Citywide Director – Employment Law Unit

The Legal Aid Society's Civil Practice has an opening for a Citywide Director of the Employment Law Unit (ELU). This role leads a multifaceted employment law practice combining individual representation with systemic advocacy on behalf of low-wage and unemployed workers.

About the role

The Director oversees a team of Staff Attorneys, Paralegals, and a Supervising Attorney whose work spans direct legal services, impact and class litigation, legislative and policy advocacy, and community-based partnerships aimed at achieving broad and lasting improvements in workers' rights. Most of ELU’s cases involve violations of wage-and-hour laws, workplace discrimination, family and medical leave, labor trafficking, whistleblowing, and claims for unemployment insurance.

In discrimination cases, ELU assists the most vulnerable New Yorkers who are sexually harassed, discriminated against based on race, national origin, immigration status, pregnancy, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a domestic violence victim, or criminal background, or who are denied reasonable accommodations needed due to pregnancy or disabilities. Clients are overwhelmingly people of color living paycheck to paycheck.

ELU’s docket includes complex individual, group, and class actions in federal and state courts and administrative forums, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the New York State Department of Labor. The Unit partners closely with leading law firms who serve as pro bono co-counsel. ELU's cases secure justice for individual workers and create more equitable conditions for workers and communities in New York City. Recently, ELU obtained a $162 million settlement on behalf of approximately 200,000 personal assistants who had been improperly compensated.

ELU engages in extensive policy and legislative advocacy, helping secure reforms that strengthen workplace protections and expand economic opportunity for low-income New Yorkers. The Unit also partners with community organizations, providing workers' rights trainings, legal advice, and support in addressing emerging workplace issues affecting vulnerable communities.

Legal Aid's size and breadth enable holistic representation. ELU collaborates with attorneys across the Civil Practice and Criminal Defense Practice to address interconnected legal challenges facing clients, such as working with the Immigration Law Unit to secure immigration protections for workers, including U and T visas.

Responsibilities

• Supervise the Unit’s direct legal work, including impact and affirmative litigation, policy advocacy, and community outreach, in close collaboration with the supervising attorney.
• Analyze legal issues, develop legal strategies, and supervise their implementation.
• Coordinate intake processes to ensure efficient handling of cases.
• Supervise, train, and mentor Supervising Attorneys, Staff Attorneys, and Paralegals.
• Monitor and maintain a high standard of representation and client service.
• Provide oversight of pro bono initiatives.
• Respond to client, community, and staff concerns, ensuring issues are addressed promptly.
• Evaluate the unit’s needs and identify necessary resources.
• Coordinate database management for the unit.
• Support the development, funding, implementation, and reporting of programs.
• Prepare and submit necessary grant-reporting paperwork and work with the Grants and Contracts department to identify funding opportunities.
• Foster teamwork and communication, reinforce staff accountability.
• Assist with planning and conducting citywide and statewide coalition meetings and task forces.
• Develop and maintain community support and relationships with community-based organizations, advocates, government agencies, elected officials, and the courts.
• Conduct community education, training, and outreach, promoting the work of the office, the Employment Law Unit, and the Civil Practice.
• Conduct off-site intake, including during evening or weekend hours as needed.
• Represent the Employment Law Unit, the Civil Practice, and Legal Aid in the community, participating in policy work, community education, and press engagements.
• Assign work, approve time off, manage staffing changes, and remote work schedule requests following Legal Aid’s policies.
• Attend management meetings, participate in management trainings, and utilize current employment policies and practices.
• Conduct management and supervision practices that affirmatively support equity and inclusion.
• Supervise direct reports in setting performance standards, provide routine feedback, coaching, and disciplinary action as needed.
• Identify and provide training and development opportunities, ensuring mandatory trainings are completed.
• Identify, delegate, and document work responsibilities and roles to meet the department’s mission.
• Identify and implement department/unit management and accountability practices to improve performance.
• Resolve employee conflict, complaints, and address union concerns with guidance from Human Resources.
• Lead organizational and culture change for the unit.
• Participate in continuous professional development.
• Continuously learn about forms of bias in the workplace and demonstrate affirmative behaviors that support an inclusive work environment.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Admission to the New York State Bar.
• Minimum of ten years of legal practice including experience litigating employment law matters.
• Supervisory and management experience.
• Experience litigating in various forums, including state and federal courts.
• Excellent litigation and advocacy skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, oral, written, and organizational skills.
• Ability to clearly identify roles, responsibilities, delegate tasks, and hold people accountable.
• Ability to provide meaningful performance feedback for professional development, including having difficult conversations and resolving sensitive employee issues.
• Ability to work in a collaborative team model.
• Commitment to Legal Aid’s mission to secure equal justice before the law for all New Yorkers.
• Interpersonal and communication skills that enable healthy and productive working relationships.
• Commitment to Legal Aid Society’s mission and values.
• Ability to perform duties with the highest regard for confidentiality, integrity, and respect.
• May require travel within NYC, across the five-borough region.

Preferred Qualifications

• Pro bono, government, or public service experience.
• Demonstrated commitment to and experience in policy advocacy and reform.
• Demonstrated leadership ability.
• Grant-writing and fundraising experience.
• Knowledge in various practice areas within civil legal services.
• Proficiency in languages other than English is desirable but not required.

Pay

Salary Range: $166,000 - $171,000. The actual salary offered may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and collectively bargained salary steps for unionized roles.

Benefits

The Legal Aid Society offers a generous benefits package including health insurance, paid vacation, disability, and life insurance. This position qualifies for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) and other State and Federal loan forgiveness programs. Employees who are New York residents may also be eligible for state assistance with loan repayments.

All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer without sponsorship for a work visa or permit.