Temporary Staff Attorney (Project Eden)

NYLAG•New York, NY

4d•$87,210 - $93,175

About The Position

NYLAG seeks a highly motivated temporary staff attorney within our Domestic Violence Law Unit. The attorney will provide safety planning as well as representation, advice, and advocacy services to survivors of intimate partner violence, with a focus on serving survivors from the Orthodox Jewish community, on family and matrimonial litigation cases (including orders of protection, contested and uncontested divorces, custody, visitation, child and spousal support, matters related to special immigrant juvenile status and some abuse/neglect proceedings), and domestic and gender-based violence based immigration matters (including VAWA self-petitions, battered spouse waivers, U-visas, T Visas, SIJS petitions, and applications to adjust status). The attorney will represent clients before multiple venues including Supreme, Family, and Integrated Domestic Violence Courts, as well as USCIS throughout NYC. They will also assist survivors in submitting compensation claims based on their victimization, and in appellate family and immigration law cases. Representation will also include advising clients on religious divorces (gets), crime victim rights, the criminal justice system, and child neglect and abuse matters, as well as advocacy and representation before the Beit Din, where appropriate. The role for which we are hiring will require extensive collaboration internally across projects and externally with community-based partners within the Orthodox Jewish community, and will work to expand access to services for communities who face disparate obstacles in accessing assistance. The role will also involve work done on site and in community, including in-person intake at designated community sites that serve Orthodox Jewish survivors of domestic violence. This role reports to a Supervising Attorney in the Domestic Violence Law Unit and will be temporary in nature commensurate with the parental leave of a current staff member.

Requirements

Admission to New York State Bar required;
1-3 years of experience working with survivors of intimate partner violence is required;
1-3 years of legal experience representing clients in family and/or matrimonial law and/or other similar litigation experience is required;
Knowledge of, interest in, and experience working with the Orthodox Jewish community is required;
Significant experience working with survivors of trauma, people experiencing poverty, and underserved communities 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 strongly preferred;
Excellent written, oral and analytical skills;
Excellent organizational skills;
Demonstrated ability to take initiative and work independently.

Nice To Haves

Fluency in Hebrew, Russian, or Yiddish is strongly preferred;
Experience with immigration law, in particular VAWA self-petitions, battered spouse waivers, and U & T visas, is strongly preferred;

Responsibilities

Provide comprehensive safety planning, as well as representation and consultation to survivors of intimate partner violence in legal matters including order of protection, divorce, custody/visitation, support, and other family law cases in Supreme and Family Court throughout New York City;
Provide representation and consultation in domestic violence-based immigration matters;
Conduct legal screenings, clinics, and outreach, including on-site and in community to expand access to services;
Engage in and conduct outreach with communities who face barriers to accessing services, in particular survivors from the Orthodox Jewish community;
Collaborate and coordinate with external partners to further the goals of Project Eden, ensure seamless inter-agency referrals, and respond to ongoing and emerging community needs for survivors from the Orthodox Jewish community;
Attend internal staff meetings and meetings with partner agencies and funders;
Participate in relevant internal and external coalitions and task forces to advance survivor justice;
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 related issues;
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;
Other duties as needed.