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. Further, LSNYC prides itself on its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) efforts and aims to create a work environment where everyone can bring their full selves to the work.

All non-managerial staff at LSNYC are part of one union and enjoy a generous benefits and compensation package, including exceptional healthcare, dental insurance, a vision plan, 21 vacation days per year (increasing to 28 days after the first year), 18 sick days per year, and a Loan Repayment Assistance Program. LSNYC staff can work remotely up to 50% of the time, job duties permitting.

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT: Director of HIV/LGBTQ Advocacy Unit

MANHATTAN LEGAL SERVICES (MLS) is seeking a dynamic and experienced attorney to serve as Director of our HIV/LGBTQ Advocacy Unit. The Director will supervise staff members providing comprehensive civil legal services to people living with HIV or who identify as LGBTQ and will provide organizational leadership to ensure that the rights of such clients are protected in regards to housing, income security, health coverage, and civil rights. The Director will also work to develop and execute strategies aimed at combatting HIV or LGBTQ discrimination amongst MLS’ clients.

The HIV/LGBTQ Advocacy Unit provides various levels of service and advocacy for clients, including litigation in city, state, and federal courts, advocacy before administrative agencies, policy and legislative advocacy, and media advocacy. The Unit provides comprehensive legal services to clients and, therefore, the Director must be generally familiar with poverty law issues and be able to provide supervision and support on various practice areas. The most common practice areas include public benefits (HASA, Medicaid, and SSI), name changes, advance directives, immigration, and anti-discrimination work. The Director will work in close collaboration with subject matter experts at MLS and LSNYC to be able to provide supervision and support in the subject matter areas they may not have expertise in. At present, the Director will supervise 5 people.

The Director position will be expected to maintain and create relationships with community partners to ensure that the Unit’s work aligns with community need and advances the rights of people living with HIV or who identify as LGBTQ. For this reason, we are looking for a Director who is committed to deepening our organization’s relationship with community-based organizations and leaders under a community lawyering practice model.

Primary Responsibilities of the Position:

• Provide supervision and professional development opportunities for the attorneys and paralegals of the HIV/LGBTQ Advocacy Unit;

• Develop advocacy priorities for the Unit’s work in collaboration with MLS’ Project Director, Unit staff, and community-partners.

• Develop and participate in affirmative litigation and broader impact advocacy projects to protect and advance the rights of client living with HIV or who identify as LGBTQ;

• Work collaboratively with other LSNYC advocates to further the Unit’s work and advocacy priorities;

• Forge collaborative relationships with community-based organizations and leaders;

• Manage city, state and private contracts funding this work and seek to increase funding for services as needed;

• Participate as a member of the MLS’ management team to help ensure that we provide the highest quality legal services to Manhattan residents.

Required Qualifications:

• J.D. and admission or eligibility for admission to the New York State Bar.

• At least five years’ experience providing civil legal services to low-income people or comparable relevant experience.

• Ability to articulate and execute a vision for MLS’ work on behalf of people living with HIV or who identify as LGBTQ.

• Experience with one or more areas of practice covered by the Unit. • Excellent legal writing and advocacy skills.

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills. • Excellent teaching/training skills and demonstrated supervisory skills.

• Ability to communicate effectively and supervise individuals from diverse backgrounds.

• Ability to work collaborative with community-based organizations and organizers. • Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Strongly Preferred:

• Experience serving clients living with HIV or who identify as LGBTQ.

• Experience with more than one practice area covered by the unit.

• Strong litigation background in city, state, and federal courts and administrative agencies.

• Experience leading or working as a member of litigation teams.

• Experience with impact litigation or other broader advocacy.

• Demonstrated commitment to community lawyering.

• Supervisory experience.

• Experience in grant administration.

MLS serves low income people throughout Manhattan at three office locations. We are affiliated with Legal Services NYC, the largest provider of free civil legal services for low-income people in the country. The Manhattan office is dedicated to providing high quality legal services in the areas of housing, family law, public benefits, employment, immigration, and consumer and disability rights. We work in partnership with community-based organizations in the low income communities we serve in order to address the causes of homelessness, hunger and family disintegration. This is an exciting opportunity for a skilled and motivated leader and attorney.

Interested applicants should send a cover letter, resume, writing sample and three references by email to jobpostingsmls@lsnyc.org. Please write “Director HIV/LGBTQ Unit” in the subject line. Manhattan Legal Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender persons, and persons over 40 are welcome and are encouraged to apply.

Bar Associations and other organization: Manhattan Legal Services seeks and welcomes your recommendations for candidates who meet the foregoing qualifications and, in addition, requests that you or your organization encourage such candidates to apply.

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.

Job#54_2024; Posted: 06.2024 Salary Range (dependent on years of experience): $132,096 - $198,144

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.

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