Housing Justice Staff Attorney – Amsterdam
About The Position
The Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York (LASNNY), a nonprofit civil legal services program serving 16 upstate New York counties through six regional offices, is seeking a Housing Staff Attorney based in its Amsterdam Office. The attorney will provide legal representation and assistance to households at risk of homelessness and experiencing financial or other hardships in Fulton, Montgomery, and Schoharie counties. The attorney will help eligible households avoid homelessness and maintain permanent housing by providing legal services, connecting clients with supportive resources, and working with government and nonprofit partner agencies. Services include eviction defense, preserving tenancies and housing subsidies, addressing utility service problems, and securing emergency assistance and income support. The position also includes administrative-hearing representation, litigation, systemic advocacy, community legal education, outreach, engagement, and community lawyering. The attorney will collaborate with LASNNY housing attorneys and paralegals, partner agencies, and other service providers. The role includes expertise in the Emergency Rental Assistance Program or Right To Counsel Program and associated data collection and compliance, as well as participation in LASNNY’s race equity priority and professional development plan. The position is based in a professional law office and offers flexible hybrid-remote and alternative work schedules.
Requirements
- Must be licensed to practice law in New York State or eligible for admission; law graduates will be considered if they have taken the bar exam.
- Demonstrated commitment to helping low-income and disadvantaged people overcome institutional barriers related to employment, safety, housing, and income support.
- Ability to provide assertive, compassionate, victim-sensitive, trauma-informed services to victims of domestic violence.
- Ability to communicate effectively with clients and staff, work independently and efficiently, solve problems, and collaborate with community partner agency staff.
- Must be willing to travel throughout the relevant service area and have a car and a clean, valid New York driver’s license.
- Strong computer, administrative, reporting, and data-entry skills.
Nice To Haves
- Training or experience in community lawyering, community organizing, or community engagement.
- Strong listening and relationship-building skills.
- Experience, creativity, and willingness to use varied legal and non-legal advocacy tools to advance community-identified initiatives.
- Ability to speak Spanish or Chinese.
Responsibilities
- Provide legal representation and assistance to eligible households at risk of homelessness.
- Prevent evictions, secure mainstream benefits, and make referrals to services that help households maintain permanent housing.
- Collaborate with government and nonprofit agencies providing supportive services, income, shelter, permanent supportive housing, homelessness prevention, rapid rehousing, and financial assistance.
- Help clients maintain or secure permanent housing and the income needed to retain it, including through eviction defense and tenant protections.
- Protect public and subsidized housing tenancies and subsidies; address utility shut-offs or denials of service; and secure emergency assistance, temporary assistance, and other income support.
- Provide counsel and advice, referrals, representation in administrative hearings, affirmative and defensive litigation, systemic advocacy, community legal education, outreach, engagement, and community lawyering.
- Develop expertise in the Emergency Rental Assistance Program or Right To Counsel Program and meet related data-collection and compliance requirements.
- Work collaboratively with LASNNY housing attorneys and paralegals to provide efficient and effective legal assistance, maximize access to LASNNY services, and address systemic causes of homelessness.
- Participate in the development and implementation of LASNNY’s race equity priority and professional development plan.
Benefits
- Generous time off.
- Health insurance coverage with premiums primarily paid by LASNNY.
- Health and long-term disability insurance.
- Retirement contributions.
- Tuition reimbursement.
- Qualifying moving expenses.
- Flexible hybrid-remote and alternative work schedules.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Education Level
No Education Listed
