Housing Paralegal - Ithaca, NY

ORGANIZATION INFORMATION

Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc. (LawNY®) is a not-for-profit law firm that provides free civil legal services to low-income clients in a 14 county area of Western New York, the Finger Lakes, and the Southern Tier. LawNY® has seven fully staffed field offices in Bath, Elmira, Geneva, Ithaca, Jamestown, Olean and Rochester, satellite offices in Lakeville and Lyons, and a business office in Rochester. 

LawNY® has been providing high quality legal representation for 54 years, and today has over 180 employees, including attorneys, paralegals, and a legal support team who work closely across areas of specialization to bring a holistic approach to addressing legal issues affecting our clients and community.

LawNY® is committed to equitable inclusion across race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ability, sex, religion, economic circumstances, ethnicity, national origin, and culture. We are increasingly committed to creating a law firm where race equity, diversity and cultural competency are integral components of our work, from client advocacy to internal operations.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Ithaca office of LawNY® seeks to fill an immediate opening for a Housing Paralegal. 

The Housing Paralegal will provide support to clients and attorneys, primarily in eviction proceedings and eviction-related matters. The Housing Paralegal will join a recently expanded eviction prevention program. We seek to enable those at-risk of homelessness to maintain their housing and prevent eviction through the provision of legal representation and advocacy.

We provide representation to tenants in city, town and village courts throughout our service area. We also work with a diverse group of community stakeholders in our efforts to help tenants maintain their current housing or relocate to secure and stable alternative housing.

ABOUT ITHACA

The Ithaca office serves Tompkins and Tioga Counties which are located in the southern part of the Finger Lakes region of Western New York, an area noted for its beautiful lakes, scenery, and quality agriculture. Ithaca is home to Cornell University, an Ivy League university ranked among the world’s best, which brings diverse and unique ideas, innovation, and progress to the Ithaca community and landscape. 

Ithaca is seated on the southern shore of picturesque Cayuga Lake and is surrounded by some of the best hiking trails and breathtaking waterfalls in New York State, over 150 waterfalls within a 10 mile radius. Ithaca also has a vibrant social scene centered in the heart of the city which offers multicultural dining experiences, year round farmers’ markets, and a historic music venue. Notable nearby museums include the Johnson Museum of Art, Museum of the Earth, and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Ithaca has a slightly higher than average cost of living with a median home price of $277,800 and a variety of 1 bedroom apartments available ranging from $875 to $1,800/month.

QUALIFICATIONS These are the basic requirements for the position.

• Bachelor's degree, Associate’s degree, and/or relevant work experience, is required.

• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to empathize and sensitively respond to people in crisis situations and serve as an advocate for individuals of all backgrounds.
• Strong problem-solving abilities, time management, and organizational skills.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work independently, work under deadlines, and manage multiple tasks.
• Strong computer skills are necessary with experience using Google Drive/GSuite and Word, Excel and database programs a plus.
• Demonstrated commitment to helping low-income and disadvantaged people overcome institutional barriers. 
• Experience with the use of trauma informed care practices preferred. 

RESPONSIBILITIES These are the most significant responsibilities and primary functions of the position.

• Client screening and intake, including obtaining documentation and determining eligibility for services, performing client interviews and investigation.
• Developing and maintaining knowledge of housing law, LawNY’s services, and other Social Services agencies in the community in order to make referrals where appropriate.
• Assisting attorneys in the preparation of cases, including conducting legal research and preparing drafts of legal documents and memorandum, as permitted by law and ethical considerations.
• Relationship-building with court staff, community groups, and other stakeholders.
• Data collection and file maintenance in keeping with LawNY guidelines and grant requirements.
• Outreach activities including connecting with and educating client groups with relevant legal information and available resources including LawNY programs.
• Participation in LawNY workgroups as well as regional and statewide task force meetings and listservs related to their practice area.
• Attendance of training sessions, seminars, and/or conferences to keep abreast of current developments in housing law and issues affecting low-income and other marginalized communities.

ADDITIONAL TRAITS AND SKILLS These are the traits, attributes, attitudes, and skills that speak to the candidate’s ability to succeed in the position. While no one candidate will possess all of the qualities listed, the ideal candidate will have many of these qualities. LawNY® encourages each candidate to think about their own personal knowledge, skills, and experience, as well as professional skills and experience in relation to this list.

• An understanding of the concepts of structural and institutional racism and their impact on underserved and underrepresented communities in the U.S.
• Desire to embrace and actively contribute to an inclusive and equitable work environment.
• Passion and commitment to social justice and the mission of LawNY.
• Lived experience with our client communities.
• True fluency in a language other than English that is spoken by our clients.

COMPENSATION

Salary is dependent on years of experience and based on a pay scale with annual increments.  The entry level salary for a Paralegal is $33,670 and the salary for a Paralegal with five years of experience is $39,420. LawNY® staff may also qualify for public interest law school loan forgiveness programs.

LawNY® provides an excellent package of fringe benefits including 94% employer paid health insurance with significant HSA contributions, 100% employer paid dental and disability insurance, vision coverage, and $50,000 automatic life insurance as well as generous leave provisions including, in the first year of employment, 20 days of vacation plus 13.5 holidays and two floating holidays.  Employees also receive 12 sick days and five personal days per year. New parents receive 20 days of paid new parent leave.

LawNY® is committed to providing a work-life balance to their employees.  We encourage and support a 35 hour work week to ensure our employees have this balance. We also offer a remote work policy where new staff are able to work from home up to 3 days per week during their 6 month probationary period with manager approval, as their case load permits. This increases to 5 days per week once successfully finished with a probationary period with manager approval, as their case load permits.

APPLICATION PROCESS

To apply, submit your cover letter, resume, and three references through LawNY®’s BambooHR platform, found here and at www.lawny.org/Employment. When outlining work experience on a resume, candidates are requested to label each position as full-time or part-time and describe unpaid volunteer/internships as such.

To promote social justice and achieve our mission, LawNY® is committed to maintaining a diverse staff and creating an inclusive and respectful workplace. In your cover letter, please also include an explanation of how you think that your lived and/or professional experience or background has prepared you to contribute to support a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion at LawNY®.

Questions or Accommodations? Contact Sandy Coyne at scoyne@lawny.org

Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc. (LawNY®) is an equal opportunity employer. LawNY® strongly encourages applications from Black, Indigenous and People of Color, women, LGBTQIA individuals, people with disabilities, and persons from other underrepresented groups whose background may contribute to working in and sustaining an environment that enables staff and clients to feel empowered, valued, respected, and safe. LawNY® welcomes applications regardless of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, genetic information or any other consideration protected by law.

This position is considered Non-Exempt pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act.