Eviction attorney position
The Western New York Law Center seeks to hire an attorney for the Western New York Eviction Prevention Program. This is a collaboration between local non-profit legal organizations to provide free civil legal services to tenants facing eviction in Erie, Niagara, Genesee, Orleans, and Wyoming counties. Financial hardships caused by COVID-19 have resulted in many low-income Western New York residents and their families falling behind on rental payments. With the State’s eviction moratorium set to expire on January 15, 2022, many of these families will be at risk of losing their home.
The Western New York Law Center, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation formed in 1996 after Congress restricted the types of cases that Legal Services Corporation (LSC) grantees could handle. The Center represents low-income Western New Yorkers in civil matters, emphasizing those areas restricted by LSC. Our vision and mission with respect to our legal work is to assure that low-income people receive the full range of civil legal services including “non-traditional” legal assistance like policy advocacy and legal education. The Center also serves as a statewide technology support center for legal services programs. Our vision and mission with respect to our technology work is to help legal services offices statewide use technology in a cost effective manner to better serve their clients in this time of diminishing resources. Our target populations are legal services managers, attorneys, paralegals, clients and support staff.
Essential Functions:
- Representation of tenants in landlord/tenant eviction proceedings
- Research and writing, with a strong understanding of landlord/tenant law
- Travel to courts throughout Western New York, including Erie, Genesee, Wyoming, Niagara, and Orleans counties.
- Night court appearances will be necessary
- Client communication and case management
- Maintaining a high caseload
- Advocacy outside of the courtroom, such as advocating for tenants living in substandard conditions, or facing other landlord/tenant issues.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Admitted to practice in NYS
- 0 – 5 years of practice experience
- Housing experience is strongly preferred
- Legal services background, or knowledge of general civil legal work, helpful
- Strong professional, verbal and written communication skills
- Strong organizational skills
- Ability to work both independently and also part of a group
- Comfortable working in a fast paced environment, with a high caseload
- Ability to work efficiently and accurately while exhibiting patience and diplomacy
- Travel is required
Competitive salary. Generous benefits package. Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. People of color, women, persons with disabilities, the elderly, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender are welcomed and encouraged to apply.
To apply applicants should submit a cover letter describing qualifications, a resume, a writing sample, and the names of three references, electronically in a single PDF document. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Applications should be sent by email, and the subject line should read "Attorney Position". No phone calls please.
Job Type: Full-time
COVID-19 considerations:
We follow all CDC guidelines |
