Overview
About NYLAG
Founded in 1990, NYLAG is a leading civil legal services organization combatting economic, racial, and social injustice by advocating for people experiencing poverty or in crisis. Our services include comprehensive, free civil legal services, financial empowerment, impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community partnerships. NYLAG exists because wealth should not determine who has access to justice. We aim to disrupt systemic racism by serving individuals and families whose legal and financial crises are often rooted in racial inequality. NYLAG goes to where the need is, providing services in more than 150 community sites (e.g. courts, hospitals, libraries) and on our Mobile Legal Help Center. During COVID-19, most of our services are virtual to keep our community safe. NYLAG’s staff of 300 impacted the lives of nearly 90,000 people last year.
Mission
New York Legal Assistance Group uses the power of the law to help New Yorkers experiencing poverty or in crisis combat economic, racial, and social injustice. We address emerging and urgent needs with comprehensive, free civil legal services, financial empowerment, impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community partnerships. We aim to disrupt systemic racism by serving clients, whose legal and financial crises are often rooted in racial inequality.
Values that guide us
- We reduce the effects of poverty by providing high quality, effective civil legal services.
- We strive to serve individuals and communities through a race equity lens to counteract systemic racism.
- We work to create a welcoming and inclusive work environment that reflects the communities we serve.
- We achieve systemic change through class actions, impact litigation and by advocating for just laws and policies.
- We partner with our clients to help them transform their lives and strengthen their communities.
- We address our clients ’multiple legal needs by collaborating across our practice areas.
- We are at the forefront of identifying and understanding New Yorkers’ most pressing legal needs, rapidly adapting to meet these needs with innovative programs and partnerships.
- We assess need broadly, recognizing that need is not a function of income alone.
- We collaborate with community organizations and engage pro bono attorneys and volunteers to serve a greater number of people with unmet civil legal needs.
- We teach and train the next generation of legal service professionals.
Job Description:
Applicants must be prepared to handle a high volume of cases and to interact with an under-represented client population in a sensitive and professional manner. Applicants must have excellent analytical skills to assess whether clients have a legal basis for appeal based on the evidence. Applicants should demonstrate a strong commitment to public service and have strong writing and oral advocacy skills. The successful candidate will work closely with other unit staff and will receive both on-the-job and more formal training.
Duties and Responsibilities:
The successful candidate will primarily handle cases that fall within the scope of NYLAG’s state-funded Disability Advocacy Project. These are cases in which New Yorkers who receive public benefits have inappropriately had Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits denied, terminated, or recouped. Specific responsibilities include: conducting intake interviews of individuals denied Supplemental Security Income and Social Security benefits; obtaining and reviewing medical and other records; researching federal regulations and procedures; and representing clients at the local office and at administrative law hearings. The position is in NYLAG’s Public Benefits Unit (PBU).
Qualifications:
A JD is required. Will accept applications from applicants who have taken the bar exam by the start date and are awaiting results. Applicants with high Spanish proficiency (i.e. capable of conducting a client interview in the language) preferred.
To apply, please send both a resume and a cover letter, preferably in a single pdf. Incomplete applications will not be considered. We will ask for a writing sample and references prior to the interview.
NYLAG’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion
NYLAG is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, immigrants, veterans, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people, and those with lived experiences in the communities we serve are strongly encouraged to apply.
Employment type:
☒ Full-time
☐ Part-time
☐ Temporary
Professional Level:
☒ Entry Level
☐ Professional
☐ Managerial
Salary:
Salary range starts at $73,046. Pay steps are based on date of bar admission and are not negotiable. Law graduate salary is $71,576.
Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, 401k, life insurance, long term disability, commuter benefits, flexible spending accounts (FSA) for Medical and Dependent care.