Impress employers and recruiters.
Choose from hundreds of resume examples.
Impress employers and recruiters.
Choose from hundreds of resume examples.
Target Resume Now
About the Role
Neighborhood Legal Services (NLS) is seeking a Staff Attorney to join their Public Benefits team. This role involves assisting low-income clients in obtaining or maintaining essential benefits, such as temporary assistance, SNAP, and emergency aid. The attorney will handle all aspects of case work, including advising clients, negotiating with the Department of Social Services, representing clients at administrative hearings, and engaging in litigation. This position offers an opportunity to develop substantive legal knowledge, advocacy skills, and address systemic issues affecting the community.
Responsibilities
- Handle all aspects of legal representation including client contact, pleading preparation, research, file maintenance, hearing and trial work, and work with support staff
- Fulfill all grant and contract requirements through casework, time-keeping, and record-keeping
- Develop and maintain 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, socio-economic 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
- Develop an understanding of the social and economic forces that create poverty and inequality in our community
Requirements
- J.D. and NYS Bar Admission (considered if applicant has passed the bar exam with admission pending – training will be provided)
- Demonstrated commitment and cultural sensitivity to low-income and underserved communities
- Strong writing skills
- Strong verbal communication skills
- Strong behavioral competencies
- Strong attention to detail
- Strong follow-up skills
Skills
- Legal representation
- Client advising
- Negotiation
- Administrative hearing representation
- Litigation
- Legal research
- Pleading preparation
- File maintenance
- Time-keeping
- Record-keeping
- Community outreach
- Community education
- Community training
- Cultural competency
- Civil procedure knowledge
- Civil litigation law knowledge
Location
- Niagara Falls
Work Type
- Full-time
- Onsite
Experience Level
- Entry-level (training provided for recent bar admittees)
- Experienced attorney
Education Level
- Juris Doctor (J.D.)
- NYS Bar Admission
Salary/Compensations
- STEP 1 - $ 71,000.00
- STEP 5 - $ 78,156.78
- STEP 10 - $ 90,338.62
- STEP 15 - $101,873.70
- STEP 22 - $120,913.76
Benefits
- Health insurance
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- Generous PTO policy
- 3 weeks of vacation time
- 12 paid holidays
- 1 week of PTO between Christmas and New Year's
- Reduced summer hours
- Sick leave
- Personal leave
- Eligibility for public student loan forgiveness
- Life insurance
- Pension plan
- HRA
- Flexible Spending Accounts
- Paid memberships
- Professional development
About the Company
- Neighborhood Legal Services is a not-for-profit public interest law firm providing free civil legal assistance to low-income individuals.
- Its mission is to seek equitable justice by providing access to legal advice, representation, and education to those in our community who, due to financial vulnerability, disability, discrimination, or abuse, require protection and advancement of their civil legal rights.
- It is the largest non-profit provider of civil legal services in Western New York.
- Neighborhood Legal Services provides counsel for housing, prevention, family/divorce, public benefits, disability advocacy, student loans, and health insurance.
Equal Opportunity
- NLS is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply.
- Employer recruits without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national or ethnic origin, citizenship, ancestry, sex, gender (including identity or expression), sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, or protected veteran status and any such candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.