Staff Attorney Homeowner Defense Project

Legal Services NYC (LSNYC) fights poverty and seeks racial social and economic justice for low-income New Yorkers. For over 50 years we have challenged systemic injustices that trap people in poverty and provided legal services that help our clients meet basic needs for housing income and economic security family and immigration stability education and health care. LSNYC is the largest civil legal services provider in the country; our staff of more than 600 people in neighborhood-based offices and outreach sites across all five boroughs helps hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers annually. We partner with scores of community-based and client-run organizations elected officials public agencies pro bono lawyers and the courts to maximize our effectiveness. Our work fights discrimination and helps to achieve equity for all low-income New Yorkers.

LSNYC employees have numerous opportunities for growth and professional development including access to our internal Justice Learning Center which provides opportunities to earn free CLEs and gain experience as a trainer.

STAFF ATTORNEY HOMEOWNER DEFENSE PROJECT

STATEN ISLAND LEGAL SERVICES

Staten Island Legal Services (across the street from the ferry) is seeking a full-time Staff Attorney to join our homeowner defense/foreclosure prevention practice.

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 Islands 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.

Homeowner Defense Project

SILS provides holistic creative legal representation and advocacy to prevent foreclosures and address the pressing legal needs of Staten Islands low and moderate income homeowners. SILS Homeowner Defense Project is one of the most effective programs in the state achieving affordable long-term homeownership for its clients. SILS uses federal and state litigation policy advocacy negotiation and community education to assist low- and moderate-income homeowners at risk of foreclosure due to predatory lending or abusive loan servicing practices. The Project is actively litigating numerous cases including appeals against the nations largest banks. The Project also works to preserve homeownership by representing homeowners in administrative hearings on building violations and representing surviving family members in Surrogates Court proceedings. Further the Project engages in policy advocacy to address social justice and fair lending issues. The staff attorney will be supervised by the HDP Director.

Roles and Responsibilities

The Staff Attorneys responsibilities will include but are not limited to the following:

• Direct client advocacy (via both in-court and non-litigation efforts including applying for grants property tax exemptions and loss mitigation).
• Intake community education and community outreach.
• Active participation in foreclosure-prevention-oriented taskforces and working groups citywide statewide and nationwide.
• Active support of foreclosure-prevention law and policy objectives through coalition work collaboration with other advocates on e.g. amicus curiae briefs or white papers.
• Administrative tasks including timekeeping file maintenance uploading documents data reporting and case closing for grant compliance.

Requirements:

• Applicants must have a J.D. from an accredited law school;
• Admitted or be in the process of being admitted to practice law in the State of New York;
• Strong demonstrated background and experience in public interest litigation foreclosure defense housing or consumer law;
• Experience working with diverse low-income communities and familiarity with structural and systemic racism and their intersection with poverty. Strong ties to or understanding of the Staten Island low-income communities is a plus;
• Commitment to social justice and working in low-income communities and communities of color to advance equity;
• Strong interest in working directly with clients specifically clients in crisis;
• Strong time management and organizational skills;
• Superb analytical oral and written communication skills; and
• Fluency or proficiency in Spanish or another language spoken by the communities we serve is helpful but not required.

Salary determined by Collective Bargaining Agreement. Hybrid remote work policy andexcellent benefits package.

Applicants should submit a cover letter resume and a writing sample.

Only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.No telephone calls please.

Salary and benefits are determined by the LSNYC Collective Bargaining Agreement. 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.

Additional information about the practice may be found on our website .

Dependent on work history and experience.

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.

Legal Services NYC is an equal opportunity employer. People of color women people with disabilities people over 40 and gay lesbian bisexual and transgender people are strongly encouraged to apply.