Job Description

Director of Family/Domestic Violence Unit

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.

Manhattan Legal Services is seeking a dynamic and experienced attorney to serve as the Director of the Family Law/Domestic Violence Unit (FLU). We seek candidates with a track record of providing high quality family law representation to survivors of domestic violence and using impact litigation or advocacy strategies to advance the rights of this population.

Manhattan Legal Services is part of Legal Services NYC (LSNYC), the largest provider of free civil legal services for low-income people in the country. The Manhattan office is dedicated to providing comprehensive civil legal services to clients, including in the areas of housing, public benefits, employment, consumer, immigration, and disability rights, as well as serving underserved and marginalized communities such as domestic violence survivors and people who identify as LGBTQIA+. We work in partnership with community-based organizations in the communities we serve to address the root causes of homelessness, hunger and family disintegration.

The FLU has been providing legal services to survivors of domestic violence throughout Manhattan for over 50 years. We provide advice, counsel and representation to survivors, seeking to address safety needs and stabilize families while addressing the underlying systems that harm our clients. Our advocates have been at the forefront of advancing the rights of DV survivors and reforming the practice of law in family and matrimonial courts in NYC, together with providing ongoing leadership and legal training to family practitioners both locally and nationally.

Roles and Responsibilities

Reporting to the Project Director and in collaboration with the Director of Litigation, the responsibilities of the FLU Director will include working with the unit to set priorities and collaboratively develop a vision for the work. The Director will work to support the unit's existing advocacy efforts and seek to broaden the unit's scope of work. The Director will be charged with managing and supervising the practice, including:

• Oversee the work of a team of attorneys and social workers;
• Co-counsel complex cases;
• Develop litigation, legislative, policy, or media advocacy projects;
• Manage the unit's funding streams, including grant compliance and reporting and pursuing new funding opportunities;
• Collaborate with family law advocates throughout LSNYC; and
• Develop and maintain relationships with community-based organizations, elected officials, and other stakeholders in the areas of family law and DV survivors advocacy.

Experience and Qualifications

Candidates must be admitted to the New York State Bar or eligible to waive in with:

• A demonstrated passion for social justice and a commitment to working with low-income communities, LGBTQIA+ communities, and communities of color to advance equity;
• At least 7 years' experience providing civil legal services to low-income people or comparable experience required; considerable litigation experience on behalf of domestic violence survivors in the areas of family and matrimonial law required;
• Prior supervisory experience and ability to supervise a diverse, fast paced, and high-volume case load strongly preferred;
• Excellent leadership skills;
• Excellent analytical, organizational, writing, and communication skills;
• Demonstrated interest in partnering with community-based advocates and organizations, including an ability to communicate effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds;
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion;
• Strong cultural or personal ties to the communities we serve preferred; and
• Fluency or proficiency in Spanish or French/Creole preferred but not required.

Salary Range $132,096 - $198,144 USD

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.

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