Supervising Attorney, Kinship
Posted: April 2024
To Apply: Send cover letter and resume to Rachel Haseley, CHRO, Rhaseley@elderjusticeny.org
Location: Center for Elder Law & Justice - 438 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14202 - About Us
Department: Kinship
Salary Range: 85k – 130k, depending on experience.
We are seeking a full-time Supervising Attorney for our Kinship Unit. The Supervising Attorney will assume primary responsibility for overall kinship unit operations, including setting priorities, developing program areas, and creating and participating in outreach events. The Supervising Attorney will work closely with the Co- Managing Attorneys, staff attorneys and paralegals to identify to develop and implement the firm’s mission and goals.
Center for Elder Law & Justice (CELJ) is a civil legal services organization fighting for justice, primarily for low-income older adults, in several counties in Western New York. Our attorneys stop illegal evictions, save clients homes from foreclosure, put a stop to elder domestic violence, fight for public benefits, work with our local immigrant & refugee populations, and represent grandparents and other kinship care relatives in custody and neglect petitions in family court. We also advocate for systems-wide policy changes, commenting frequently on changes to regulations and working with local elected leaders on legislation that will impact the poor and vulnerable older adults in our area. We believe that independence and dignity are the hallmarks of justice.
With offices in Buffalo, Dunkirk, and Lockport our organization offers staff an exciting and dynamic working environment and a strong commitment to teamwork, diversity, and personal/professional development.
As part of the management team and reporting to the Managing Attorney, the Supervising Attorney will be responsible for the following:
Operations:
Work with the development team to identify and write grants to support the unit.
Help the CEO set the agency’s lobbying priorities and work with elected officials on legislation.
Participate in hiring, firing and disciplinary decisions.
Pro-actively engage with peers in continually developing ways to better serve our clients.
Build and strengthen strategic alliances and collaborative relationships.
Develop and embrace innovative and efficient methods in which to deliver services.
Enthusiastically support the work of all CELJ employees and be a defender and booster of the organization to the wider public.
Have an understanding of trauma and vicarious trauma
Assist the Managing Attorney with assigning cases and monitors caseloads amongst kinship unit.
Carry a caseload, as needed.
Provide training, community outreach, and education to individuals and local community-based organizations, and other advocates.
Supervisory:
Provide quality assurance and supervision essential to the delivery of high-quality legal services, including caseload monitoring.
Assist the kinship staff with case management and strategy.
Ensure high-quality and best-practice representation through regular case review, advocacy skills training, and other quality assurance mechanisms.
Assist with orientation, training, supervision, and evaluation of others as assigned.
Collaborate on regular meetings of CELJ’s legal staff to discuss issues impacting our clients and develop creative legal strategies.
Required Qualifications:
Juris Doctor from an accredited law school; licensed to practice law in New York.
3+ years of practice experience
Experience in drafting briefs, pleadings, and motions, conducting depositions, and trial work.
Legal Services experience, preferred
Experience with employee supervision and team leadership, preferred
Ability to shift priorities while working in a fast-paced environment with multiple competing objectives.
Effective decision-making skills that balance overall organizational objectives with employee needs.