Staff Attorney

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. NYLAG’s staff of over 400 impacted the lives of nearly 129,000 people last year.

Job Description:
New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) seeks a Staff Attorney for its Domestic Violence Law Unit (DVLU), an interdisciplinary team of attorneys and paralegals advocating on behalf of survivors of intimate partner violence and sexual assault in New York City. DVLU provides safety planning, advocacy, advice, and representation to survivors in matrimonial and family law matters (including order of protection, custody/visitation, contested divorce, uncontested divorce, child/spousal support proceedings, and related appellate proceedings), and domestic violence-based immigration applications (including VAWA self-petitions, battered spouse waivers, U visa, T visas, adjustment of status, and related applications). DVLU believes that access to trauma-informed, client-centered representation is crucial for our clients’ paths towards self-determination, safety, and security, and we are seeking a Staff Attorney that shares and models these values.

The person in this role will partner with communities in Bronx to provide community-based engagement, safety planning, expanded access to legal services, and representation for survivors of intimate partner violence and sexual assault.
The person in this role will collaborate externally with community-based partners, courts, volunteers, and pro bono attorneys and internally across projects, and will work to expand access to services for communities who face disparate obstacles to accessing assistance, in particular for survivors in the Bronx.
The Staff Attorney reports to a Supervising Attorney in the Domestic Violence Law Unit.
Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide comprehensive safety planning, as well as representation and consultation to survivors of intimate partner violence and sexual assault in legal matters including order of protection, divorce, custody/visitation, support, and other family law cases in Supreme, Family, and Integrated Domestic Violence courts throughout New York City with a focus on the Bronx;
• Assist survivors in submitting compensation claims based on their victimization;
• Provide representation and consultation to survivors in domestic violence-based immigration matters;
• Maintain and expand community-based services and partnerships within the Bronx;
• Use community lawyering and other collaborative approaches to expand access to legal services in the Bronx;
• Conduct legal screenings, clinics, and outreach, including on-site and in the community to expand access to services;
• Participate in relevant internal and external coalitions and task forces to identify systemic issues affecting survivors in the Bronx and contribute to broader advocacy efforts that advance survivor justice;
• Attend internal staff meetings and meetings with partner agencies and funders;
• Mentor legal interns, volunteers, and pro bono attorneys;
• Conduct educational seminars, trainings, and outreach to communities, partners, advocates, law students, and others on domestic violence law;
• Administrative duties including updating NYLAG case management systems and maintaining and updating files and case notes, as well as assisting in grant reporting as needed;
• This role will require travel within New York City including appearing in court and at partner agency sites;
• Other duties as needed.

Qualifications:

• Admission to New York State Bar is required ;
• 1-4 years of experience working with survivors of intimate partner violence is strongly preferred;
• 1-4 years of legal experience representing clients in family and/or matrimonial law and/or other similar litigation experience is strongly preferred;
• Experience with immigration law, particularly in VAWA self-petitions, battered spouse waivers, and U & T visas, is strongly preferred;
• Fluency in a second language, particularly Spanish or French, is strongly preferred;
• Significant experience working with survivors of trauma, people experiencing poverty, and underserved communities is strongly preferred;
• Demonstrated commitment to working with survivors of trauma and advancing gender, racial, and social justice;
• Ability to work collaboratively, communicate effectively, manage multiple tasks, and creatively problem solve;
• Excellent litigation skills;
• Excellent written, oral, and analytical skills;
• Excellent organizational skills; and
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative and work independently.

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:
☒ Entry Level
☒ Professional

Salary Range : NYLAG is a unionized workplace, and salaries are set pursuant to a Collective Bargaining Agreement. The current annual salary range for this position is between $90,262 and $96,436.

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.