Staff Attorney - ReEntry (HYBRID)

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Job location
Rochester, NY
United States
Organization information
Organization name: 
Legal Assistance of Western New York
Job type: 
Legal - Civil
Position Description: 

POSITION DESCRIPTION - This is a HYBRID role (2 days in office and 3 days remote!)

Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc.® (LawNY) has an immediate opening for a Staff Attorney at its office located in downtown Rochester. The staff attorney position will involve specialized legal assistance and assisting individuals who exit the correctional system or have past criminal convictions who experience legal barriers to employment. Employment-related legal services offered include, but are not limited to, enforcement of New York state laws prohibiting discriminatory hiring practices against persons with criminal records, advocacy related to state agency denial of occupational licenses, assistance in record sealing and expungement, and obtaining certificates of rehabilitation that may be required to obtain employment. The position also requires community outreach and interaction and relationship-building with grassroots groups, community organizations, and social agencies.

We encourage applicants with a wide range of substantive legal experience to apply. We expect those who fill this position will grow and adapt their practice to the needs of the community and the organization. The candidate must have the caring, patience, and emotional maturity to help low-income people overcome crisis situations.

Staff Attorneys at LawNY® provide comprehensive legal services to eligible clients and the ideal candidate should have a strong understanding of how civil legal issues affecting low-income communities intersect with social and economic justice. Staff Attorneys play a critical role in realizing LawNY®’s vision of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Every Staff Attorney is expected to actively engage in learning and becoming increasingly skilled in practice that supports this vision.

RESPONSIBILITIES: These are the most significant responsibilities and primary functions of the position.

Maintain a full-time caseload representing eligible clients served by our Re-Entry Unit.
Provides legal services to low income clients and client groups regarding these matters including advice, negotiation, litigation and administrative advocacy.
Interacts respectfully with clients from a wide range of backgrounds, with an awareness of the importance of cultural competence and humility.
Collaborates with other LawNY® advocates, human services providers, non-profit organizations and community groups as well as the courts, administrative tribunals and the private bar to address legal problems within our community, including providing community legal education.
Contributes to a safe and healthy work environment for fellow employees.
Cooperates in all grant reporting requirements, program reporting, timekeeping, file maintenance, case closing and compliance review.
Maintains a high level of professional competence through attendance of training sessions, seminars and conferences and individual efforts to keep abreast of current developments in the area of poverty law and the application of an equity lens to client service.

ADDITIONAL TRAITS AND SKILLS These are the traits, attributes, attitudes, and skills that speak to the candidate’s ability to succeed in the position. While no one candidate will possess all of the qualities listed, the ideal candidate will have many of these qualities. LawNY® encourages each candidate to think about their own personal knowledge, skills, and experience, as well as professional skills and experience in relation to this list.

Litigation and advocacy experience in court and/or administrative forums.
Experience incorporating an anti-racist and anti-oppressive lens into legal practice.
An understanding of the concepts of structural and institutional racism and their impact on underserved and underrepresented communities.
Strong interpersonal skills, including a commitment to providing trauma-informed services.
Lived experience with our client communities.
True fluency in a language other than English that is spoken by our clients.
Ability to use Google Drive/GSuite, Word, and Excel; database programs a plus.

COMPENSATION

Salary is dependent on experience and based on a pay scale with annual increments. The beginning salary for a Staff Attorney with no experience is $58,000 and the salary for a Staff Attorney with ten years of experience is $72,400. LawNY is a qualifying employer for public interest loan forgiveness program.

LawNY® provides an excellent package of fringe benefits including 94% employer paid health insurance with significant HSA contributions, 100% employer paid dental and disability insurance, vision coverage, and $50,000 automatic life insurance as well as generous leave provisions including, in the first year of employment, 20 days of vacation plus 13.5 holidays and two floating holidays. Employees also receive 12 sick days and five personal days per year. New parents receive 20 days of paid new parent leave.

LawNY® is committed to providing a work-life balance to their employees. We encourage and support a 35 hour work week to ensure our employees have this balance. We also offer a remote work policy where new staff are able to work from home up to 3 days per week during their 6 month probationary period with manager approval, as their work load permits. This increases to 5 days per week once successfully finished with a probationary period with manager approval, as their workload permits.

ORGANIZATION INFORMATION

Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc. (LawNY®) is a not-for-profit law firm that provides free civil legal services to low-income clients in a 14 county area of Western New York, the Finger Lakes, and the Southern Tier. LawNY® has seven fully staffed field offices in Bath, Elmira, Geneva, Ithaca, Jamestown, Olean and Rochester, satellite offices in Lakeville and Lyons, and a business office in Rochester.

LawNY® has been providing high quality legal representation for 54 years, and today has over 180 employees, including attorneys, paralegals, and a legal support team who work closely across areas of specialization to bring a holistic approach to addressing legal issues affecting our clients and community.

LawNY® is committed to equitable inclusion across race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ability, sex, religion, economic circumstances, ethnicity, national origin, and culture. We are increasingly committed to creating a law firm where race equity, diversity and cultural competency are integral components of our work, from client advocacy to internal operations.

Research shows that women and people from under-represented groups often apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the desired competencies. We encourage you to apply even if you do not believe you meet all the desired competencies.

This position is considered Exempt pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Location: Rochester, NY (Hybrid)

Department: Staff Attorney

Employment Type: Full-Time

Minimum Experience: Entry-level

Compensation: No exp $58,000; 10 yrs exp $72,400

Requirements: 

QUALIFICATIONS These are the basic requirements for the position.

Admitted to practice and in good standing in New York State, eligible for admission without examination, or willing to take the next available Bar examination.
Demonstrated commitment of service to low-income people.

To apply: 

APPLICATION PROCESS

To apply, submit your cover letter, resume, and three professional references through LawNY®’s BambooHR platform found here. When outlining work experience on a resume, candidates are requested to label each position as full-time or part-time and describe unpaid volunteer/internships as such. The application deadline for this position is May 1, 2024.

To promote social justice and achieve our mission, LawNY® is committed to maintaining a diverse staff and creating an inclusive and respectful workplace. In your cover letter, please also include an explanation of how you think that your lived and/or professional experience or background has prepared you to contribute to support a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion at LawNY®.

Questions or Accommodations? Contact Michelle Grillone at [email protected]

Notes: 
Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc. (LawNY®) is an equal opportunity employer. LawNY® strongly encourages applications from Black, Indigenous and People of Color, women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people with disabilities, and persons from other underrepresented groups whose background may contribute to working in and sustaining an environment that enables staff and clients to feel empowered, valued, respected, and safe. LawNY® welcomes applications regardless of race, color, religion, veteran status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information or any other consideration protected by law.
Submission deadline: 
Wednesday, May 1, 2024