Housing Justice Staff Attorney- Canton

Ready to Make a Difference?

The Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, a nonprofit civil legal services program, is seeking a Housing Staff Attorney for the Canton office. Legal Aid's mission is to fight for fairness, dignity, and justice for those living in poverty and for a society that is inclusive and equitable for all. We transform lives, build communities, and empower people by using the law to address individual and systemic wrongs and inequities. Our service area spans sixteen counties, in upstate New York, encompassing six regional offices. This position is based out of the Canton office. For more information about our work, staff, and clients, visit www.lasnny.org.

We are a unionized program with excellent benefits, offering generous time off, excellent health insurance coverage with premiums primarily paid by LASNNY, health and long-term disability insurance, retirement contributions, tuition reimbursement, qualifying moving expenses, and flexible hybrid-remote and alternative work schedules.

About the Role:

The attorney will provide legal representation and assistance to households at risk of homelessness, and who are suffering from financial and other hardships in the St. Lawrence county.

Minimum Requirements

• Must be licensed to practice law in NYS or be eligible for admission. Law Graduates will be considered if they have taken the bar exam.
• Applicants must demonstrate a strong commitment to helping low-income and disadvantaged people overcome institutional barriers to employment, safety, housing, and income support and the provision of assertive, compassionate victim sensitive trauma-informed services to victims of domestic violence.
• Must be able to communicate effectively with clients and staff, work independently and efficiently, and be able to problem solve and work collaboratively with community partner agency staff.
• Training or experience in community lawyering or community organizing, demonstrated strong listening and relationship-building skills, experience, creativity, and willingness to use varied legal and non-legal advocacy tools to advance community-identified initiatives preferred.
• Must be willing to travel throughout our service area; a car and a clean valid New York driver's license are required.
• Strong computer, administrative, reporting, and data entry skills required.
• The ability to speak Spanish or Chinese is a plus.

Staff Attorney Essential Duties

• Provide legal assistance to eligible households at risk of homelessness by preventing evictions, securing mainstream benefits, and making referrals to services that will enhance the household's ability to maintain permanent housing.
• Work collaboratively with government and nonprofit agencies that provide supportive services, income, shelter, permanent supportive housing, homelessness prevention and rapid rehousing services, and financial assistance, provide assistance to the homeless and at-risk residents.
• Provide legal assistance in maintaining or securing permanent housing and the income necessary to retain permanent housing. Legal assistance will include eviction defense, asserting protections for tenants and fully utilizing the law to preserve tenancies and keep people safe in housing.
• Protect public and subsidized housing tenancies and subsidies, address utility shut offs or denials of service, and secure emergency assistance, ongoing temporary assistance, and other income support necessary to achieve housing stability.
• Provide a full range of legal services, including counsel and advice, referrals, representation in administrative hearings, affirmative and defensive litigation, systemic advocacy, community legal education, outreach and engagement, and community lawyering.
• Experts in Emergency Rental Assistance Program or Right to Counsel Program; related data collection.
• Requirements and compliance therewith and work collaboratively with other LASNNY housing attorneys/paralegals to maximize access to LASNNY services and addresses systemic issues that cause homelessness.
• The attorneys will also participate in the development and implementation of LASNNY's race equity priority and their professional development plan.

Work Environment

This position operates in a professional law office environment and occasionally may require the carrying of regular office supplies. This role requires the use of standard office equipment and software and remote videoconferencing platforms. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

At LASNNY we value a diverse, inclusive workforce and we provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. All qualified applicants for employment will be considered without regard to an individual's race, color, sex, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local laws. We strongly encourage applications from women, BIPOC, LGBTQI+ persons, protected veterans, applicants and recipients of public assistance, older adults, and people with disabilities.

If you are unable to submit your application because of incompatible assistive technology or a disability, please contact us at LASNNY and we will reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities to the extent required by applicable law.