Description:

Mobilization for Justice (formerly MFY Legal Services), a non-profit legal services organization that provides a wide range of free civil legal services to low-income New Yorkers, is seeking a temporary staff attorney to join its Disability & Aging Rights project for a period of one year. The Disability and Aging Rights Project uses a multi-prong approach to provide legal services and affect reform. The staff attorney will provide a wide range of legal services for people who are aging or have disabilities, including adult home residents, nursing home residents, and paratransit users.

MFJ's mission is to achieve justice for all. MFJ prioritizes the needs of people who are lowincome, disenfranchised, or have disabilities as they struggle to overcome the effects of social injustice and systemic racism. We provide the highest-quality free, direct civil legal assistance, conduct community education and build partnerships, engage in policy advocacy, and bring impact litigation. We assist more than 14,000 New Yorkers each year, benefiting over 24,000. MFJ has a staff of more than 165 attorneys, paralegals, social workers, and support staff. It is a diverse, unionized, and collegial workplace where staff share the organization's mission to achieve social justice.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Conducting client intakes in person and by telephone.
Defending and prosecuting cases, including drafting complaints, engaging in motion practice, writing and arguing appeals, and writing amicus briefs.
Working independently and in teams with other MFJ staff and pro bono counsel to advance clients' goals.
Conducting community outreach, training, and education.
Creating and updating community educational and training materials.
Identifying systemic problems that MFJ can address through policy, advocacy and/or impact litigation.
Working in coalition with community groups to address problems.
Providing testimony on proposed legislation or before city or state agencies.
Inputting and maintaining records in MFJ's case management system.

Requirements:

Admission to the New York State Bar.
At least two years of experience litigating affirmative lawsuits in federal or state courts.
Significant experience of living as or working with people who are ageing or have disabilities.
Knowledge of and experience practicing civil rights law, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Fair Housing Act.
Demonstrated ability to balance working on complex litigation, handling individual casework, and advocating for legislative or policy changes.

Preferred:

Fluency in Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Russian, Haitian Creole, French, Bangla, Arabic, or Urdu.