Disability Rights Advocate Jobs in Rochester, NY

Employment Status: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Exempt

Practice Group/Team: Tenant Advocacy

Organization Information

Empire Justice Center, a diverse and highly respected statewide legal services organization, seeks a Supervising Attorney for our Tenant Advocacy practice group. This is an opportunity to join and grow in one of the most influential organizations serving marginalized low-income individuals and families in New York State.

Empire Justice Center attracts and employs a diverse team of dedicated, determined, and passionate advocates who significantly impact the lives of low-income New Yorkers. We succeed through direct legal representation, high-impact litigation, and legislative and administrative advocacy. As an organization, we provide top-notch training and technical assistance to other advocates to ensure fairness and justice for New Yorkers. We thrive on our commitment to supporting justice for populations that have historically experienced severe oppression. These populations include racially diverse individuals and families experiencing poverty, housing insecurity, immigration issues, and domestic violence. Additionally, the organization advocates for people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ community, and school-age children facing discrimination and violations of their civil rights in schools.

Our offices in Rochester, Albany, Westchester County, and Long Island offer staff an exciting, dynamic, inclusive working environment with a solid commitment to work/life balance, teamwork, diversity, wellness, and personal/professional development.

Position Summary

Empire Justice Center is pleased to announce an opening for a Supervising Attorney. The Supervising Attorney will represent low-income tenants in Monroe County with a variety of legal issues, including eviction defense and enforcement of the warrant of habitability via Article 7-C and 7-D claims. The attorney will provide information, advice, and technical assistance to tenants and other advocates. The individual in this position will be responsible for the above responsibilities and supervising a practice group member. The Managing Attorney of the practice group will supervise this position.

Salary

The referenced pay range/scale represents this job's estimated minimum and maximum compensation. Individual annual salaries/hourly rates will be set within the job's compensation range and determined by factors including, but not limited to, education, experience, qualifications, the individual's expertise, market data, and internal equity considerations.

Supervising Attorney, 5-8 years of experience, $93,439-$96,109 (Upstate NY)

Benefits

We are an organization that supports and promotes a healthy work-life balance. Empire Justice Center offers a generous benefit package, including:

· 35-hour full-time work week.

· Comprehensive health insurance plan.

· 403(b) eligibility - immediately eligible to begin contributing from your paycheck.

· Immediate vesting upon hire - ALL contributions (both employee and employer).

o 1% employer match is eligible after 12 months of employment.

o 3% non-elective annual contribution made by employer after 12 months of employment.

· Generous vacation, sick, personal, and holiday time

o 14 Paid Holidays

o Vacation: 10.5 hours/month; Sick: 7 hours/month; Personal: 35 hours/year

· Loan Repayment Assistance Program for qualifying employees.

· Bilingual salary enhancement for qualifying employees.

· Generous Bereavement Leave.

· Employee Wellness Activities.

· Voluntary Supplemental Disability.

· Dental Insurance (employee paid).

· Vision Insurance (employee paid).

· $150K Group Term Life Insurance.

· NYS Short-Term Disability.

· FSA Eligibility.

Empire Justice Center is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and strongly desires a diverse and inclusive workforce. Empire Justice Center provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants. It prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type, specifically - race, color, religion, age, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, disability status, genetics, neurodiversity, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

· Travel to and work in the Rochester Telesca Center office is required to meet client and organizational needs.

o This position is eligible for a hybrid work request under the organizational policy.

· Provide legal representation to low-income tenants in eviction proceedings and warranty of habitability cases in housing courts in Monroe County.

· Work closely with and supervise a paralegal to effectively and efficiently handle cases.

· Provide support as needed to other attorneys and paralegals on the Tenant Advocacy Team.

· Ability to maintain a docket of housing cases, including but not limited to holdover and nonpayment summary proceedings for eviction.

· Collaborate actively with the advocates and attorneys from partnering organizations to find other resources to preserve clients' housing.

· Ability to provide legal advice via an interpreter to clients who do not speak English as needed.

· Work closely with other advocates to identify and assist with related legal needs that these clients may have, including immigration issues, services for crime victims, access to public benefits, and civil rights in housing and language access.

· Impact litigation support, as needed.

· Must demonstrate a high level of comfort and commitment to working with people from marginalized communities.

· Work closely with your assigned supervisor and participate in regular supervision meetings, including work plan development and grant deliverable management.

· Frequent traveling to housing courts in Monroe County is required.

· Please note that this position will be required to supervise other practice group members.

· Due to limited resources, all staff are expected to perform administrative and other support-related duties to serve our clients and fulfill our mission as a non-profit legal services organization.

· Other duties as assigned by your supervisor and/or to meet the organization’s needs.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

· Juris Doctorate Degree from an accredited US law school or international equivalent.

o Admission to the New York State Bar and in good standing as a member of the NYS bar.

· Minimum of 5 years of legal experience related to landlord/tenant matters, housing, litigation, legal services, or similar experience.

· Experience supervising legal staff.

· Access to reliable transportation capable of traveling to housing courts in Monroe County.

· Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, SharePoint, PowerPoint), with the ability to learn and adapt to other applications quickly, including but not limited to file management applications, calendar applications, and virtual meeting applications.

· Must demonstrate strong analytical skills.

· Must demonstrate strong analytical and communication skills, including proficiency in technology that facilitates the delivery of communication, documents, and other materials.

· Must demonstrate excellence in technology systems, facilitating the creation and delivery of communication, documents, and record-keeping, among other tasks.

· Strong organizational and multitasking abilities, with the capacity to manage competing priorities and deadlines effectively.

· Effective decision-making skills.

· Experience in and commitment to working with marginalized communities.

· Supervisory and problem management experience.

· Excellent legal research and report writing skills.

· Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

· Excellent litigation and legal advocacy skills.

· Ability to work on a team.

· Case Management and Client Management experience.

· Leadership Skills.

· Strong collaboration/cooperation skills.

Preferred Qualifications

· Bilingual (English & Spanish).

TO APPLY: Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. If interested, please visit our “Work With Us” employment page at www.empirejustice.org. Please submit a complete application, including a resume, cover letter, writing sample, and contact information for three professional references (one supervisor is required). Please refrain from making phone calls or sending hard copies. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

If reasonable accommodations are needed, please contact Mercedece Love, Human Resources and Compliance Manager, at mlove@empirejustice.org. Empire Justice Center is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Empire Justice Center ensures that persons with disabilities and/or communication barriers have reasonable accommodations.