Staff Attorney Family Law & NY City Council Clinics – Domestic Violence Project

DVP seeks a Family Law Attorney to work within a legal-psychosocial framework with survivors of intimate partner violence to provide legal representation and advocacy on custody/visitation, orders of protection, child/spousal support, and divorce. This position will focus on coordinating and leading community legal clinics at City Council member offices. As an external facing role, this role involves cultivating new relationships with legislators.

The Urban Justice Center (UJC) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advocating on behalf of NYC’s most vulnerable citizens. The Domestic Violence Project (DVP) at the Urban Justice Center is seeking to hire a family law attorney to work with and on behalf of survivors of intimate partner abuse on family law matters. This position will focus on coordinating legal clinics, trainings, and cases that come through legal clinics based through NYC Council Member offices and other legislative districts where we receive referrals. The attorney will both take on cases from these clinics and maintain and coordinate communication with the Council Member representatives throughout the year. This is an external facing role and requires the ability to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds with a high level of professionalism.

DVP’s mission is to help survivors of intimate partner violence and their children live free of violence and abuse. We consider intimate partner violence in any type of relationship, regardless of gender or sexual identity, to be a human rights violation. Our work focuses on providing legal and social work services to promote justice and vigorously defend and protect victims’ human rights. To accomplish this, our attorneys, social workers and advocates provide legal representation in NYC Family and Integrated Domestic Violence Courts, mental health services, advocacy, case management, and on-going intimate partner violence education and outreach activities throughout the five boroughs of New York City.

Job Responsibilities

The family law staff attorney, who reports to the supervising family law attorney, is responsible for the following:
• Cultivating relationships with NYC Council Members and other legislative offices throughout
the year to build out legal clinics, trainings, and outreach in the communities which we both
serve
• Maintain a caseload representing survivors on their family law needs on custody/visitation,
guardianship, family offense, child/spousal support matters and uncontested divorce
• Regularly lead legal clinics in the community, with particular focus on NYC Council Member
district offices
• Working collaboratively with our advocacy team, attorneys, and development director
• Conducting outreach, education, and know-your-rights both remotely and throughout New
York City
• Building and fostering collaborative relationships with other CBOs
• Training and oversight of interns and volunteers
• Maintain and organize all correspondence regarding legal clinics, presentations, and
outreach for legislative offices
• Maintaining statistics and funding requirements as needed

REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• 3-6 years of litigation experience.
• Fluent in Spanish or another community language preferred.
• Knowledge and understanding of IPV and trauma.
• Proficiency working with individuals of diverse backgrounds and lifestyles.
• Comfortable with public speaking and highly motivated to cultivate new linkages.
• Strong organizational and administrative skills.
• Aptitude for intense and thorough negotiation and advocacy.
• Ability to work evenings if necessary.
• Ability to respond sensitively to clients’ urgent needs.
• Exceptional interpersonal, speaking, and writing skills and the ability to apply these skills
in diverse situations.
• Demonstrated ability to be flexible and work as a team member.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently.
• Must be able to travel between boroughs.
• Interest and proclivity in working within a multi-disciplinary framework.

This is a bargaining unit position represented for collective bargaining purposes by the National Organization of Legal Services Workers, UAW, Local 2230. The salary range for this position is $$66,890 – USD $71,815 / year. Generous vacation, medical and dental benefits are provided.

To Apply:

Please submit a (1) cover letter, (2) resume and (3) references via email to Heather Lothrop, Esq., Supervising Family Law Attorney at hlothrop@urbanjustice.org. Please write “STAFF ATTORNEY-FAMILY LAW” in the subject heading. We regret that due to high volume, we are unable to respond to inquiries and will only contact those candidates selected for consideration. Please do not contact us via telephone or fax. People of color, LGBTQ individuals, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. The Urban Justice Center is an equal opportunity employer.