Staff Attorney (Full-Time)
Youth Represent is seeking a full-time Staff Attorney to join our team, with an immediate start date. We are a youth defense and advocacy non-profit organization looking for a bright and energetic individual with an interest in youth and the law to provide legal support that aligns with our commitment to social and racial justice. To live true to our values, we provide comprehensive legal representation, community support, education, and policy advocacy to our clients and broader community network throughout NYC.
As a small team of community lawyers, our work is different than what you would expect at a traditional legal services organization. Our work is innovative, collaborative, and shifts with the ever changing and expanding needs of our youth. As a result, this position requires someone who is self-motivated and driven to problem solve issues as they arise with great independence. This is an exciting position for someone who wants to do legal work, but also has a passion for working directly with young people, playing an instrumental role in cultivating trust and building authentic relationships with them.
The person who will best succeed in this role:
● Truly enjoys collaboration – Which means working alongside a close-knit team dedicated to advancing client-centered solutions and are excited about contributing to the expansion of our organization’s expertise on collateral consequences on both a micro and macro-level.
● Has a demonstrated commitment to Diversity Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) - Applies an introspective DEI lens when considering one’s actions and biases when advocating and working with Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC), including clients, colleagues, and other stakeholders.
● Feels a real sense of ownership to get things done as a partner to the team – This person sees it as their responsibility to meet the immediate needs of our clients with great responsiveness and flexibility. They are able to balance a client caseload along with project management needs, which often includes cultivating and maintaining strong relationships with program coordinators of community based organizations (CBOs).
● Possess a strong desire to work across multiple fields of law that have an intersectional impact on the lives of system impacted and incarcerated youth. Those with prior legal experience are excited to share their expertise in building out and strengthening our core practice areas, particularly employment litigation.
● Centers those most impacted through collaboration and participatory engagement - whether it’s meeting an individual client’s needs, collaborating with partnership sites, or determining the content of a Know Your Rights workshop, this person deeply understands the need to listen to those most directly impacted and have them lead, navigate, and transform disempowering systems.
Responsibilities
● Successfully manage a caseload including litigation before federal and state courts, as well as administrative agencies throughout New York City
● Liaise with partner organizations in all five boroughs to arrange and provide legal reentry services to clients who face collateral consequences of criminal legal involvement.
● Provide legal representation in our core practice areas, which include the following: employment (Fair Chance Act), criminal defense (misdemeanor representation, DATs), records, family (custody, visitation, and child support), housing (NYCHA exclusion hearings), education (school suspension hearings), and name change law, along with growth into new areas such as benefits law. Note: Experience/expertise in all of these areas is not a prerequisite; training will be provided
● Work closely with paralegals and support staff to provide comprehensive reentry services to youth and maintain client communication
● Lead client intake meetings, facilitate legal workshops and staff trainings, and conduct mock employment interviews
● Participate in staff meetings and trainings, and support the strategic development of the organization
● Coordinate partnership site visits and liaise with their staff to: cultivate partner relationships; efficiently implement the project; and ensure partner needs and expectations are met. Community-based partnership organizations include: Mt. Sinai Adolescent Health Clinic, schools, workforce development programs, LGBTQ+ youth shelters, NYCHA community centers.
● Fulfill office administrative requirements, including database entry and case reporting
● Supervise the work of law school interns, clinical students, and other office interns
● Support policy, advocacy, and fundraising efforts for the organization
● Other duties as needed and determined by Senior Staff
Qualifications
● J.D. Degree from an ABA accredited law school & licensed to practice law in the State of New York or willingness to apply for admission to the New York bar
● Preference for 2 to 5 years’ experience practicing law
● Superb research, analysis, writing, and oral advocacy skills
● Initiative, good judgment, and a strong work ethic
● Ability to work both independently and in collaboration with others
● Experience working with justice-involved youth preferred
● Strong attention to detail
● Ability to organize and prioritize efficiently
● Strong writing, interpersonal, and communication skills
● A personal approach that values and respects differences of race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, ability, and socio-economic circumstance
NOTE: Current COVID-19 Protocols
All interviews will be conducted remotely.
While our Manhattan headquarters is temporarily closed due to Covid-19, we anticipate re-opening our physical office January 10th.
Salary Range & Benefits Package
● Salary for this position is $66,343 - $76,208, commensurate with experience.
● We offer a comprehensive benefits plan, coving the full premium for our medical plan. Other benefits include vision and dental coverage, disability, short- and long-term disability, life insurance, flexible spending account options, commuter benefits, a 401(k) plan, and a generous parental leave policy. We also offer four weeks of paid vacation and nine holidays, and we close the office the week between Christmas and New Years.
Union
● This position is a member of the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys-UAW Local 2325.
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis with a priority deadline of November 30, 2021. Applications without cover letters that directly address the candidate’s fit with the key qualifications will not be considered.
Youth Represent is an equal opportunity employer and is cultivating a truly equitable and anti oppressive workplace that embraces staff with a diversity of backgrounds, identities and experiences. We particularly encourage applicants from marginalized communities, including those who identify as Black, Indigenous, people of color, queer, transgender, gender non-conforming, disabled, and those directly impacted by the differing legal systems. We value lived as well as professional experience. We acknowledge the ways in which systemic oppression and injustice can undermine access to professional opportunities and are committed to conducting a hiring process that is equitable and accessible to all.