Supervising Senior Attorney, Tenant Advocacy (ERAP)

Description: Supervising Senior Attorney, Tenant AdvocacyCENTRAL ISLIP, LONG ISLAND

Employment Status: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Exempt

Practice Group: Tenant Advocacy

Organization Information

Empire Justice Center, a diverse and highly respected statewide legal services organization, seeks a Supervising Senior Attorney for our Tenant Advocacy practice group. This is an opportunity to join and grow in one of the most influential organizations serving marginalized low-income individuals and families in New York State.

Empire Justice Center attracts and employs a diverse team of dedicated, determined, and passionate advocates who significantly impact the lives of low-income New Yorkers. We succeed through direct legal representation, high-impact litigation, and legislative and administrative advocacy. As an organization, we provide top-notch training and technical assistance to other advocates to ensure fairness and justice for New Yorkers. We thrive on our commitment to supporting justice for populations that have historically experienced severe oppression. These populations include racially diverse individuals and families experiencing poverty, housing insecurity, immigration issues, and domestic violence. Additionally, the organization advocates for people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ community, and school-age children facing discrimination and violations of their civil rights in schools.

Our offices in Rochester, Albany, Westchester County, and Long Island offer staff an exciting, dynamic, inclusive working environment with a solid commitment to work/life balance, teamwork, diversity, wellness, and personal/professional development.

Position Summary

Empire Justice Center is pleased to announce an opening for a Supervising Senior Attorney. This position will represent tenants in eviction proceedings on Long Island, primarily in Suffolk County. This position may also involve work in Nassau County as needed, including representing clients facing eviction and potentially supervising other practice group members in Nassau. The Supervising Senior Attorney would be responsible for the above responsibilities and supervising other practice group members.

Salary

The referenced pay range represents the estimated minimum and maximum compensation for this job. Individual annual salaries/hourly rates will be set within the job's compensation range and determined by factors including, but not limited to, education, experience, qualifications, the individual's expertise, market data, and internal equity considerations.

Supervising Senior Attorney, 7-8 years of experience, $110,700-$117,000 (Downstate NY includes a $6,000 geographic differential)

Benefits

We are an organization that supports and promotes a healthy work-life balance. Empire Justice Center offers a generous benefit package, including:

• 35-hour full-time work week.
• Comprehensive health insurance plan.
• 403(b) eligibility - immediately eligible to begin contributing from your paycheck.
• Immediate vesting upon hire - ALL contributions (both employee and employer).

o 1% employer match is eligible after 12 months of employment.

o 3% non-elective annual contribution made by employer after 12 months of employment.

• Generous vacation, sick, personal, and holiday time

o 14 Paid Holidays

o Vacation: 10.5 hours/month; Sick: 7 hours/month; Personal: 35 hours/year

• Loan Repayment Assistance Program for qualifying employees.
• Bilingual salary enhancement for qualifying employees.
• Generous Bereavement Leave.
• Employee Wellness Activities.
• Voluntary Supplemental Disability.
• Dental Insurance (employee paid).
• Vision Insurance (employee paid).
• $150K Group Term Life Insurance.
• NYS Short-Term Disability.
• FSA Eligibility.

Empire Justice Center is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and strongly desires a diverse and inclusive workforce. Empire Justice Center provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants. It prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type, specifically - race, color, religion, age, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, disability status, genetics, neurodiversity, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Requirements:

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Travel to and work in the Central Islip, Long Island office is required to meet client and organizational needs.

o This position is eligible for a hybrid work request under the organizational policy.

• Provide legal representation to low-income tenants in eviction proceedings in housing courts, primarily in Suffolk County, but may also include Nassau County as needed.
• Supervise and work closely with other Tenant Advocacy Team members, including an attorney and paralegal, to effectively and efficiently handle cases.
• Frequent traveling to housing courts on Long Island, particularly Suffolk County.
• Provide legal advice to clients who do not speak English using an interpreter.
• Maintain a docket of housing cases, including but not limited to holdover and nonpayment summary proceedings for eviction.
• Collaborate actively with the advocates and attorneys from partnering organizations to find other resources to preserve clients' housing.
• Work closely with the Tenant Advocacy team to identify and assist with related legal needs that these clients may have, including immigration issues, services for crime victims, access to public benefits, and civil rights in housing and language access.
• Impact litigation support, as needed.
• Must demonstrate high comfort and commitment to working with disadvantaged and disabled clientele.
• Please note that all positions will supervise other practice group members if needed.
• Due to limited resources, all staff are expected to perform administrative and other support-related duties to serve our clients and fulfill our mission as a non-profit legal services organization.
• Other duties as assigned by your supervisor and/or to meet the organization’s needs.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

• Juris Doctorate Degree from an accredited US law school or international equivalent.

o Admission to practice in New York State and good standing or admission pending.

• Minimum of 7 to 8 years of legal experience related to landlord/tenant matters, housing, litigation, legal services, or similar experience.
• Supervisory experience is required.
• Excellent legal research and writing skills with experience in drafting complex briefs, pleadings, and motions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability and willingness to mentor, supervise, and train legal staff in all Empire Justice Offices through video conferencing/communication and travel when necessary.
• Strong leadership skills.
• Access to reliable transportation to various housing courts on Long Island, particularly in Suffolk County, but may also include Nassau County.
• The ability to provide legal advice to clients who do not speak English via an interpreter.
• Ability to maintain and organize a docket of housing cases, including but not limited to holdover and nonpayment summary proceedings for eviction.
• An ability to work independently and collaboratively with a team of attorneys and paralegals to create and develop programs and initiatives.
• The ability to collaborate actively with the advocates and attorneys from partnering organizations to find other resources to preserve clients' housing is required.
• Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, SharePoint, PowerPoint), with the ability to learn and adapt to other applications quickly, including but not limited to file management applications, calendar applications, and virtual meeting applications.
• Must demonstrate strong analytical skills.
• Ability to shift priorities while working in a fast-paced environment with multiple competing objectives.
• Effective decision-making skills that balance overall organizational and leadership objectives with employee needs.
• Effective interpersonal skills and the ability to cultivate partnerships.
• Experience in working with diverse clientele, including those who have experienced poverty.
• Commitment to improving the lives and circumstances of those who have experienced poverty and discrimination.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bilingual (English/Spanish) communication skills.
• Public Benefits’ knowledge.

TO APPLY: Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. If interested, please visit our “Work With Us” employment page on our website at www.empirejustice.org. Please submit a complete application, including a resume, writing sample, and contact information for three professional references (one supervisor is required). Please refrain from making phone calls or sending hard copies. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

If reasonable accommodations are needed, please contact Mercedece Love, Human Resources and Compliance Manager, at mlove@empirejustice.org. Empire Justice Center is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Empire Justice Center ensures that persons with disabilities and/or communication barriers have reasonable accommodations.