Staff Attorney – Consumer Bankruptcy and Education Debt Practice

NYC Bar Association • New York, NY

51d • $75,000 - $95,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The City Bar Justice Center seeks an attorney committed to equal access to justice to join our team as a full-time Staff Attorney principally for our consumer bankruptcy and education debt practice as our organization synergizes the operations of its Consumer Bankruptcy Project and Homeowner Stability Project. The Justice Center provides high-quality, free civil legal services benefiting over 27,000 New Yorkers each year who lack resources to hire private counsel. With a staff of about 50, the Justice Center relies on expansive pro bono partnerships with law firms and corporate legal departments, and also works closely with the courts, the City Bar, and other stakeholders to support and advance the Justice Center’s multiple civil legal services projects. The City Bar Justice Center’s consumer bankruptcy and education debt practice advises individuals burdened with consumer, medical, and student loan debt on rights and remedies available to them under Chapter 7 personal bankruptcy and consumer laws; offers financial literacy education resources to the larger community; and trains and mentors pro bono attorneys to assist clients and support legal clinics, trainings, and presentations. A partnership with the Community Service Society’s Education Debt Consumer Assistance Program is an additional, critical piece of our work assisting federal and private student loan borrowers. The staff attorney whom we are hiring, together with a new project coordinator (paralegal), will work closely with the Justice Center’s Homeowner Stability Project, with the combined team charged with enhancing our capacity to meet the consumer debt, consumer finance, and other economic stability needs of our client communities.

Requirements

• Candidates must be attorneys in good standing licensed to practice law in New York, plus admission (or readiness for admission) to the Eastern and/or Southern U.S. District Courts in New York, with at least two years of relevant practice experience, preferably in bankruptcy, student loan, or consumer debt advocacy, or similarly aligned nonprofit legal services experience.
• Detail-oriented self-starter with superb legal judgment and a capacity to multi-task who is creative, thoughtful, tech savvy, and has high standards in work quality, and who can demonstrate a commitment to racial and economic justice and to serving those who struggle with a lack of resources.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, ability to manage a high-volume caseload, and an ability to work both independently as well as with a team.
• Excellent people and client counseling skills, including effectively interacting with members of the public in a respectful and sensitive way, many of whom suspect institutions and the legal profession, and some of whom struggle with mental illness.
• Collegiality and ability to communicate and work collaboratively with other organizational staff as well as pro bono attorneys, funding partners, and judicial and other partners and stakeholders.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office 365 and legal database platforms, and ability to effectively learn and use ECF, PACER, and specialized bankruptcy and other specialized practice software.
• Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States. We are not able to sponsor visas for this position.

Nice To Haves

• Professional fluency in Spanish or another second language in addition to English is preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

• Assume primary practice responsibility for clients preparing and filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy petitions pro se (including by drafting and filing pro se chapter 7 bankruptcy petitions, schedules, and other papers); occasionally advise or represent individuals pursuing Chapter 13 bankruptcy relief; and provide individual counseling to student loan borrowers on forgiveness, repayment options, and other legal remedies.
• Coordinate and conduct monthly bankruptcy clinics in partnership with pro bono attorneys – including by supporting pro bono clinic training, mentorship, and supervision – and oversee our bankruptcy pro bono panel, including conducting intake for referred cases, reaching out to panel members to request representation, and collaborating with them to take on contested matters.
• Stay current on relevant laws, regulations, industry topics and changes, and sector best practices.
• Engage community partners for outreach and referrals; create and conduct monthly webinars on consumer bankruptcy, managing student loan debt, or pursuing other consumer finance options; participate in practice sector committees and coalitions; and annually update or produce at least one new pro se guide annually.
• Co-supervise, with the Project Director, the consumer bankruptcy and education debt project coordinator, as well as any interns, law students, or pro bono volunteers, in managing practice area casework and administrative tasks.
• Enter clean data and succinct notes into our case management system for each caller/online applicant; assist in data collection, analysis, and grant reporting; help assure the quality of services delivered; and assist in assessing and communicating the impact of our work.
• Provide other professional legal and administrative support to the Project Director, including by helping to coordinate and occasionally lead team meetings, trainings, and events; coordinate referrals for clients who may need access to other services; and perform other duties and tasks as requested.

Benefits

• generous paid time off (vacation, personal, sick time, holidays, day off for volunteer work, extra time off in the summer)
• choice of medical plans, dental, vision, 401K, life insurance, commuter benefits, Employee Assistance Program, short-term/long-term disability insurance, many free City Bar CLEs, employee discounts, and more!

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees