Staff Attorney (2 Positions Available- Matrimonial Project)

Job Description

Job Description

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. NYLAG’s staff of over 400 impacted the lives of nearly 129,000 people last year.

Job Description :

New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) seeks a Staff Attorney for the Matrimonial Project within its Domestic Violence Law Unit (DVLU). DVLU is an interdisciplinary team of attorneys and paralegals advocating on behalf of survivors of intimate partner violence and sexual assault in New York City. DVLU provides safety planning, advocacy, advice, and representation to survivors in matrimonial and family law matters (including order of protection, custody / visitation, contested divorce, uncontested divorce, child / spousal support proceedings, and related appellate proceedings), and domestic violence-based immigration applications (including VAWA self-petitions, battered spouse waivers, U visa, T visas, adjustment of status, and related applications).

DVLU’s Matrimonial Project focuses on providing matrimonial services to low-income survivors of domestic violence including contested and uncontested divorce, ancillary divorce issues (including equitable distribution, maintenance, child / spousal support, custody / visitation, paternity), and order of protection matters. DVLU believes that access to trauma-informed, client-centered representation is crucial for our clients’ paths towards self-determination, safety, and security, and we are seeking a Staff Attorney that shares and models these values.

The Staff Attorney will provide safety planning, representation, advice, and advocacy to survivors of domestic / intimate partner violence on contested and uncontested matrimonial matters, ancillary divorce issues (including equitable distribution, maintenance, child / spousal support, custody / visitation, paternity), order of protection matters, and related immigration matters. The Staff Attorney will represent clients before multiple venues including Supreme and Family throughout NYC with a focus on Manhattan. They will also assist survivors in submitting compensation claims based on their victimization.

The person in this role will collaborate internally across projects and externally with community-based partners, courts, volunteers, and pro bono attorneys, and will work to expand access to services for communities who face disparate obstacles to accessing assistance.

The Staff Attorney reports to the Matrimonial Project Director in DVLU.

Duties and Responsibilities :

• Provide comprehensive safety planning, as well as representation and consultation to survivors of domestic / intimate partner violence in legal matters including divorce, orders of protection, custody / visitation, support, and equitable distribution in Supreme and Family Courts throughout New York City with a focus on Manhattan;
• Provide representation and consultation in domestic / intimate partner violence-based immigration matters for matrimonial matters;
• Conduct legal screenings, clinics, and outreach, including on-site and in community to expand access to services;
• Attend internal staff meetings and meetings with partner agencies and funders;
• Participate in relevant internal and external coalitions and task forces to advance survivor justice;
• Mentor legal interns, volunteers, and pro bono attorneys;
• Conduct educational seminars, trainings, and outreach to communities, partners, advocates, law students, and others on domestic violence / matrimonial law;
• Administrative duties including updating NYLAG case management systems and maintaining and updating files and case notes, as well as assisting in grant reporting as needed;
• Other duties as needed.
• This role will require travel within New York City including appearing in court and at partner agency sites.

Qualifications :

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

Professional Level : ☒ Entry Level

☒ Professional

Salary Range : NYLAG is a unionized workplace, and salaries are set pursuant to a Collective Bargaining Agreement. The current annual salary range for this position is between $87,210 and $108,800.

Benefits : Medical, dental, vision, 401k, life insurance, long term disability, commuter benefits, flexible spending accounts (FSA) for Medical and Dependent care.

Application Instructions : Please save resume and cover letter on one pdf.

Covid Vaccination Policy : Please note, to safeguard the health and well-being of our employees and clients, NYLAG requires all employees to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, unless a medical or religious exemption is approved.

NYLAG is committed to a hybrid work policy for staff whose work does not require their full-time presence in the office. NYLAG’s current policy is that most staff are required to work in NYLAG’s offices or do other in-person work at least two days each week. This policy is subject to change.

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