conferences and individual efforts to keep abreast of current developments in the area of poverty law and the application of an equity lens to client service.
ORGANIZATION INFORMATION
Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc. (LawNY) is a not-for-profit law firm that provides free civil legal services to low-income clients in a 14 county area of Western New York, the Finger Lakes, and the Southern Tier. LawNY has seven fully staffed field offices in Bath, Elmira, Geneva, Ithaca, Jamestown, Olean and Rochester, satellite offices in Lakeville and Lyons, and a business office in Rochester.
LawNY has been providing high quality legal representation for 54 years, and today has over 180 employees, including attorneys, paralegals, and a legal support team who work closely across areas of specialization to bring a holistic approach to addressing legal issues affecting our clients and community.
LawNY is committed to equitable inclusion across race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ability, sex, religion, economic circumstances, ethnicity, national origin, and culture. We are increasingly committed to creating a law firm where race equity, diversity and cultural competency are integral components of our work, from client advocacy to internal operations.
Research shows that women and people from under-represented groups often apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the desired competencies. We encourage you to apply even if you do not believe you meet all the desired competencies.
APPLICATION PROCESS
To apply, submit your cover letter, resume, and three professional references through LawNYs BambooHR platform found here: https://lawny.bamboohr.com/careers/262 When outlining work experience on a resume, candidates are requested to label each position as full-time or part-time and describe unpaid volunteer/internships as such. The application for this position is open until filled.
To promote social justice and achieve our mission, LawNY is committed to maintaining a diverse staff and creating an inclusive and respectful workplace. In your cover letter, please also include an explanation of how you think that your lived and/or professional experience or background has prepared you to contribute to support a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion at LawNY.
We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible work environment. If you require any accommodations to support you in your role - whether for the onboarding, or your day-to-day work, please let us know by sending an email to: accommodationrequest@lawny.org. Any information shared will remain confidential and only be used to ensure the appropriate support is in place before your first day. As part of your employment, LawNY will provide the necessary hardware to support your role.
Questions? Contact Michelle Grillone at
mgrillone@lawny.org
Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc. (LawNY) is an equal opportunity employer. LawNY strongly encourages applications from Black, Indigenous and People of Color, women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people with disabilities, and persons from other underrepresented groups whose background may contribute to working in and sustaining an environment that enables staff and clients to feel empowered, valued, respected, and safe. LawNY welcomes applications regardless of race, color, religion, veteran status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information or any other consideration protected by law.
This position is considered Exempt pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act.