Staff Attorney

Project Guardianship•New York, NY

16d•$65,000 - $80,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Project Guardianship (PG) is a 501(C)3 nonprofit organization that provides guardianship services for older adults and people with disabilities in New York who have been determined by a judicial proceeding to need help making decisions and have no family or friends able to assist them. PG’s team approach employs attorneys, case managers, and finance associates to provide clients with services that allow them to be as independent and in the least restrictive setting as possible. Since 2005, PG has served hundreds of New Yorkers and has become a leading voice in a national, interdisciplinary effort to re-envision and strengthen guardianship policy. Project Guardianship seeks a smart, flexible, and enthusiastic Staff Attorney to join PG's legal team. Our staff attorneys are the primary legal resource for the Guardianship Services team, providing legal counsel, working in close collaboration with case managers and client finance experts to address guardianship clients' legal needs, and participating in case planning to ensure the agency is meeting our duties and directives as legal guardian. Attorneys who are passionate about elder and disability health, public benefits, or the public interest, and especially attorneys versed in general guardianship law are strongly encouraged to apply.

Requirements

J.D. with New York State Bar admission or pending admission
Strong interest in social justice for underserved populations
Ability to work with a diverse population
Strong written and oral communication skills
Creativity, flexibility, patience, and good sense of humor
Excellent organizational skills
Ability to work in a team environment
Must be willing to travel city-wide for appearances and hearings
Final candidates will be subject to criminal background check

Nice To Haves

Experience working with aging adults and/or people living with disabilities desirable
Litigation experience is a plus

Responsibilities

Overseeing legal compliance for multidisciplinary team serving up to 50 clients
Consulting with and guiding case managers, finance associates, and other staff as necessary to address issues facing clients
Drafting motions and other court papers
Appearing in court and administrative tribunals for conferences, hearings, and other proceedings
Representing clients and/or the agency in guardianship and collateral proceedings
Identifying clients’ legal issues as they arise and addressing them accordingly
Preparing affirmations detailing services provided to clients
Entering relevant case-related information and tracking case progress in client database
Assisting with preparation of court-mandated and funder-mandated reporting
Identifying legal and other issues relevant to guardianship and the populations we serve and strategizing with the Project team to address them
Representing the Project at relevant conferences, trainings, and meetings to improve guardianship practices
Assisting with special projects as required