Job Description
Legal Services NYC
Legal Services NYC (“LSNYC”) fights poverty and seeks racial, social, and economic justice for low-income New Yorkers. For almost 50 years, we have challenged systemic injustice and helped clients meet basic needs for housing, income and economic security, family and immigration stability, education, and health care. LSNYC is the largest civil legal services provider in the country; our staff of 650 people in neighborhood-based offices and outreach sites across all five boroughs helps more than 110,000 New Yorkers annually. We partner with scores of community-based and client-run organizations, elected officials, public agencies, pro bono lawyers, and the courts to maximize our effectiveness. Our work fights discrimination and helps to achieve equal opportunity for all low-income New Yorkers.
LSNYC’s Pro Bono Program
LSNYC’s pro bono program engages a range of private partners on behalf of thousands of low-income New Yorkers across multiple practice areas. Managed by a director and staffed by this position, a coordinating attorney, two immigration attorneys, a bankruptcy attorney, a housing attorney, and three paralegals, the Pro Bono Services Department (“Department”) works with LSNYC staff and pro bono partners to create and manage pro bono projects, place cases, run clinics, train and mentor volunteers, access in-kind resources, and match individual volunteers with appropriate LSNYC offices. LSNYC’s private partners include nearly 100 law firms and corporations, along with law schools, bar associations, and individual volunteers.
Public benefits are a core part of our pro bono program, with a particular focus on One-Shot Deals, SNAP, cash assistance, Medicaid, and SCRIE/DRIE. LSNYC supports more than a dozen other pro bono initiatives as well including immigration, bankruptcy, transgender name changes, and more. Immigration makes up half of our pro bono work, including asylum, U-visas, VAWA self-petitions, battered spouse waivers, youth removal, and naturalizations. LSNYC conducts approximately 150 pro bono clinics and study groups each year for tenants, immigrants, and transgender clients, among others. We operate a high-volume practice, with more than 2,000 pro bono cases annually at law firms, impacting more than 7,000 New Yorkers each year.
Opportunity
This position will focus on developing and coordinating our public benefits pro bono efforts.
The Public Benefits Pro Bono Coordinating Attorney will expand and facilitate effective pro bono representation for New Yorkers seeking the benefits to which they are entitled. In particular, the attorney will: train and mentor pro bono volunteers; review and improve training materials; hold regular clinics with law firms and corporations; identify and evaluate prospective cases; interface with LSNYC public benefits units about pro bono support; develop systems to ensure high-quality legal support by pro bono volunteers; and work with the rest of the Pro Bono Department to develop relationships with law firms and corporations.
The Public Benefits Pro Bono Coordinating Attorney will additionally explore and develop new pro bono initiatives – e.g., fair hearings, policy work, and impact cases.
We are searching for an applicant who has public benefits experience and is innovative, highly organized and responsive, skilled at public speaking and working in teams, and a problem-solver with strong interpersonal skills.
Under the supervision of the Director of Pro Bono Services, the Public Benefits Pro Bono Coordinating Attorney’s duties will include:
· Expanding and coordinating pro bono initiatives for clients who are seeking One-Shot Deals, SNAP, SCRIE/DRIE, Cash Assistance, Medicaid, and other essential public benefits
· Providing expert legal mentorship for pro bono attorneys, including reviewing drafts, discussing strategy, and providing guidance on working with low-income clients
· Setting up and administering frequent pro bono clinics with law firms and corporations
· Developing training materials, conducting regular trainings for pro bono attorneys and other volunteers, and creating/updating training manuals
· Coordinating screening of prospective clients
· Monitoring policy developments and alerting pro bono attorneys about important changes
· Drafting case descriptions to pitch to pro bono attorneys, where appropriate
· Creating and coordinating systems and databases to track a high volume of clients, coordinate volunteer work, and track case outcomes with support from other members of the pro bono team
· Researching and assisting with outreach to law firms and corporations
· Building a referral network with other organizations
· Assisting with reporting, data collection, and evaluation of the program
· Participating in and assisting with pro bono events
· Researching and analyzing relevant laws and regulations
Applicants must have the following qualifications
- Collaborative, solution-oriented, and capacity to work in a team
· Highly self-motivated
· Commitment to a pro bono model of serving client needs
- Strong writing and analytical skills
- Demonstrated excellent organizational skills
· Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Demonstrated consistent ability to pay close attention to details
- Ability to work with people from a range of backgrounds – including low-income clients, other LSNYC staff, and private attorneys from law firms and corporations
- Skilled presenter, with experience training attorneys on substantive legal issues
· At least 2 years of experience as a legal services attorney, including public benefits or housing benefits work
· Track record of successfully coordinating a high volume of clients and/or volunteers
- Demonstrated communication habits that are consistently prompt and highly responsive
- J.D. from an accredited law school and admission to the New York Bar
Preferred Qualifications
· Experience and expertise in One-Shot Deals, SCRIE/DRIE, SNAP, and other public benefits
· Experience mentoring pro bono attorneys
· Experience doing pro bono as an attorney at a large law firm or corporation
· Spanish language proficiency
Salary and benefits are determined by the LSNYC Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Interested applicants should e-mail a cover letter and resume to: Jobpostings@lsnyc.org
Type on the Subject line: Public Benefits Pro Bono Coordinating Attorney, Pro Bono Services
LSNYC is an equal-opportunity employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, people over 40, and gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people are welcome and encouraged to apply.
All employees are strongly encouraged to continue to receive and maintain up-to-date Covid-19 vaccinations unless they are unable to for medical or religious reasons.
Job# 65.2023; Posted: 8.2023
Salary Range (Based on years’ experience):
• 1-10 years: $74,881 - $98,355
• 11-20 years: $100,605 - $118,773
• 21+ years: $124,254 - $135,637