Deputy Director, Universal Access to Counsel

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.

Bronx Legal Services seeks experienced housing attorney(s) to join the Universal Access to Counsel (UAC) management team for our eviction prevention and housing practice as a Deputy Director.

Our Organization:

Bronx Legal Services is the largest provider of free civil legal services in the borough and is part of Legal Services NYC's network of local programs throughout New York City. Bronx Legal Services' mission is to advance society's promise to the most vulnerable members that they are entitled to equal access to our legal system.

Bronx Legal Services' Housing Unit represents low-income Bronx residents in Bronx Housing Court, administrative proceedings, and in affirmative cases challenging agencies and actors who threaten Bronx residents' ability to obtain and retain affordable housing. It also collaborates with local community-based organizations to provide housing rights trainings to other advocates, tenant associations, community members, and community groups. The UAC subunit focuses specifically on implementing New York City's groundbreaking Right to Counsel law.

The Deputy Director will work closely with the Director and the other Deputies to shape the direction and manage the administrative and programmatic operations of the Housing Unit; will help manage and report on the practice's grant responsibilities; will supervise the practice of a group of housing staff attorneys and supervisors; will work to develop and strengthen relationships with partner community organizations; and will work to identify systemic housing-related trends that could be affected by strategic litigation.

Our offices are currently working on a hybrid model of in-person and remote work. Staff are expected to be in-person approximately half the days.

The successful candidates should have:

• Five or more years of housing litigation experience;
• Demonstrated expertise in local, state and federal housing law and policy, housing court practice, housing programs and subsidies, and public benefits;
• Excellent legal writing, litigation and advocacy skills; and
• Strong interpersonal, teaching/training and organizational skills;

Prior supervisory experience, experience working with community-based organizations, and proficiency in Spanish or another language commonly spoken in the communities we serve is strongly preferred.

How to Apply

To apply for the position, submit a cover letter, resume, names of three references, and two recent writing samples below. Only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. No telephone calls.

Bronx Legal Services is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, gay, lesbian, and transgender people are all welcome and encouraged 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.

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.