Location: Islandia,NY, USA
POSITION AVAILABLE: Staff Attorney- Foreclosure Defense Unit OVERVIEW: For more than 50 years, Legal Services of Long Island previously (Nassau Suffolk Law Services), has been providing free, high-quality legal counsel in civil matters when basic human needs are at stake including: eviction and foreclosure prevention, income maintenance, disability, elder law, healthcare, consumer fraud and more. As the only provider of comprehensive civil legal services on Long Island, our services support thousands of poor and low-income families and individuals who cannot afford an attorney. With the gap separating those who can and cannot afford legal representation widening each day, we work to ensure that everyone has equal access to justice, regardless of their ability to pay. Legal Services of Long Island has a staff of over one hundred people situated in three offices across Long Island.
OFFICE LOCATION: Suffolk County Islandia or Riverhead Office.
DUTIES: Duties: The Foreclosure Prevention Project is part of a statewide coalition of non-profit legal service and housing counseling agencies, funded since 2012 by the NYS Office of Attorney General's (OAG) Homeowner Protection Program (HOPP). This is a new position. The attorney will represent clients to defend against residential mortgage and tax foreclosures. Though a significant majority of foreclosures are brought in NYS Supreme Court, occasionally foreclosure cases are commenced in Federal Court under its Diversity Jurisdiction. Representation will include limited and full representation, aiding homeowners in drafting pro se answers, appearing at mandatory settlement conferences for good faith, loss mitigation negotiations with the goal of avoiding foreclosure judgments, motion practice, trials, and appeals. There will also be opportunities for commencing actions for Quiet Title and violations under federal and State Consumer Protection Laws. The attorney will also engage in community outreach activities, including establishing and maintaining a Clinic to assist homeowners with pro se answers, advice and counsel, and referrals. The attorney will be assisted in running the clinic by a paralegal. The attorney will also coordinate with our Pro Bono Project, to secure and train pro bono attorneys to assist at the Clinic, appear with homeowners at mandatory settlement conferences, and for possible assistance in matters tangential to foreclosure, such as Bankruptcy, Surrogate's Court, and Matrimonial/Family Court proceedings. The attorney is part of a unit that works with other HOPP providers and stakeholders with the goal of preserving our clients' right to remain in their homes, and to stabilize communities, especially lower-income communities impacted by the twenty-year increase in foreclosure filings.
START DATE: Immediate. SALARY: $68,250-$94,811 DOE, union scale, BENEFITS: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Long Term Disability (100% of the premium covered by employer), 403b with defined contribution, Student Loan Reimbursement (amount subject to collective bargaining agreement) at 1 year anniversary.
REQUIREMENTS: Admission to New York State Bar and admission or eligibility for admission to the Federal Bar. Applicants who have passed the State Bar and are pending admission will also be considered. Bilingual proficiency in Spanish and English preferred. Applicants who have taken the exam and are waiting to hear the results may be considered. Demonstrated commitment to the goals and clients of the legal services program.