Staff Attorney, Tenants Rights Coalition (Queens) Queens Legal Services

Staff Attorney, Tenants Rights Coalition (Queens)

Queens Legal Services

Legal Services NYC (LSNYC) fights poverty and seeks racial, social and economic justice for low-income New Yorkers. For over 50 years, we have challenged systemic injustices that trap people in poverty and provided legal services that help our 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 more than 600 people in neighborhood-based offices and outreach sites across all five boroughs helps hundreds of thousands of 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 equity for all low-income New Yorkers.

LSNYC employees have numerous opportunities for growth and professional development, including access to our internal Justice Learning Center, which provides opportunities to earn free CLEs and gain experience as a trainer.

QUEENS LEGAL SERVICES is part of Legal Services NYC's network of local programs throughout New York City. Queens Legal Services' mission is to fight poverty and seek racial, social, and economic justice on behalf of low-income New Yorkers. Queens Legal Services' Tenant Rights Coalition (TRC) works on anti-displacement advocacy in Queens, focusing on supporting Queens communities facing significant housing needs in light of rapid and potentially disruptive neighborhood changes and gentrification.

We are hiring one law graduate or attorney who is excited to work in a fast-paced environment and use creative strategies in the pursuit of justice. Responsibilities include representing clients in both individual housing matters, including eviction defense proceedings, and multi-plaintiff affirmative cases to address repairs, overcharges, harassment, and more. The TRC attorney will appear in civil, supreme, and federal court as well as administrative proceedings. The TRC staff attorney will be expected to work closely with tenant organizers, tenant associations, and community partners to identify and address housing needs. The attorney may conduct weekday, evening, and weekend outreach and off-site intake with our partners. The attorney will also be expected to perform trainings for other advocates, tenant associations, community members, and community groups.

The successful candidates should have :

• A commitment to public service and an understanding of the legal problems and needs of the poor;
• The ability to communicate effectively with low-income client communities and communities of color;
• Excellent analytical, writing, and communication skills;
• Strong organizational skills and ability to handle a diverse, fast-paced, and high-volume caseload;
• Experience working with community-based organizations and / or enthusiasm for partnering with community-based advocates and organizations;
• Experience and / or enthusiasm for working on advocacy in teams;
• Experience in housing, landlord / tenant, and or related advocacy, preferred, and
• Fluency in Spanish or another language commonly spoken in the communities we serve is strongly preferred.

Salary is determined by a collective bargaining agreement.

We will consider law graduates with pending applications to be admitted to practice in New York, but we will give preference to attorneys already admitted to practice in New York.

Dependent on work history and experience.

Salary Range

$85,612 - $167,905 USD

All employees are strongly encouraged to continue to receive and maintain up-to-date COVID vaccinations unless they are unable to for medical or religious reasons.

Legal Services NYC is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, people over 40, and gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people are strongly encouraged to apply.

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