Temporary Staff Attorney, Access to Education Project, Queens

Legal Services NYC (LSNYC) fights poverty and seeks racial, social and economic justice for low-income New Yorkers. For over 50 years, we have challenged systemic injustices that trap people in poverty and provided legal services that help our clients meet basic needs for housing, income and economic security, family and immigration stability, education, and health care. LSNYC is the largest civil legal services provider in the country; our staff of more than 600 people in neighborhood-based offices and outreach sites across all five boroughs helps hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers annually. We partner with scores of community-based and client-run organizations, elected officials, public agencies, pro bono lawyers, and the courts to maximize our effectiveness. Our work fights discrimination and helps to achieve equity for all low-income New Yorkers.

LSNYC employees have numerous opportunities for growth and professional development, including access to our internal Justice Learning Center, which provides opportunities to earn free CLEs and gain experience as a trainer.

Queens Legal Services (QLS) seeks a temporary staff attorney to join our Access to Education Project. This position is expected to be for a period of approximately twelve months.

About Us

Founded in 1967, QLS seeks equal access to justice for all low-income residents of Queens through a range of legal advocacy, education, and community partnerships. We provide free legal counseling, representation, and referrals in civil matters involving the essentials of life including housing, public and disability benefits, domestic violence prevention, consumer and homeowner protections, access to education, and employment rights to eligible low-income individuals and families. We work with our clients and partners to identify and address root causes for systemic inequalities in Queens and throughout New York City. We provide civil legal services from our office in Jamaica, Queens.

We are part of a network of local programs that make up Legal Services NYC, the largest free civil legal services provider in the United States.

The QLS Access to Education Project represents children in special education and discipline proceedings, working closely with families to ensure their children get the education support they need. Our education advocates develop strong relationships with community-based organizations to provide legal information and advice to families of children with disabilities and communities targeted by the school-to-prison pipeline, including people of color and immigrant communities throughout Queens.

Role and Responsibilities

The Staff Attorney’s responsibilities will include but are not limited to the following:

• Representing students in special education and disciplinary proceedings;

• Conducting intake and providing legal advice to potential clients;

• Engaging in systemic advocacy to improve the lives of low-income students through affirmative litigation and by engaging with administrative and legislative processes;

• Collaborating with community partners and conducting outreach to provide legal education to low-income NYC students and their families;

• Connecting clients to other necessary resources including community-based organizations, government agencies, service providers, and other non-profit organizations;

• Working effectively in a team environment with both legal and non-legal members to better serve clients and the community; and

• Maintaining online case files within the office case management system to ensure compliance with various grants.

Experience and Qualifications

We seek a candidate with the following attributes:

• Admitted to practice law in the State of New York, or a law-school graduate who is in the process of being admitted;

• 2-3 years of experience in litigation or administrative proceedings;

• Excellent analytical, research, and writing skills;

• A demonstrated passion for social justice and commitment to working with immigrant communities, communities of color, and low-income communities;

• Strong interpersonal, communication, time management, and organizational skills;

• Enthusiasm for and/or experience developing partnerships with community-based advocates;

• Strong teamwork skills and interest in working collaboratively with others across QLS and LSNYC;

• Ability to work with basic software used in law offices, including the MS Office suite;

• Experience working with LegalServer or other case management systems (preferred);

• Fluency or strong proficiency in Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Bengali, or other languages commonly spoken by our client communities (preferred).

How to Apply

Interested individuals should upload their resume, cover letter, and writing sample to Greenhouse.

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. Please no telephone calls.

Additional information about the practice may be found on our website, [external link]

Dependent on work history and experience.

Salary Range$88,180—$163,762 USD

All employees are strongly encouraged to continue to receive and maintain up-to-date COVID vaccinations unless they are unable to for medical or religious reasons.

Legal Services NYC is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, people over 40, and gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people are strongly encouraged to apply.