Senior Attorney, Homeowner Protection Program Anchor Partner
ALBANY, CENTRAL ISLIP – LONG ISLAND, OR ROCHESTER – TELESCA CENTER
Employment Status: Full-Time
FLSA Status: Exempt
Practice Group: Consumer, Finance, and Housing (CFH)
I. Organization Information
Empire Justice Center, a diverse and highly respected statewide legal services organization, seeks a Senior Attorney to perform as Homeowner Protection Program (HOPP) Anchor Partner Program Manager for our Consumer, Finance, and Housing practice group. This is an opportunity to join and grow in one of the most influential organizations serving marginalized low-income individuals and families in New York State.
Empire Justice Center attracts and employs a diverse team of dedicated, determined, and passionate advocates who significantly impact the lives of low-income New Yorkers. We succeed through direct legal representation, high-impact litigation, and legislative and administrative advocacy. As an organization, we provide top-notch training and technical assistance to other advocates to ensure fairness and justice for New Yorkers. We thrive on our commitment to supporting justice for populations that have historically experienced high levels of oppression. These populations include racially diverse individuals and families experiencing poverty, housing insecurity, immigration issues, and domestic violence. Additionally, the organization advocates for people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ community, and school-age children facing discrimination and violations of their civil rights in schools.
Our offices in Rochester, Albany, Westchester County, and Long Island offer staff an exciting, dynamic, inclusive working environment with a solid commitment to work/life balance, teamwork, diversity, wellness, and personal/professional development.
II. Position Summary
Empire Justice Center is pleased to announce an opening for a Senior Attorney to perform as the HOPP Anchor Partner Program Manager. The Senior Attorney will manage HOPP legal services grantees' contracts, budgets, and deliverables. They will also support legal services grantees under HOPP by building and fostering relationships, managing grants, identifying and delivering training and technical assistance, and engaging in organizational policy analysis.
III. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
• Travel to and work in the Albany, Central Islip, or Rochester Telesca Center office is required to meet client and organizational needs.
o This position is eligible for a hybrid work request under the organizational policy.
• Review periodic reports from legal services grantees, identify trends, communicate necessary information to grantees regarding discrepancies in financial reports, and provide analysis of reports to the program director;
• Review legal services grantee budgets and scopes of services, including analysis and recommendation for approval to the program director;
• Assist grantees with deliverable deficiencies in the creation of action plans;
• Provide technical assistance regarding invoicing and all grant administration to legal services grantees;
• Provide and coordinate technical assistance to legal services grantees, including assistance on cases, remain current on the relevant law, legal issues, lender and servicer programs and requirements, etc., and communicate relevant information to legal services grantees;
• Identify needs and appropriate trainers, coordinate delivery and tracking of training;
• Work with the training manager to schedule and coordinate necessary tech or CLE requirements for training;
• Assist in the RFP process, including review of applications, scoring, and other needed tasks;
• Build and foster relationships with legal services grantees, facilitate and participate in statewide and regional regular meetings;
• Work with grantees, officials, communities, regional non-profits, and others to identify and address systemic issues relating to homeownership;
• Identify issues and trends, strategize and develop legislation and policy recommendations related to homeownership;
• Build and maintain relationships with state and national experts in housing, legal services, and foreclosure prevention;
• Work with the anchor partner team and grantees to identify systemic issues relating to homeownership;
• Work on policy analysis and legislative initiatives;
• Develop and maintain relationships with HOPP Grantees by regularly communicating with grantees to discuss needs, issues, and trends and troubleshoot/support them;
• Monitor substantive legal and regulatory updates: monitor case law, legislation, regulations, guidelines, and investor/servicer requirements affecting foreclosure litigation;
• Draft guidance & organize training for grantees: draft summaries of legal updates and organize training based upon the summaries for HOPP Grantees;
• Outreach and Advocacy: Identify, develop, and build relationships with NYS courts, bar associations, law firms, and other professional organizations to raise awareness of HOPP and strengthen HOPP’s objections. Identify other organizations that can become Grantees or assist HOPP’s mission and goals;
• Grantee Management & Oversight: Review Grantees’ budgets, scope of services, and financial and narrative reports with the HOPP Program Director;
• HOPP Budget Advocacy: Review previous HOPP Funding Campaigns;
• Assist in future HOPP Funding Campaigns;
• Please note that all positions will supervise other practice group members if needed.
• Due to limited resources, all staff are expected to perform administrative and other support-related duties to serve our clients and fulfill our mission as a non-profit legal services organization.
• Other duties as assigned by your supervisor and/or to meet the organization’s needs.
IV. Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)
• Juris Doctorate Degree from an accredited US law school or international equivalent;
o Admission to practice in New York State and good standing or admission pending;
• Minimum of 7 years of professional experience;
• Demonstrated commitment to improving the lives and circumstances of those who have experienced poverty and discrimination;
• Excellent legal research and writing skills;
• Excellent communication skills;
• Effective decision-making skills and the ability to work under pressure and to shift priorities while working on multiple competing projects and deadlines
• Ability to work collaboratively on a team;
• Case management skills;
• Problem management skills;
• Organizational skills;
V. Salary
The referenced pay range/scale represents this job's estimated minimum and maximum compensation. Individual annual salaries/hourly rates will be set within the job's compensation range and determined by considering factors including, but not limited to, education, experience, qualifications, expertise of the individual, market data, and internal equity considerations.
The salary for a Senior Attorney upstate with 7 years of experience is $68,080, and the salary for a Senior Attorney with 10 years of experience is $74,080.
The salary for a Senior Attorney downstate with 7 years of experience is $74,080, and the salary for a Senior Attorney with 10 years of experience is $80,080.
VI. Benefits
We are an organization that supports and encourages a work/life balance. Empire Justice Center offers a generous benefit package including:
• Health insurance (employer pays 100% premium for a high quality, co-pay plan).
• 403(b) eligibility with 1% employer match and additional employer contribution.
• 3% Non-Elective Annual Contribution made by Empire Justice Center.
o Benefit eligible after 12 months of employment.
• Generous vacation, sick, personal, and holiday time
o 14 Paid Holidays
o Vacation: 10.5 hours/month; Sick: 7 hours/month; Personal: 35 hours/year
• Bilingual salary enhancement for qualifying employees.
• Loan Repayment Assistance Program.
• Voluntary Supplemental Disability.
• Dental Insurance (employee paid).
• Vision Insurance (employee paid).
• $150K Group Term Life Insurance.
• Generous Bereavement Leave.
• 35-hour full-time work week.
• NYS Short-Term Disability.
• FSA Eligibility.
Empire Justice Center is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and strongly desires a diverse and inclusive workforce. Empire Justice Center provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants. It prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type, specifically - race, color, religion, age (40 or older), sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, disability status, genetics, neurodiversity, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
TO APPLY: Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. If interested, e-mail a resume, writing sample, and contact information for three professional references (one supervisor required) who are aware of this application to employment@empirejustice.org. Please include “Senior Attorney, HOPP, First/Last Name” in the email's subject line. No phone calls or hard copies, please. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
If reasonable accommodations are needed, please contact Mercedece Love, Human Resources and Compliance Manager, at mlove@empirejustice.org. Empire Justice Center is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Empire Justice Center ensures that persons with disabilities and/or communication barriers have reasonable accommodations.
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