Position ID: | Cornell-Law School-TAF [#18417] |
Position Title: | Tenants Advocacy Fellow |
Position Location: | Ithaca, New York 14850, United States [map] |
Subject Area: | Law |
Appl Deadline: | 2021/04/30 11:59PM** finished (2021/04/05, finished 2021/05/25, listed until 2021/04/30) |
Position Description: |
The Tenants Advocacy Fellowship was established in early 2021 through a generous grant from Enterprise Community Partners Foundation. The fellowship provides funding for a recent law school graduate, from an ABA accredited law school, who shows exceptional commitment to the field of public interest law and, if applicable, a dedication to housing justice. The fellowship is designed to provide an opportunity for one New York barred attorney to gain substantive experience in housing and racial justice through direct legal services that will improve the lives of low-income residents in Ithaca facing eviction, homelessness, or displacement. Project Scope: The fellow will work exclusively in housing and racial justice. The project components include policy work, community-lawyering advocacy and direct legal assistance for low-to-moderate income Ithacans facing eviction, homelessness, or displacement. The fellow will mentor law students working on brief advice and full-scope housing cases for tenants locally. The fellow will be responsible for handling at least 10 eviction defense full-scope cases over the course of the year. The fellow will also have the opportunity to collaborate with law students on research and policy papers directly related to housing and racial justice. Other aspects of the fellowship include: serving as a liaison to the New York State Permanent Commission on Access to Justice's Housing Subcommittee convened by the Office of Court Administration, the 6th Judicial District and local county judges; attending Anti-Displacement Learning Network weekly meetings; collaborating with local service providers who assist tenants, including but not limited to the Human Services Coalition, Legal Assistance of Western New York, and the Ithaca Tenants Union; collaborating with students and the Tenants Legal Hotline leadership team to push out content on the website and connect with other online resources; and conducting outreach to the local courts about tenant resources. Salary: This is a one-year fellowship. The fellow will receive an annual salary of $53,760, plus benefits. Once the fellowship has commenced, the fellow may apply for loan repayment assistance through Cornell Law School's Public Interest Low Income Protection Plan, a separately-funded program. The fellow will be paid through Cornell payroll and will need to satisfy those hiring requirements.
Eligibility: Applicants may be third-year law students or recent graduates from an ABA accredited law school. The applicant must either be a New York State licensed attorney or plan to sit for the July 2021 New York State bar exam. The Law School especially welcomes applications from individuals whose background and experience will contribute to the diversity of the Law School community. Responsibilities: The selected fellow may choose to work a hybrid schedule, with part of the work taking place remotely (pending university approval if working outside New York State) and part of the work taking place in person. The fellow must be available and willing to return to Ithaca for any and all court appearances in-person for housing cases. The fellow would be responsible for attending all Tenants Advocacy Practicum classes, working closely with the Practicum Professor to develop and support the curriculum, and supervising all Tenants Legal Hotline cases, in conjunction with pro bono attorneys, with students during winter and summer break in the year of the fellowship. The selected fellow must also be willing to allow Cornell to publicize the fellowship.
Please note that the New York Convenience of employer guidelines require New York State individual tax reporting and withholdings for this position. Additional individual state income tax filings may also be required if working outside New York State.
Selection Process: Applicants will be interviewed and selected by a Fellowship Committee. Criteria the Fellowship Committee will use to evaluate applicants will include, but not be limited to, the following:
The candidate's demonstrated or stated commitment to public-interest law generally, and specifically to housing and racial justice work. The candidate's professional, volunteer and/or subject matter expertise in substantive housing law in New York State, indicating that the candidate possesses the relevant skills and initiative to make the fellowship a success. Candidates with New York State Bar licensure and experience supervising or mentoring students are preferred. To Apply: Please submit the following documents by Friday, April 30, 2021. Applications submitted after this date will not be considered unless previously approved by the Assistant Dean for Public Service, Akua Akyea.
Feel free to contact the Director of Pro Bono Services and Externships, Michaela Azemi, ma688@cornell.edu, with any questions or concerns. Founded in 1887, Cornell Law School is a top-tier law school, currently ranked 13th by U.S. News & World Report. We offer a 3-year JD program for about 200 students per class, a one-year LLM program for about 90 students from countries throughout the world, and a doctoral (JSD) program for about 2-3 new students per year. Cornell Law School has 41 tenured and tenure-track faculty, including 20 with chaired faculty positions; and 15 clinical professors in the legal research and writing program and in clinics at the local, national, and international level. Our faculty is consistently ranked among the top in the country for scholarly productivity and influence, and has preeminence in many areas, including quantitative and qualitative empirical legal studies, international and comparative law, and robust doctrinal scholarship in core fields. Our school is committed to being recognized as the leader among law schools at combining inspiring theoretical, doctrinal, and experiential teaching with cutting-edge scholarship in a supportive, intellectually rich community, so that our graduates can achieve excellence in all facets of the legal profession. Cornell University is an innovative Ivy League university and a great place to work. Our inclusive community of scholars, students and staff impart an uncommon sense of larger purpose and contribute creative ideas to further the university's mission of teaching, discovery and engagement. Located in Ithaca, NY, Cornell's far-flung global presence includes the medical college's campuses on the Upper east Side of Manhattan and Doha, Qatar, as well as the new Cornell Tech campus to be built on Roosevelt Island in the heart of New York City. We offer a rich array of services, programs and benefits to help employees advance in their career and enhance the quality of personal life, including: employee wellness, workshops, childcare and adoption assistance, parental leave, flexible work options.
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as well as the university’s COVID-19 services and information Employment Assistance: For specific questions about the position or application process, please contact the Recruiter listed in the job posting or for general questions email mycareer@cornell.edu. If you require an accommodation for a disability in order to complete an employment application or to participate in the recruiting process, you are encouraged to contact Cornell University's Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX at voice (607) 255-2242, or email at equity@cornell.edu. Applicants that do not have internet access are encouraged to visit your local library, or local Department of Labor. You may also request an appointment to use a dedicated workstation in the Office of Talent Attraction and Recruitment, at the Ithaca campus, by emailing mycareer@cornell.edu. Please read the required Notice to Applicants statement by clicking here. This notice contains important information about applying for a position at Cornell as well as some of your rights and responsibilities as an applicant. EEO Statement: Diversity and Inclusion are a part of Cornell University’s heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, and we do not tolerate discrimination based on any protected characteristic, including race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex/gender, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law. Cornell University embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff to all identities and backgrounds. We encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply. Pay Ranges: The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:
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