Job Description

The Department of Social Services' Office of Legal Affairs provides legal guidance, litigation support, and direct representation in state and federal courts and administrative agencies to the Department of Social Services and all DSS program areas to ensure the delivery of social services consistent with federal, state and local laws and regulations.

Homeless Litigation and Program Counseling Unit (HLPCU) provides counseling and litigation support to the New York City Department of Homeless Services (DHS) at all levels of the Agency, from intake to transitional housing, from prevention to street homelessness, and to any programs developed or run by the Agency. HLPCU represents its various programs in litigation before the NY Supreme Court, Civil Courts, and at Administrative hearings and provides litigation support to the City’s Law Department. The unit also conducts internal legal conferences concerning eligibility determinations and post- fair hearing decision implementation.

The Office of the General Counsel of Legal Affairs (OLA) is recruiting for an Agency Attorney Interne within the Homeless Litigation and Program Counseling Unit (HLPCU) who will

• Conduct case reviews and facilitate legal conferences for families with children and adult family applicants who challenge shelter ineligibility determinations; determine whether new information may alter original determination.

  • Assist in drafting legal documents, including: eligibility determinations, agreements, pleadings, motions, objections, rebuttals, affidavits and/or statements, in order, to obtain court agreements, stipulations or judgments. Also, may include briefs, legal opinions, memoranda and other legal papers.

  • Assist with providing legal assistance to DHS program areas by researching legal questions or problems, interpreting the intent and legal ramifications of laws, rules, regulations and agreements related to the delivery of services.

  • May represent the Agency at Fair Hearings, attend court proceeding, liaise with the NYC Law Department on external litigation, monitoring Agency compliance with relevant Federal, State and local laws and regulations, responding to discovery requests, coordinating and resolving applicant and client concerns with clients and advocates.

  • May assist with the staff training on policy, practices and new procedures. May also assist with quality assurance analyses and audits to ensure compliance with applicable policies, procedures and governing laws concerning the Agency’s intake and eligibility processes, as well as other PATH Operations.

  • Perform other related tasks.

  • Maybe re-assigned to other boroughs within New York City, as needed.

Work Location: 151 East 151st Street, Bronx NY 10451

Hours/Schedule: 8 am – 4 pm Sun-Thurs, with flexibility to work evening schedule based on Agency needs.

Qualifications

Graduation from an accredited United States law school as defined in the Rules of the New York Court of Appeals (Sections 520.3 or 520.5) or admission to the New York State Bar.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.