Education - General Attorney / Litigation - Civil Rights Attorney in New York City, NY

Public Interest

New York City, NY

Education - General Attorney / Litigation - Civil Rights Attorney in New York City, NY

Attorney

Max 3 yrs required

No

Job Title: Staff Attorney

Job Responsibilities:
The Staff Attorney at the organization focuses on representing families with children with disabilities in administrative proceedings to secure essential educational services. Key responsibilities include:

- Conducting intake and reviewing school records and psychological evaluations.
- Engaging with and advocating before school staff.
- Exploring schools and services that may serve as potential remedies for the children.
- Drafting and filing due process complaints leading to special education hearings.
- Presenting and arguing the student’s case through evidence and witness testimony.
- Providing any legal briefing required to prevail in special education hearings.
- Reporting to the Director of Project Thrive.

Education and Experience Information:
- A law degree is required, with admission to the New York State bar preferred.
- 0-3 years of litigation experience is preferred.
- Demonstrated commitment to serving the public interest is essential.
- Experience with and/or knowledge of low-income and disability communities, education, and civil rights is beneficial.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills are necessary.
- Strong research, analytical, and problem-solving skills are required.
- Ability to engage across cultures, identities, and ethnicities, and to build relationships with various stakeholders, including parents, community partners, and school staff.
- Candidates should be organized, detail-oriented, flexible, and able to work both independently and collaboratively.
- Ability to maintain accurate and up-to-date client files and records.
- A desire to learn and apply diversity, equity, and anti-racism principles.
- Spanish fluency is preferred.

Salary Information:
The Staff Attorney position is a full-time role with a salary range of $83,899 to $91,036, depending on experience. It includes a comprehensive benefits package.

Additional Compensation Information:
The organization's compensation package includes medical and dental insurance, with a plan option covering full payment of medical plan premiums for staff and their qualified dependents. Other benefits include:

- Generous time-off policies, including 10 federal holidays, office closure between Christmas and New Year’s Day, and 15 vacation days and 15 paid time off days in the first year of employment.
- A 403(b) plan with a fully vested employer match.
- Coverage of the premium cost of life insurance, short-term disability insurance, and long-term disability insurance.

The organization is an equal opportunity employer actively seeking to recruit and retain a diverse staff. It encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, parents of persons with disabilities, persons of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities or gender expressions, and persons of diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. The organization is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability or other protected characteristic.