Ready to Make a Difference?

The Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, a nonprofit civil legal services program, is seeking an Economic Justice Staff Attorney for the Saratoga 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 community, 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 Saratoga 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:

Economic Justice Project: The positions are dedicated to ensuring that low-income residents of our capital region community have sufficient income to maintain their housing and the essentials of life and that those in need are served by systems that are just, fair, and responsive. Through the legal work of the staff attorneys, households will access and secure the financial support necessary to meet basic human needs (public assistance, including emergency assistance and temporary housing assistance, SNAP, Medicaid, childcare assistance, unemployment insurance benefits, and SSI). Through working with the individuals and families served by this project, the attorney also will identify, and secure changes needed in the delivery of income support and related human services so that the systems serving low-income residents of the capital region respond as the law requires and in a manner that supports and develops human potential. The attorneys will also participate in place-based advocacy in low-income neighborhoods in cities in the Capital Region.

Duties and Responsibilities:

· Advise and counsel on a full range of legal services in matters such as public assistance, including emergency assistance and temporary housing assistance, SNAP, Medicaid, childcare assistance, unemployment insurance benefits, and SSI).

· Effectively implement creative strategies for providing legal services, engaging the people served by the initiative, and collaborating with or challenging the service systems that impact the economic lives of low-income community members

· Design, coordinate, and implement of place-based advocacy in low-income neighborhoods in the Capital Region to address community-identified needs and to work with other LASNNY staff to assess and address the legal needs of their clients.

· Conduct client intake and provide counsel on a broad spectrum of legal services to the low-income residents of these neighborhoods.

· Host legal education workshops, and ask lawyer appointments.

· Facilitate the development and distribution of legal information, self-help information, and tools, advocate training, and technical assistance.

· Provide legal support for groups and organizing efforts, community agency staff, and advocates.

· Host effective community legal education including clinics and Know Your Rights events.

Skills and Education Requirements:

· JD from an accredited law school.

· Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and to helping consumers address individual and systemic problems related to economic security and stability by providing high-quality legal services to low-income clients.

· Ability to identify and address systemic legal problems.

· Ability to work collaboratively with other LASNNY staff.

· Commitment to professionalism, collegiality, and teamwork.

· Strong organizational, time management, and project management skills.

· Ability to handle high volume caseload and work off-site.

· Excellent written and oral communication skills.

· Proficient computer skills.

· Reliable transportation. Occasional travel required.

· Ability to communicate in Spanish, preferred.

· Current NY Bar admission in good standing.

Work Environment:

This position operates in a professional law office environment and occasionally may require the carrying of regular office supplies. This role requires using 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.