Supervising Attorney, Queens Tenant Defense

The Legal Aid Society • New York, NY

3d

About The Position

The Legal Aid Society’s Civil Practice is seeking an experienced lawyer with a
commitment to public interest practice to join a dedicated team of managers as a
Supervising Attorney of the Queens Neighborhood Office’s Housing Justice Unit –
Tenant Defense.

The Civil Practice’s Housing Justice Program engages in both eviction defense
and affirmative litigation and handles a broad range of individual tenant
representation at the trial and appellate levels, including holdovers,
nonpayment proceedings, HPs, Housing Authority administrative hearings, and
state and federal court appeals. The Tenant Defense practice primarily handles
eviction prevention cases through the Universal Access (often referred to as the
Right to Counsel) program in Housing Court.

The Supervising Attorney will primarily supervise staff, provide training, and
facilitate intake. The Supervising Attorney participates in Practice-wide
management discussions and decision-making and is responsible for maintaining
relationships with stakeholders in the legal, court, and service communities.

Requirements

• Admission to the New York State Bar and a willingness to apply for admission to the federal courts (S.D.N.Y., E.D.N.Y., Second Circuit) as it may become necessary
• Demonstrated commitment to and experience in civil legal services
• Minimum of three years of legal practice
• Minimum of three years of housing court and housing practice experience required
• Knowledge of Housing law and Benefits law
• Excellent litigation skills and experience litigating in various forums
• Excellent oral and written advocacy skills
• Ability to work in a collaborative team model
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills
• Commitment to exploring alternative approaches for legal practice
• Demonstrated commitment to addressing fundamental issues of poverty and justice within a comprehensive civil legal services model of representation
• Ability to schedule, assign, and manage staff workloads
• Ability to create and implement effective communication plans
• Ability to provide meaningful performance feedback for professional development including having difficult conversations and resolving sensitive employee issues
• Pursue continuous learning on forms of systemic oppression of marginalized identities and establish team norms and management practices using an equity mindset informed by inclusive practices
• Commitment to Legal Aid Society’s mission to secure equal justice before the law for all New Yorkers
• Interpersonal and communication skills that enable healthy and productive working relationships
• Ability to perform duties with the highest regard for confidentiality, integrity, and respect
• Commitment to Legal Aid Society’s mission and values
• Requires both sedentary time and non-sedentary physical movement, significant time using a computer and monitor; communicating and meeting using video
• May or will require travel within NYC, across the five-borough region

Nice To Haves

• Minimum of one year of supervisory and management experience preferred or relevant experience such as leadership positions in a membership organization
• Experience conducting trainings
• Experience working with vulnerable populations, including but not limited to seniors, preferred
• Pro bono, government, public service, and academic experience will be considered, but is not required
• Proficiency in languages other than English is desirable, but not required

Responsibilities

• Supervise and train staff attorneys, paralegals, and volunteers/interns
• Monitor and maintain a high standard of representation and client service
• Collaborate and work closely with the Attorney-in-Charge of the Queens office, Director of Housing, Housing Coordinators, and the housing, benefits and grants management teams on all aspects of the citywide housing practice
• Identify needs and resources for the Queens Neighborhood Office and participate in management team responsibilities to meet those needs
• Coordinate intake
• Represent clients in local, state, and federal administrative and court proceedings
• Respond to client concerns
• Reinforce and maintain staff accountability
• Analyze legal issues, and develop and supervise the implementation of legal strategies
• Develop and maintain community support and relationships with community-based organizations, advocates, government agencies, elected officials, and the courts
• Represent the Civil Practice and Legal Aid in the community
• Conduct community education, training, and outreach and promote the work of the office, the Housing Practice, and the Civil Practice
• Continuously learn about forms of bias in the workplace and demonstrate affirmative behaviors that support an inclusive work environment
• Conduct off-site intake as needed
• Assign work, approve time off, and remote work schedule requests following the guidance of LAS policy and procedures
• Attend management meetings, participate in management trainings, and utilize current employment policies, practices and guidance as provided by management and Human Resources
• Conduct management and supervision practices that affirmatively support equity and inclusion in the workplace
• Supervise direct reports in setting performance standards, provide routine feedback as well as coaching/counseling, and issue disciplinary action as needed
• Identify and provide training and development opportunities and ensure mandatory trainings are completed
• Resolve employee conflict, complaints, and address union concerns, with guidance from Borough Housing Director, Attorney-in-Charge of the Queens Neighborhood Office, other senior Civil Practice leaders, and Human Resources
• Participate in continuous professional development
• Continuously learn about forms of bias in the workplace and demonstrate affirmative behaviors that support an inclusive work environment
• Other duties as assigned

Benefits

• health insurance
• paid vacation
• disability
• life insurance
• qualified employer for the purposes of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness
• employees who are New York residents may be eligible for assistance from New York state to assist with loan repayments, depending on years of practice

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees