About NYLAG:
Founded in 1990, NYLAG is a leading civil legal services organization combating economic, racial, and social injustice by advocating for people experiencing poverty or in crisis. Our services include comprehensive, free civil legal services, financial empowerment, impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community partnerships. NYLAG exists because wealth should not determine who has access to justice. We aim to disrupt systemic racism by serving individuals and families whose legal and financial crises are often rooted in racial inequality. NYLAG goes to where the need is, providing services in more than 150 community sites (e.g. courts, hospitals, libraries) and on our Mobile Legal Help Center. During COVID-19, most of our services are virtual to keep our community safe. NYLAG’s staff of 350 impacted the lives of nearly 113,000 people last year.
Job description
The Community Access Program Unit seeks an experienced attorney to operate a virtual Legal Hand Call-In Center serving East Harlem as Center Attorney. The Legal Hand Call-in Center uses trained community volunteers and law students, who are not lawyers, provide free legal information, assistance, and referrals to help people resolve issues that affect their lives, in areas like employment, housing, family, immigration, domestic violence, and benefits, and prevent problems from turning into legal cases. The Legal Hand Call-in Center will operate on at least one evening and weekend day per week.
The Legal Hand Center Attorney is responsible for the operation of the Legal Hand Call-In Center, including compliance with the Legal Hand policies and procedures and local laws; training and outreach; developing resource materials; supervising volunteers and law students; and where appropriate, directing Volunteer referrals internally and to other legal services organizations where appropriate. The attorney will supervise the Center Coordinator who will assist in all aspects of center operations. The Center Attorney does not provide legal advice or legal representation for visitors. The Center Attorney will work collaboratively with external partners including Legal Hand, inc., the East Harlem Action Center; Fordham Law School, and will develop and maintain other community partnerships to better serve Legal Hand visitors.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Oversee the daily operations of the Call-In Center including regular evening and weekend hours
- Ensure compliance with Legal Hand policies and procedures and local laws;
- Create a warm and welcoming environment for community Volunteers and Visitors;
- Maintain and update accurate information in the Legal Hand Helper – resource tool;
- Provide comprehensive information to volunteers and visitors on general legal issues;
- Coordinate with Center Coordinator to supervise and manage approximately 25-30 community Volunteers and law student externs;
- Implement ongoing Volunteer training opportunities;
- Develop and maintain partnerships with legal services providers and community-based organizations for Know Your Rights workshops;
- Conduct outreach events;
- Represent NYLAG at community events and stakeholder meetings; and
- Other duties and responsibilities as needed.
Qualifications
- J.D. degree and admission to New York State Bar is required.
- Five or more years of legal experience required.
- Experience working with a Legal Hand community-based site or call-in center preferred.
- Experience supervising non-lawyer volunteers required.
- Demonstrated interest in social justice.
- Ability to work in and value a collaborative team model.
- Fluency in Spanish required.
- Experience working with diverse populations.
- Demonstrated ability to handle escalated client situations
- The ability to work in a multi-disciplinary setting and maintain strong relationships with multiple organizations both onsite and in the community.
- Enthusiasm to teach and make legal information accessible to people facing legal issues, community volunteers and advocates.
- Enthusiasm for partnering with community-based advocates and organizations.
- Ability to work some evening and weekend hours.
- Excellent written, oral and analytical skills.
NYLAG’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
NYLAG is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, immigrants, veterans, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people, and those with lived experiences in the communities we serve are strongly encouraged to apply.
Employment type:
☒ Full-time
☒ Temporary
Professional Level:
☒ Managerial
Salary Range: NYLAG is a unionized workplace, and salaries are set pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement. The current salary range for this position is between $95,892 and $101, 536. .
Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, 401k, life insurance, long term disability, commuter benefits, flexible spending accounts (FSA) for Medical and Dependent care.
Application Instructions: Please save resume and cover letter on one pdf.
Covid Vaccination Policy:Please note, to safeguard the health and well-being of our employees and clients, NYLAG requires all employees to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, unless a medical or religious exemption is approved.
NYLAG is committed to a hybrid work policy for staff whose work does not require their full-time presence in the office. NYLAG’s current policy is that most staff are required to work in NYLAG’s offices or do other in-person work at least two days each week. This policy is subject to change. |
