About Us
Manhattan Legal Services (MLS) is seeking a staff attorney to join our dynamic Veterans Justice Project (VJP). The Veterans Justice Project provides holistic and comprehensive civil legal services to veterans, service members and their family members. We represent clients in the vital areas of housing, family law and income maintenance in order to provide veterans and their families with stable housing, resolution of family law issues and an income source.
Manhattan Legal Services is part of Legal Services NYC (LSNYC), the largest provider of free civil legal services for low-income people in the country. The Manhattan program is dedicated to providing high-quality and culturally sensitive legal services in the areas of housing, family law, public benefits, employment, and immigration, and consumer, education, and disability rights. The Manhattan program has designated units serving particularly vulnerable populations including domestic violence survivors, people living with HIV, and people identifying as LGBTQ. We work in close collaboration with community-based partners in the low-income communities we serve.
Duties & Responsibilities:
The VJP staff attorney will be responsible for advocacy, litigation, legislative testimony and community outreach. The attorney will provide direct services—advice, brief service and representation—to veterans, service members and their family members in the three primary substantive areas of housing, family and income maintenance. The attorney will be directly supervised by the Director of MLS’s Disability Advocacy Project but will have access to, interface with and collaborate with the skilled Manhattan Legal Services housing, family, disability, employment and public benefits unit staff as necessary. The attorney will draft and deliver testimony on relevant veteran matters before the appropriate legislative bodies. The attorney will present know-your-rights trainings to community groups. Additionally, the VJP attorney will assist with the citywide VJP monthly Military Monday clinic, which offers assistance from pro bono attorneys to veterans with Social Security applications, appeals of Social Security benefits denials, and housing repair complaints.
Since this VJP position will involve advocacy and litigation on key substantive areas impacting veterans, as well as legislative work and community outreach, VJP is looking for an attorney who can bring depth and breadth of advocacy experience, is eager to expand their practice areas, and is deeply committed to social justice and community lawyering.
Qualifications:
Required:
- At least 2 years’ experience in legal practice; • Law degree and eligibility for admission or admission to the New York State bar;
- Experience litigating affirmative cases in New York State Supreme Court, federal court, and/or other types of litigation/advocacy to create systemic change;
- Demonstrated commitment to and experience working with and providing culturally sensitive services to vulnerable populations;
- Demonstrated passion for racial, social and economic justice;
- Excellent interviewing, writing, and communication skills;
- Ability to communicate openly and effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds;
- Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion; and,
- Excellent organizational skills necessary to handle the multi-faceted and highvolume caseload.
Preferred:
- Experience working with veterans;
- Experience with public speaking and working with community groups;
Health Recommendation
All employees are strongly encouraged to continue to receive and maintain up-to-date Covid-19 vaccinations unless they are unable to for medical or religious reasons.
How to Apply