Overview

For more than 50 years, Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (LSHV) has been providing free, high-quality legal counsel in civil matters when basic human needs are at stake including: eviction and foreclosure prevention, domestic violence, disability, elder law, healthcare, consumer fraud and more.  Our services support almost 600,000 poor and low-income families and individuals who cannot afford an attorney in our seven-county service area.  With the gap separating those who can and cannot afford legal representation widening each day, we work to ensure that everyone has equal access to justice, regardless of their ability to pay.  As the only provider of comprehensive civil legal services in the lower and mid-Hudson Valley (Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, Orange, Ulster and Sullivan), LSHV is proud to have handled almost 15,000 cases impacting more than 34,000 household members including 13,000 children last year. LSHV has nine offices, a staff of 135, including 80 attorneys and 27 paralegals.

Job Description

Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (LSHV) has an immediate opening for a full-time staff attorney who will serve survivors of domestic violence in family court, matrimonial matters, and general practice matters in Orange and Sullivan Counties. The attorney will be based at LSHV's Newburgh Office and soon to be opened Middletown Office.

Duties of the Position: intakes and individual case work, litigation in state courts, including appellate practice, and education and outreach efforts directed at community members, advocates and service providers.  The person hired will also be expected to adhere to program and case handling standards, funder requirements, the highest professional standards, and be available as a resource to all LSHV staff and access to justice communities.

Qualifications

• Member in good standing of the New York State Bar;
• Three or more years of legal experience, including litigation, or its equivalent;
• Understanding of the nature and dynamics of domestic violence;
• Excellent people skills;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
• Ability to work effectively with a diverse group of stakeholders.

Preferred

• Demonstrated commitment to serving low-income persons with prior experience in legal services or similar program preferred;
• English/Spanish bilingual preferred.

Salary: DOE, union scale, with excellent benefits.

Please apply at our career center through this link, and include a resume, cover letter, and writing sample: