Staff Attorney, Domestic Violence Family Law Advocacy 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 an attorney to joint our Domestic Violence Family Law Advocacy Project (DVFLAP) in our vibrant community-based civil legal services organization in Queens.
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 fundamental needs 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 at our office in Jamaica and via outreach in the Queens community. We are part of Legal Services NYC, the largest free civil legal services provider in the United States.
DVFLAP is an interdisciplinary team of attorney and social workers whose mission is to provide holistic and culturally competent services to enable victims of intimate partner violence to live free of abuse and violence. Our attorneys provide direct legal representation to domestic violence survivors for family legal matters in Family Court, Supreme Court and in the IDV Part. DVFLAP staff conduct borough-wide outreach and community education workshops related to family law and domestic violence. DVFLAP staff are actively involved in community task forces and working groups and advocate on systemic and macro levels for policy changes to advance economic, racial and gender justice for survivors of intimate partner violence.
Responsibilities
The staff attorney will represent survivors of domestic violence in Family Court, Supreme Court and in the IDV Part of Criminal Court in a range of family legal matters including family offenses, child custody and visitation cases, child and spousal support matters and divorce proceedings,
Additional responsibilities include off-site legal clinics, outreach and education programs with out community-based partners. They will work closely with QLS social workers and with community agency advocates to provide comprehensive, culturally sensitive representation. The attorney may be expected to work occasional evening hours.
Experience and Qualifications
We seek an attorney admitted to the New York State Bar or a recent law graduate with:
-Advocacy experiences in areas relevant to family law, domestic violence, immigrants’ rights, civil rights and economic justice;
-Experience working with domestic violence survivors preferred;
-A demonstrated passion for social justice and commitment to working with diverse, low-income communities and communities of color to advance equity;
-Experience working as part of an interdisciplinary team preferred;
-Excellent analytical, research and writing skills;
-Enthusiasm for partnering with community-based advocates and organizations;
-A facility working with software technology and basic knowledge of current technology in a law practice;
-Experience with Legal Server or other case management systems; and
Fluency or strong working ability in Spanish, Mandarin, Korean, Hindi, Urdu, Bengali or Arabic a plus.
Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience (determined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement). Benefits include excellent health and dental insurance, employer contribution to a pre-tax 403(b) retirement plan and generous leave time.
Dependent on work history and experience.
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.