Pro Bono Counsel

ABOUT OATH:

The City of New York’s Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH) is the nation’s largest administrative tribunal, holding approximately 400,000 trials and hearings a year. As the City’s central, independent administrative law court, OATH adjudicates a wide range of matters filed by nearly every city agency, board and commission. OATH also houses the Center for Creative Conflict Resolution which provides mediation and restorative justice support to City government agencies and the general public, and the Administrative Judicial Institute, a resource center that provides training, continuing education, research and support services for administrative law judges and hearing officers.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

OATH seeks to hire a Pro Bono Counsel to run the agency’s Pro Bono Program. OATH’s Pro Bono program connects volunteer attorneys with low-income residents who appear before OATH to contest summonses issued by city agencies. The Pro Bono Counsel is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the program, as well as for looking for ways to expand the program (including through the recruitment of new volunteer lawyers and service organizations and for new types of cases where pro bono services can be provided). The Pro Bono Counsel position is an individual role but works in connection with various OATH Divisions. Duties include:

- Assisting the OATH Help Center staff in the referral of cases eligible for pro bono assistance;
- Interacting with the third-party legal service organizations and pro bono providers regarding their availability to take cases, their questions regarding OATH’s processes, and issues that may arise regarding individual matters;
- Coordinating with OATH’s various internal teams and executive leadership as needed to facilitate the operation of the Program.
- Identifying pathways to expand the program, including through outreach to legal service providers, bar associations, law firms, and other stakeholders who may be interested in participating in the program;
- Maintaining a running record of pro bono case assignments and calendar dates in OATH’s Hearings and Trials Divisions;
- Collecting and monitoring data regarding pro bono cases; and
- Strategic planning regarding the progress of the program and future enhancements.

HYBRID OFFICE / REMOTE WORK SCHEDULE AVAILABLE AFTER INITIAL TRAINING PERIOD.

AGENCY ATTORNEY - 30087

1. Admission to the New York State Bar; and either "2" or "3" below.
2. One year of satisfactory United States legal experience subsequent to admission to any state bar; or
3. Six months of satisfactory service as an Agency Attorney Interne (30086).
Incumbents must remain Members of the New York State Bar in good standing for the duration of this employment.
In addition to meeting the minimum Qualification Requirements:
To be assigned to Assignment Level (AL) II, candidates must have one year of experience at Assignment Level I or two years of comparable legal experience subsequent to admission to the bar, in the areas of law related to the assignment. To be assigned to AL III candidates must have two years of experience in Assignment Levels I and/or II or three years of comparable legal experience subsequent to admission to the bar, in the areas of law related to the assignment.

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.