Description:

A Social Services Organization's Public Benefits Unit (PBU) seeks a highly motivated attorney to be a coordinating attorney in the Public Assistance, SNAP, and Shelter Advocacy Practice. PBU specializes in helping clients obtain and maintain government issued public benefits including free health insurance, veterans' benefits, disability benefits, cash public assistance and food stamps, and homeless shelters. The PA/SNAP/Shelter Advocacy Practice represents clients seeking to obtain or maintain benefits specifically from the NYC Department of Social Services, including the Human Resources Administration and the Department of Homeless Services.

The Coordinating Attorney will teach A Social Services Organization's Economic Justice Clinic to St. John's University School of Law students. A Social Services Organization and St. John's have partnered on this legal clinic for 14 years. Over the course of two semesters, St. John's law students attend weekly 2-hour seminars at A Social Services Organization and represent individual clients. The Coordinating Attorney will plan and teach seminars and will supervise 6-10 law school students who handle individual cases (which includes tracking case assignments, monitoring caseloads and all substantive legal work and meeting weekly with each student). The Coordinating Attorney will also maintain an independent caseload. Applicants must have demonstrated ability to mentor staff, a strong commitment to public service and have strong writing and oral advocacy skills. The Coordinating Attorney will report to the Supervising Attorney of the PA/SNAP/Shelter Advocacy Practice.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Clinical Teaching/Supervision duties

Create content to teach to law students about public assistance, SNAP and shelter access
Supervise students handling public assistance, SNAP, and shelter access cases
Track student case assignments and monitor caseloads
Ensure maintenance of student case files and accurate timekeeping

Staff Attorney duties:

Intake and represent individual clients experiencing homelessness or lacking access to critical benefits in obtaining appropriate shelter and public benefits
Engage in policy work to influence City and State-level laws, regulations, policies and practices regarding homelessness, shelter, and public benefits
Create and engage in impact litigation regarding laws, regulations, policies and practices regarding homelessness, shelter, and public benefits
Training community partners in issues regarding homelessness, shelter, and public benefits
Conducting Know Your Rights trainings for clients and potential clients
Provide trainings to other A Social Services Organization units and external partners on PA/SNAP/shelter topics
Data entry and grant reporting
Other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

Juris Doctorate and admission to the NYS bar required
Minimum of five years of legal experience working in the area of free civil legal services, preferably in the area of public benefits
Experience in supervision or mentorship and training required
Demonstrated patience, empathy, persistence, and openness in delivering client services
Ability to work effectively as a team
Excellent writing, speaking, and organizational skills
Demonstrated commitment to advancing equity, internally (as a team member) and externally (on behalf of clients)
Creative, proactive problem-solving skills and ability to pivot and reprioritize based on immediate need
Excellent people and client counseling skills, preferably with experience in a high-volume legal services context