Supervising Attorney, Employment Law Unit

The Civil Practice of The Legal Aid Society is seeking an experienced and talented lawyer with a deep commitment to serving low-income workers to join a dedicated team as a Supervising Attorney in the Employment Law Unit. Applicants must have some experience litigating employment law cases and a demonstrated commitment to addressing fundamental issues of poverty and justice.

The Employment Law Unit provides legal services to low-wage and unemployed workers. Most of the Employment Law Unit’s cases involve violations of wage-and-hour laws, workplace discrimination, family and medical leave, labor trafficking, and claims for unemployment insurance. In its discrimination cases, ELU assists the most vulnerable New Yorkers who are sexually harassed, discriminated against based on race, national origin, immigration status, pregnancy, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a domestic violence victim, or criminal background, or who are denied reasonable accommodations needed due to pregnancy or disabilities.

The Employment Law Unit’s docket includes complex individual, group, and class cases in federal and state court and other forums, such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the New York State Department of Labor. Our clients are overwhelmingly people of color living paycheck to paycheck.

The Employment Law Unit’s multi-pronged approach to systemic problems allows it to magnify its impact beyond any one case to create more equitable conditions for workers and communities in New York City and throughout New York State. The Employment Law Unit engages in extensive policy and legislative advocacy, leading to changes that improve the lives of millions of low-income New Yorkers. In addition, the Employment Law Unit works with community organizations, conducting trainings on workers’ rights, providing legal advice and assistance, and responding to community concerns.

Unlike any other legal services provider, due to its size and diverse practice areas, Legal Aid is able to provide in-house, holistic legal services. In many cases, the Employment Law Unit collaborates with Legal Aid’s Criminal Defense Practice, as well as other Civil units. For example, The Employment Law Unit works closely with the Immigration Law Unit to obtain immigration protection for workers, including U and T visas. This is important because undocumented workers are frequently exploited by unscrupulous employers.

Working closely with the Director of the Unit, the Supervisor will supervise staff attorneys and paralegals and maintain a reasonable individual caseload. The Supervisor is also expected to maintain relationships with our constituent communities through policy work, community education, and press engagements.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

Litigation and Management

• Assist the Director of the Unit in the supervision of the Unit’s direct legal work, including impact and affirmative litigation, policy advocacy, and community outreach
• Analyze legal issues, develop legal strategies, and supervise the implementation of legal strategies
• Develop impact and affirmative litigation
• Maintain a reasonable individual caseload, handling complex cases as needed
• Coordinate intake processes to ensure efficient handling of cases
• Conduct off-site intake, including during evening hours as needed
• Monitor and maintain a high standard of representation and client service
• Respond to client, community, and staff concerns, ensuring that issues are addressed promptly
• Assist with the development, funding, implementation, and reporting of grants and programs
• Provide oversight of pro bono initiatives within the Unit

Community Engagement and Advocacy

• Develop and maintain community support and relationships with community-based organizations, advocates, government agencies, elected officials, and the courts
• Conduct community education, training, and outreach, promoting the work of the office, the Employment Law Unit, and the Civil Practice
• Represent the Employment Law Unit, the Civil Practice, and Legal Aid in the community, participating in policy work, community education, and press engagements
• Assist with planning and conducting citywide and statewide coalition meetings and task forces
• Support the development of strategic offerings/initiatives, related policies, and procedures, ensuring they align with the mission of the Unit and the broader goals of the organization

Team Development and Supervision

• Evaluate staff performance and reinforce accountability
• Mentor staff, providing guidance and support in their professional development
• Supervise staff attorneys, paralegals, and volunteers, ensuring high standards of representation and client service
• Schedule employee hours, assign work, approve time off, and manage staffing changes
• Attends management meetings, participates in training, and utilizes current employment policies and practices
• Conduct management and supervision practices that support equity and inclusion

Professional Development and other duties as assigned

• Participate in continuous professional development
• Continuously learn about forms of bias in the workplace and demonstrate affirmative behaviors that support an inclusive work environment
• Other duties as assigned

Required Documents

Please submit these documents as a single combined PDF when you apply via the LAS (Legal Aid Society) Recruitment Portal.

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• Writing Sample

Requirements

Required qualifications:

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree and a minimum of five years of legal practice
• Admission to the NYS Bar
• Experience litigating employment law issues
• Demonstrated leadership ability and commitment to public interest law
• Excellent litigation and oral advocacy skills
• Demonstrated commitment to policy advocacy and administrative reform
• Ability to work in a collaborative team model
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, written, and organizational skills

Preferred qualifications:

• Prior supervisory experience strongly preferred
• Pro bono, government or public service, experience
• Excellent organizational and multitasking abilities
• Strong commitment to exploring alternative structures for legal practice
• Proficiency in languages other than English

SALARY TRANSPARENCY

The posting reflects the range of potential salaries for the role. The specific salary offers will be dependent on candidate qualifications, including collectively bargained salary steps for unionized roles.

Salary Range/ Salary: $107,825 to $163,507

SALARY AND BENEFITS

The leadership of The Legal Aid Society believes in attracting and retaining exceptional talent committed to serving our clients. We offer a generous benefits package including health insurance, paid vacation, disability, and life insurance, and more. Salaries for our unionized jobs are governed by our Collective Bargaining Agreement. Please visit our Careers page for additional information. Salary and benefits information will be available to applicants, when and if an offer is made.

Click here to read more about the benefits of working at The Legal Aid Society

HIGHER EDUCATION AND LOAN FORGIVENESS

The Legal Aid Society is a qualified employer for the purposes of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness. This position allows an employee to take advantage of PSLF and other State and Federal loan forgiveness programs. Additionally, employees who are New York residents may be eligible for assistance from New York state to assist with loan repayments, depending on years of practice. To learn more, click the links below. studentaid.gov hesc.ny.gov/loan-forgiveness-programs

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

The leadership of The Legal Aid Society is committed to a work culture of zealous advocacy, respect, diversity and inclusion, client-oriented defense, access to justice and excellent representation. We are dedicated to building a strong professional relationship with each of our clients, to understanding their diverse circumstances, and to meeting their needs. Our ability to achieve these goals depends on the efforts of all of us.

WORK AUTHORIZATION

All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer without sponsorship for a work visa or permit. We are currently unable to sponsor employment visas or permits. (However, for citizens of Canada and Mexico, LAS will provide a letter documenting employment status that is needed to obtain a TN visa.)

HOW TO APPLY

All applications must be completed online. We do not accept paper submissions. Please visit our Careers Page to review all current job postings, and instructions on the application process. For technical difficulties or questions regarding this posting, please email jobpostquestions@legal-aid.org.

As an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer, The Legal Aid Society prohibits discriminatory employment actions against and treatment of its employees and applicants for employment based on actual or perceived race or color, size (including bone structure, body size, height, shape, and weight), religion or creed, alienage or citizenship status, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity (one’s internal deeply-held sense of one’s gender which may be the same or different from one’s sex assigned at birth); gender expression (the representation of gender as expressed through, for example, one’s name, choice of pronouns, clothing, haircut, behavior, voice, or body characteristics; gender expression may not conform to traditional gender-based stereotypes assigned to specific gender identities), disability, marital status, relationship and family structure (including domestic partnerships, polyamorous families and individuals, chosen family, platonic co-parents, and multigenerational families), genetic information or predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, arrest or pre-employment conviction record, credit history, unemployment status, caregiver status, salary history, or any other characteristic protected by law.