Staff Attorney (Regional Consumer Unit)

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Job location
115 East 3rd Street
1 West
Jamestown, NY 14701
United States
Organization information
Organization name: 
Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc.
Street address: 
361 South Main Street
City: 
Geneva
State: 
New York
ZIP: 
14456
Job type: 
Legal - Civil
Position Description: 

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT
(JUNE 2018)

STAFF ATTORNEY – REGIONAL CONSUMER UNIT

The Regional Consumer Unit of Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc.® (LawNY®) has an immediate opening for a full-time staff attorney. LawNY® has seven offices throughout Western New York. If selected for this position, the staff attorney will be located to work in one of our Southern Tier locations, most likely Jamestown or Olean depending on the selected candidate.

LawNY® is a not-for-profit law firm which provides civil legal services to low-income clients in a fourteen-county region in the Finger Lakes and western New York State. LawNY® provides representation primarily in the areas of housing, family law, government benefits, elder law, education, civil rights and consumer law. LawNY® focuses on meeting the legal needs of individual clients, as well as addressing systemic problems that create barriers for clients living in poverty.

Responsibilities: Under the direction of the Project Facilitator and the Director of Litigation and Advocacy, the staff attorney will:

1. Staff LawNY®’s Regional Consumer Hotline, providing information and resources to callers with consumer problems;
2. Conduct initial client screenings and triage incoming consumer cases;
3. Maintain a caseload of consumer law cases, with a focus on impact litigation;
4. Conduct presentations and outreach to the community;
5. Identify emerging trends in consumer law practice at the State and Federal level, by participating in relevant workgroups and conferences;
6. Work with other LawNY® staff members and the community to develop strategies to address systemic consumer problems that adversely impact the low income communities we serve.
7. Assist, train and co-counsel with other LawNY® advocates who are developing consumer law practice skills;
8. Develop and sponsor trainings (including CLE accredited trainings), and assist consumer practice group members with more complex litigation through review of pleadings and moot court events;
9. Strategize PAI (attorneys, law students and other volunteers) in the consumer practice area, in conjunction with LawNY®’s Pro Bono Coordinator.

Salary: Dependent on experience. The entry level annual salary for a newly admitted attorney with no practice experience is $46,500 and increases to $52,600 for an attorney with (5) years of experience. Staff attorneys are eligible for annual increases based on an established salary scale. LawNY® provides an excellent health insurance, disability and benefits package. This position is considered exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Requirements: 

Requirements: Applicants must have excellent legal advocacy and writing skills, and must be willing to develop a particular focus and expertise on consumer law issues. Working with other LawNY® staff members and the community, the selected applicant will help develop strategies, including affirmative litigation, to address systemic problems that adversely impact the low income communities that we serve. Applicants must demonstrate attention to detail and be able to work as part of a Regional team, traveling as needed throughout LawNY®’s service area.

Law school graduates who have taken the first available New York State Bar examination following completion of law school may qualify for a practice order pending admission to the New York State Bar pursuant to the LawNY® practice order. Attorneys admitted in another jurisdiction may qualify for a practice order for up to (18) months pursuant to court rule. Proficiency in Spanish is an advantage, but is not required.

To apply: 

Procedure: Applicants should submit a cover letter describing qualifications, resume, writing sample and the names of (3) references by June 30, 2018 to ensure full consideration. Applications will be accepted beyond this date until the position is filled. Applications should be sent to the attention of Laurie Lambrix, Deputy Director of Litigation & Advocacy via email to: [email protected].

LawNY® is an equal opportunity employer. LawNY® encourages applications from diverse candidates. LawNY® welcomes applications regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, genetic information or any other consideration protected by law.

Notes: 
Equal Opportunity Employer
Submission deadline: 
Saturday, June 30, 2018