Legal Assistance Of Western New York, Inc. (LawNY)

Attorney

• Provide direct legal services to low income victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in Family Court matters including advice, negotiation, litigation and administrative advocacy.
• Maintain specialized knowledge of NYS Family Law, particularly: family offense, custody and visitation, child support violations, abuse and neglect proceedings.
• Develop skills advocating for low-income clients in other civil legal areas affecting victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, including, for example, housing law, public and disability benefits, and divorce.
• Interact respectfully with clients and staff from a wide range of backgrounds, with an awareness of the importance of cultural competence and humility.
• Supervise caseload of supervised personnel, ensuring that each supervisee handles an appropriate amount of work, and coordinate the periodic review of the cases.
• Help identify leadership development and mentoring opportunities for supervisees.
• Create and maintain a safe and healthy work environment for supervisees.
• Collaborate with other human services providers, non-profit organizations and community groups as well as the courts, administrative tribunals and the private bar to address legal problems within our community, particularly those affecting victims of DV/SA.
• Cooperate in all grant reporting requirements, program reporting, timekeeping, file maintenance, case closing and compliance review.
• Maintain a high level of professional competence through attending of training sessions, seminars and conferences and individual efforts to keep abreast of current developments in family law, trauma-informed legal services, poverty law and in the application of an equity lens to client service.

Supervising Family Court Attorney

Legal Assistant

• Provide intake and screening services for income-eligible persons seeking legal assistance
• Outreach to underserved populations
• Recruit and support community volunteers
• Enhance collaboration with local human services agencies

Legal Assistant – AmeriCorps

• Maintain a full-time caseload representing eligible clients.
• Interacts respectfully with clients from a wide range of backgrounds, with an awareness of the importance of cultural competence and humility.
• Collaborates with other LawNY® advocates, human services providers, non-profit organizations and community groups as well as the courts, administrative tribunals and the private bar to address legal problems within our community, including providing community legal education.
• Contributes to a safe and healthy work environment for fellow employees.
• Cooperates in all grant reporting requirements, program reporting, timekeeping, file maintenance, case closing and compliance review.

Staff Attorney – General Law, Public Benefits

• Provide intake and screening services for income-eligible persons seeking legal assistance with civil law problems.
• Outreach to underserved populations.
• Recruit and support community volunteers.
• Enhance collaboration with local human services agencies.
• Gain direct, substantive legal experience and training.

• Provide respectful culturally competent legal services to clients with low income and client groups including advice, negotiation, litigation and administrative advocacy.
• Manage multiple tasks and deadlines while supervising caseload of supervisees and coordinate the periodic review of the cases.
• Develop and maintain specialized knowledge of administrative law and federal court practice as it relates to claims for SSI and SSDI benefits.
• Identify leadership development and mentoring opportunities for supervisees and train less-experienced attorneys, paralegals and/or other staff in their pursuit of career advancement.
• Create and maintain a safe and healthy work environment for supervisees.
• Build relationships and collaborate with human services providers, non-profit organizations, community groups, and impacted community members as well as the courts, administrative tribunals, and the private bar to address legal problems within our community.
• Take responsibility for proper grant management requirements, program reporting, timekeeping, file maintenance, case closing, and compliance review.
• Maintain a high level of professional competence through attendance of training sessions, seminars and conferences and individual efforts to keep abreast of current developments in the area of poverty law and the application of an equity lens to client service.

Supervising Attorney – General Law

• Oversees the day to day operations of the office, including intake, advocacy, outreach, administration, and staffing.
• Manages and supervises staff and ensures compliance with program, grant and personnel policies.
• Responsible for the development, preparation, and submission of grant applications and reports.
• Directs and maintains active involvement in the advocacy efforts of the office.
• Establishes and implements office procedures for staffing assignments, supervision, intake, and case distribution.
• Ensures adequate quality control of casework through the development and implementation of training opportunities and supervision protocols.
• Maintains and develops relationships and/or collaborative efforts with current funders, community leaders, not-for-profit agencies, grass roots organizations, other public interest offices, and governmental and elected officials.
• Actively participates in the LawNY management team, meetings of the Board of Directors, and regular LawNY committee meetings.
• Practices inclusive leadership, by creating open communication and feedback channels, actively removing barriers to staff success, and modeling behaviors that foster a positive, respectful, engaged, and supportive team culture.

Managing Attorney

• Maintain a full-time caseload representing eligible clients.
• Develop and maintain specialized knowledge in the dynamics of domestic violence and sexual assault, providing trauma-informed legal services, family court representation for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, and legal advice and supportive services through the criminal justice process, as well as representation in other civil legal matters as they relate to the victimization.
• Interacts respectfully with clients from a wide range of backgrounds, with an awareness of the importance of cultural competence and humility.
• Collaborates with other LawNY advocates, human services providers, non-profit organizations and community groups as well as the courts, administrative tribunals and the private bar to address legal problems within our community, including providing community legal education.
• Contributes to a safe and healthy work environment for fellow employees.
• Cooperates in all grant reporting requirements, program reporting, timekeeping, file maintenance, case closing and compliance review.

Staff Attorney – Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Public Benefits

• Meet with clients facing housing instability to determine their needs.
• Provide full-scope in-person representation of tenants facing eviction, homelessness and other civil legal problems related to eviction, including in town, village and city courts.
• Assist clients in seeking and securing financial assistance which is related to stabilizing housing, including public benefits, subsidized housing and unemployment benefits.
• Build relationships with community agencies providing services to our clients, including shelter, including in person meetings and establishing a presence at facilities providing services.
• Provide litigation support, including pleadings, to other housing advocates.
• Supervise temporary paralegals who are involved in outreach efforts with the courts and agencies.

Supervising Family Court Attorney

Legal Assistant – AmeriCorps

Staff Attorney – General Law, Public Benefits

Legal Assistant – AmeriCorps

Supervising Attorney – General Law

Managing Attorney

Staff Attorney – Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Public Benefits

Temporary Staff Attorney