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Staten Island Legal Services (across the street from the ferry), the Staten Island office of Legal Services NYC (“LSNYC”), is seeking two full-time Staff Attorneys to join our housing law practice.
Program Description
Staten Island Legal Services (SILS), part of Legal Services NYC, fights poverty and seeks racial, social, and economic justice for low-income New Yorkers. SILS provides high-quality, innovative representation to address the pressing legal needs of Staten Island’s diverse low-income populations. SILS focuses on the problems that have the greatest impact on our clients — preserving affordable and decent housing, representing survivors of domestic violence, obtaining immigration status and preventing deportations, advocating for the LGBTQ community, preventing foreclosures, and advocating for students with educational needs. In addition to being the largest provider of civil legal services in the country, LSNYC provides numerous opportunities for growth and professional development. Our Learning Center provides opportunities to earn free CLEs and gain experience as a trainer. LSNYC prides itself on its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) efforts. As a social justice organization, we are committed to fighting for a workplace that is as diverse, equitable, and inclusive as possible for everyone. Our DEIB committee and numerous affinity groups work to foster collegial relationships among staff and allow staff to explore and advocate for racial justice and anti-oppression growth within our organization and through our legal work. All employees are expected to learn about, seek to understand, and work to realize our DEIB goals.
Housing Unit Description
The Housing Unit represents clients in Housing Court eviction proceedings, state, and federal court, and administrative hearings. All members of the Housing Unit work collaboratively with community-based organizations and local elected officials and their staff. Given the diversity of our clients and team, the staff attorneys must be able to thoughtfully navigate issues regarding racial equity. In addition, the team aims to protect tenants’ rights, prevent harassment, preserve affordable housing, and avoid displacement, particularly on Staten Island’s North Shore. The Unit preserves affordable housing through the representation of low-income tenants in eviction proceedings and affirmative litigation to challenge abusive and discriminatory conduct that displaces low-income families and eliminates affordable housing.
Universal Access to Counsel/ Right to Counsel: The Right to Counsel law was passed in 2017 after a successful tenant-led campaign by tenant organizers, advocacy groups, and legal services organizations. The ultimate goal of the law is to provide income-eligible tenants who are sued for eviction in housing court with the right to an attorney to defend their case.
Roles and Responsibilities
The attorneys’ responsibilities will include but are not limited to the following:
• Conducting intake and providing full legal representation in housing court proceedings to New York City tenants referred to LSNYC through the right to counsel initiative in NYC housing courts, and through other referral sources.
• Litigating cases in housing court, administrative forums, appellate courts, and other state and federal courts on behalf of people facing eviction.
• Developing expertise in housing court practice, housing programs and subsidies, and public benefits.
• Providing legal advice and counseling to tenants as needed.
• Conducting neighborhood-based legal clinics and know-your-rights workshops.
• Identifying trends and recurrent issues for potential impact litigation.
• Providing training to other advocates, tenant associations, community members, and community groups.
• Collaborate and communicate with attorneys, paralegals, and the client regarding advocacy issues, including public benefits, FHEPS applications, and other housing subsidies.
• Conduct community outreach and act as a liaison with community-based organizations and agencies.
• Administrative tasks, including timekeeping, uploading documents, data reporting, and case closing for grant compliance.
Experience and Qualifications:
➢ Applicants must have a J.D. from an accredited law school;
➢ Admitted or be in the process of being admitted to practice law in the State of New York;
➢ Strong demonstrated background and experience in public interest and/or housing law and tenant/landlord issues;
➢ Experience working with diverse low-income communities and familiarity with structural and systemic racism and their intersection with poverty. Strong ties to or understanding of the Staten Island low-income communities is a plus;
➢ Commitment to social justice and working in low-income communities and communities of color to advance equity;
➢ Excellent leadership, analytical, oral, and written communication skills;
➢ Strong interest in working directly with clients, specifically clients in crisis;
➢ Strong time management and organizational skills; and
➢ Spanish language fluency is strongly preferred but not required.
Competitive public interest salary, hybrid remote work policy, and excellent benefits package. To safeguard the health and well-being of our employees and clients, LSNYC requires all employees to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, unless a medical or religious exemption is approved.
How to Apply:
Interested individuals should e-mail a resume, cover letter, and writing sample to: silshiring@lsnyc.org Please write “SILS STAFF ATTORNEY—UAC/Right to Counsel” in the subject line
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.
Please no telephone calls. Additional information about the practice may be found on our website, www.legalservicesnyc.org.
Legal Services NYC is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, and people over the age of 40 are strongly encouraged to apply.
