Staff Attorney - General Law & Public Benefits

Company: Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc.
Location: Ithaca
Posted on: April 4, 2026

Job Description:

POSITION DESCRIPTION The Ithaca office of LawNY® seeks to fill an immediate opening for a full time Staff Attorney in its General Law/Public Benefits Unit. The Staff Attorney will assist at-risk students with cases involving education plans, school discipline for those with special needs, homelessness, and other issues specifically affecting students with low-income. The Staff Attorney will also assist clients with public benefits issues, which will include representing clients who have been denied disability benefits from the Social Security Administration. We encourage applicants with a wide range of substantive legal experience to apply. We expect those who fill this position will grow and adapt their practice to the needs of the community and the organization. The candidate must have the caring, patience, and emotional maturity to help people with low-income overcome crisis situations. Staff Attorneys at LawNY® provide comprehensive legal services to eligible clients and the ideal candidate should have a strong understanding of how civil legal issues affect communities with low income and intersect with social and economic justice. Staff Attorneys play a critical role in realizing LawNY®’s vision of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Every Staff Attorney is expected to actively engage in learning and becoming increasingly skilled in practice that supports this vision. QUALIFICATIONS These are the basic requirements for the position. Admitted to practice and in good standing in New York State. Demonstrated commitment of service to people with low-income. Excellent oral and written communication skills COMPENSATION PACKAGE The beginning salary for a Staff Attorney at LawNY with no experience is $75,000 and the salary for a Staff Attorney with thirty years of experience is $111,100. Salary will be based on experience. LawNY is a qualifying employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program(PSLF). LawNY® provides an excellent package of fringe benefits including: 94% Employer paid Medical Premium with 100% Employer paid in-network deductible 100% Employer paid Dental Insurance 100% Employer paid Life Insurance 100% Employer paid Enhanced Short-term Disability 100% Employer paid Long-term Disability Vision Insurance 20 Paid Vacation days per year 12 Sick days per year 5 Personal days per year 13.5 Holidays plus 2 floating Holidays per year 35-Hour Work Week Hybrid Work Schedule (new staff are able to work from home up to 3 days per week. After 6 months, this increases to 5 days per week with Manager approval, as workload permits) RESPONSIBILITIES These are the most significant responsibilities and primary functions of the position. Maintain a full-time caseload representing eligible clients. Interacts respectfully with clients from a wide range of backgrounds, with an awareness of the importance of cultural competence and humility. Collaborates with other LawNY® advocates, human services providers, non-profit organizations and community groups as well as the courts, administrative tribunals and the private bar to address legal problems within our community, including providing community legal education. Contributes to a safe and healthy work environment for fellow employees. Cooperates in all grant reporting requirements, program reporting, timekeeping, file maintenance, case closing and compliance review. ADDITIONAL TRAITS AND SKILLS These are the traits, attributes, attitudes, and skills that speak to the candidate’s ability to succeed in the position. While no one candidate will possess all of the qualities listed, the ideal candidate will have many of these qualities. LawNY encourages each candidate to think about their own personal knowledge, skills, and experience, as well as professional skills and experience in relation to this list. Litigation and advocacy experience in state and/or federal court and/or administrative forums within at least one area of poverty law, especially family law, government benefits, eviction prevention, consumer, and/or fair housing. Experience incorporating an anti-racist and anti-oppressive lens into legal practice. An understanding of the concepts of structural and institutional racism and their impact on underserved and underrepresented communities. Strong interpersonal skills, including a commitment to providing trauma-informed services. Lived experience with our client communities. True fluency in a language other than English that is spoken by our clients. Passion for social justice and commitment to the mission of LawNY. Excellent use of Google Drive/GSuite, Word, and Excel; database programs; and Lexisnexis or Westlaw. ORGANIZATION INFORMATION Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc. (LawNY®) is a not-for-profit law firm that provides free civil legal services to clients with low-income in a 14 county area of Western New York, the Finger Lakes, and the Southern Tier. LawNY® has seven fully staffed field offices in Bath, Elmira, Geneva, Ithaca, Jamestown, Olean and Rochester, satellite offices in Lakeville and Lyons, and a business office in Rochester. LawNY® has been providing high quality legal representation for 54 years, and today has over 180 employees, including attorneys, paralegals, and a legal support team who work closely across areas of specialization to bring a holistic approach to addressing legal issues affecting our clients and community. LawNY® is committed to equitable inclusion across race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ability, sex, religion, economic circumstances, ethnicity, national origin, and culture. We are increasingly committed to creating a law firm where race equity, diversity and cultural competency are integral components of our work, from client advocacy to internal operations. APPLICATION PROCESS To review our full application process and tips for your application and interview, see here. https://www.lawny.org/ApplyingtoLawNY To apply, submit your cover letter, resume, and three professional references through LawNY®’s BambooHR platform found here: https://lawny.bamboohr.com/careers/274 When outlining work experience on a resume, candidates are requested to label each position as full-time or part-time and describe unpaid volunteer/internships as such. The application for this position is open until filled. To promote social justice and achieve our mission, LawNY® is committed to supporting our diverse staff and creating an inclusive and respectful workplace. In your cover letter, please also include an explanation of how you think that your background and experience has prepared you to contribute to our mission, vision and values at LawNY®. We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible work environment. If you require any accommodations to support you in your role - whether for your interview, onboarding, or your day-to-day work, please let us know by sending an email to: accommodationrequest@lawny.org . Any information shared will remain confidential and only be used to ensure the appropriate support is in place before your first day. As part of your employment, LawNY will provide the necessary hardware to support your role. Questions? Contact Michelle Grillone at mgrillone@lawny.org LawNY is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to supporting a diverse and inclusive workforce. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds, identities and lived experiences, and will consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. If you meet the basic qualifications of the role, we encourage you to apply! This position is considered Exempt pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Keywords: Legal Assistance of Western New York, Inc., Syracuse , Staff Attorney - General Law & Public Benefits, Legal , Ithaca, New York