Supervising Attorney, Impact Litigation
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: Impact Litigation
Salary Range: 85k – 130k, depending on experience.
We are seeking a full-time Supervising Attorney of Impact Litigation to lead our team in the fight to protect and expand the rights of older people and persons with disabilities across the state via litigation, individual representation, and investigations. This role will also include supervision of our Consumer Unit, which represents clients who are facing debts stemming from credit cards, medical bills, and consumer fraud.
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:
Litigation Development:
Develop and manage CELJ’s systemic litigation particularly in the areas of nursing home abuse, medical debt collection and fraud.
Identify impact litigation opportunities across the state and develop and expand collaborations in Western New York and across the country on litigation and other systems change efforts.
Work with Senior Management, Supervisors & Staff Attorneys to ensure ongoing development of litigation on issues that impact our clients.
Oversee all CELJ’s impact litigation activities, including investigation, research, discovery, motion practice, trial work, appellate practice, and seek attorneys’ fees where appropriate.
Review pleadings, briefs, letters, and presentations.
Assist the Managing Attorneys in developing and implementing litigation strategies, budgets, and resource development.
Supervisory:
Supervise the Staff Attorneys and Paralegals within the consumer unit.
Assist the consumer staff with case management and strategy.
Handle cases when the need arises.
Discover trends in the consumer field as opportunities for potential impact litigation.
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.
Assist Managing Attorneys in setting targets for attorney’s fees in the annual budget and lead the CELJ staff in meeting those targets. Systemic Advocacy:
Work collaboratively with policy, outreach, and fiscal management staff on CELJ’s systems change efforts.
Participate in traditional media appearances (TV and radio), social media activities, and other communication efforts, including, with the input of our Communications Director, drafting press releases and newsletters related to CELJ’s litigation.
Required Qualifications:
Commitment to enforcing and expanding the rights of low-income persons across New York through individual and systemic litigation.
Strong analytical and strategic skills and experience developing litigation.
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.
Passion for litigation and the use of litigation to improve the lives of older persons, persons with low incomes and persons with disabilities.
Experience with class action, major impact, or other systemic litigation.
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.