Program Description:
Staten Island Legal Services (SILS) fights poverty and seeks racial, social, and economic justice for low-income New Yorkers. SILS provides high quality, innovative representation to address the pressing legal needs of Staten Island’s diverse low-income populations. SILS focuses on the problems that have the greatest impact on our clients — preserving affordable and decent housing, preventing foreclosures, representing survivors of domestic violence, assisting in obtaining government benefits, obtaining immigration status and preventing deportations, and advocating for the LGBTQ community, students with educational needs and people with disabilities. SILS is a part of Legal Services NYC (LSNYC), which is the largest provider of civil legal services in the country. LSNYC provides numerous opportunities for growth and professional development and prides itself on its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) efforts. As a social justice organization, we are committed to fighting for a workplace that is as diverse, equitable, and inclusive as possible for everyone. Our DEIB committee and numerous affinity groups work to foster collegial relationships among staff and allow staff to explore and advocate for racial justice and anti-oppression growth within our organization and through our legal work. All employees are expected to learn about, seek to understand, and work to realize our DEIB goals.
Housing Unit:
The Housing Unit represents clients in Housing Court eviction proceedings, state, and federal court, and administrative hearings. The Unit preserves affordable housing through representation of low-income tenants in eviction proceedings and affirmative litigation to challenge abusive and discriminatory conduct that displaces low-income families and eliminates affordable housing.
The Tenants Rights Coalition works on anti-displacement advocacy in Staten Island, focusing on supporting Staten Island communities facing significant housing needs in light of rapid and potentially disruptive neighborhood changes and gentrification.
Responsibilities:
The Legal Services Assistant will be responsible for conducting community education and outreach, meeting with potential clients, and providing legal guidance with the assistance of attorneys. Regular evening and weekend intake and outreach will be required. The Legal Services Assistant will be responsible for case advocacy, including housing subsidy applications, public assistance hearings, and complaints filed at administrative agencies. The Legal Services Assistant will have substantial client contact, will conduct community outreach, and will handle the cases of their own clients. In addition, the Legal Services Assistant will be responsible for administrative tasks, including timekeeping, uploading documents, data reporting, and case closing for grant compliance.
Qualifications:
- A demonstrated passion for social justice and a commitment to working with low-income communities and communities of color to advance equity.
- Excellent interviewing, writing, and communication skills;
- Experience working with low-income people;
- Excellent organizational skills and strong facility with numbers;
- Experience with housing and public benefits advocacy preferred;
- Strong interpersonal, teaching/training, and organizational skills;
- An ability to manage multiple priorities, and work under tight deadlines; and
- Fluency or proficiency in Spanish or another language spoken by the communities we serve is preferred; and
- Skill with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook, internet research, and a willingness to learn and adapt to new technologies.
Salary determined by Collective Bargaining Agreement. Hybrid remote work policy, and excellent benefits package. 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.
How to Apply:
Interested individuals should e-mail a resume, cover letter and writing sample to:
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Please write “TRC TEMP PARALEGAL” in subject line.
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. Please no telephone calls.
Additional information about the practice may be found on our website, www.legalservicesnyc.org. Legal Services NYC is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, and people over the age of 40 are strongly encouraged to apply.
Salary Range (Based on years’ experience):
- 1-10 years: $55,460-$68,514
- 11-20 years: $69,614-$79,019
- 21+ years: $82,013-$89,476