Attorney-General

Neighborhood Legal Services (NLS), the largest provider of civil legal services in western New York, is seeking a dynamic staff attorney for its Batavia office. The staff attorney will maintain a caseload relating to housing law, public benefits, family law, disability law, and consumer issues.

Essential Responsibilities / Functions:

• Handle all aspects of legal representation including client contact, pleading preparation, research, file maintenance, working with support staff, and hearing and trial work;

• Fulfill all grant and contract requirements through casework, timekeeping, record-keeping, and fostering pro bono involvement with the private bar;

• Develop a working knowledge of the areas of law that impact our clients,

• Identify other legal needs of clients to ensure that NLS can provide holistic representation and referrals;

• Collaborate and coordinate with other NLS staff and community partners to ensure effective referrals and holistic service delivery;

• Identify systemic problems that affect our clients’ rights;

• Conduct community outreach, education and training;

• Demonstrate cultural competency to work with clients of every race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, age, immigrant status, religious identity, physical and mental disabilities, and limited English proficiency;

• Maintain a current knowledge of developments in civil procedure and civil litigation law; and

• Develop an understanding of the social and economic forces that create poverty and inequality in our community.

Qualifications

• J.D. and NYS Bar Admission (considered if applicant has passed the bar exam with admission pending)

• Previous experience working with low-income and/or underserved communities preferred

• Demonstrated commitment and sensitivity to low-income and underserved communities

• Second language fluency preferred

Salary

Salary range is 64,447.00- $106,720.12; and is based on experience. Full-time position with a 35-hour work week and shorter summer hours. Excellent benefits including health, dental and vision insurance, 15 vacation days; 12 paid holidays plus paid week off between Christmas and New Year’s; sick and personal leave; eligibility for public student loan forgiveness; paid $50,000 life insurance, pension plan, HRA, and Flexible Spending Accounts, and paid professional legal memberships.

Organization Overview

Neighborhood Legal Services (NLS) is the largest provider of civil legal services in Western New York with a central office in Buffalo and offices in Batavia, Lockport, and Niagara Falls. NLS advocates for thousands of clients each year in many different legal subject areas. NLS staff represents clients who are facing eviction, families who have no money for food or rent, survivors and victims of domestic violence, members of the LGBTQ+ community, veterans, and people with disabilities. We invite you to join our team and to use your talents and skills to help people and change systems