Staff Attorney- Family & Matrimonial Law

Staff Attorney – Family & Matrimonial Law

Location: Buffalo, NY | Work Week: 35 Hours – in Addition to Reduced Summer Hours (Work-Life Balance Focused)

Why Join Neighborhood Legal Services (NLS)?

At NLS, we believe that your passion for justice shouldn't come at the cost of your well-being. As the largest non-profit provider of civil legal services in the five counties of Western New York we serve, we offer a supportive environment where you can make a profound impact on the lives of low-income individuals and survivors of domestic violence.

• True Work-Life Balance: A standard 35-hour work week to prevent burnout.
• Professional Growth: Direct mentorship from a team of seasoned family law experts and paid training.
• Student Loan Support: We are a qualifying employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.
• Holistic Advocacy: Work within a collaborative system that addresses the root causes of our clients' legal challenges.

The Impact You’ll Make

As a Staff Attorney in our Family Unit, you will be the voice for those navigating the complexities of the legal system during their most vulnerable moments. Your role will involve:

• Litigation & Advocacy: Managing a meaningful caseload of matrimonial and family law matters, including representation in both Supreme Court and Family Court.
• Full-Spectrum Counsel: Providing everything from high-level advice to litigation for divorce, custody, family offense, and support matters.
• Community Leadership: Conducting outreach and education to empower the Buffalo community and dismantling systemic barriers to justice.
• Collaborative Practice: Working alongside other substantive units, community partners and government agencies to ensure our clients receive comprehensive care.

What You Bring to the Team

• Credentials: A J.D. and New York State Bar Membership (we welcome applications from those with Bar Membership pending).
• Perspective: A commitment to cultural competency and a desire to work with diverse, underserved populations.
• Skills: Strong writing and editing abilities, a sharp eye for detail, and a proactive approach to learning domestic relations law.
• Bonus Points: Fluency in a second language or a background in civil legal services.

Salary and Benefits

Salary is based on bar admission and years of experience. (Steps 1 through 22) Step 1 of the salary scale correlates to the first year of admission to the bar of any state, and date of commencement of the practice of law in that state. Each progressive step equals an additional year of experience.

Prior credited experience is calculated from the date of admission to the bar and the date of commencement of the practice of law in that state. If the Employee did not begin practicing law within six (6) months of being admitted, the prior experience shall be calculated on the date they began practicing law.

Current salary steps include but are not limited to:

• Step 1 - $ 71,000.00

• Step 5 - $ 78,156.78

• Step 10 - $ 90,338.62

• Step 15 - $101,873.70

• Step 22 - $120,913.76

Full-time position with a 35-hour work week and reduced summer hours.

NLS offers a comprehensive benefits package to its employees. This includes health, dental, and vision insurance, a generous PTO policy that includes: 3 weeks of vacation time, 12 paid holidays, plus a week of PTO between Christmas and New Year's, reduced summer hours; additionally, employees have access to sick and personal leave, as well as eligibility for public student loan forgiveness. NLS also provides life insurance, a pension plan, HRA and Flexible Spending Accounts, paid memberships, and professional development.

How To Apply: To apply, please go to or NLS.ORG/ Careers You can also email resumes and cover letters to [email protected] No phone calls please.