Associate Attorney

Our legal practice is seeking to hire a Full-Time Associate Attorney to join our boutique special education law firm. The Associate Attorney will be responsible for independently managing a diverse caseload of special education matters, including representing parents of children with disabilities in impartial hearing administrative proceedings against the New York City Department of Education as well as in appealing decisions to the New York State Education Department Office of State Review. The Associate Attorney will also meet with potential new clients for initial consultation and work with Owner of the firm to assess merits of potential new clients’ claims.

Candidate must have substantial litigation experience handling cases from inception through all stages of the litigation process through resolution. Candidate should have a strong interest in special education law and in ensuring that special needs children receive an appropriate education.

Candidate should have excellent organization, writing, and communication skills with strong attention to detail. Candidate must be a motivated self-starter and resourceful. Candidate must be highly organized and deadline oriented with the ability to organize multiple deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

As we are a fast-growing firm, and our team’s needs change quickly and often, this role requires flexibility in adapting to the firm’s needs and taking on additional responsibilities as needed based on the firm’s current needs. While supporting your teammates in this fashion, you will have a unique opportunity to see different facets of our small business, which an ordinary Associate might never experience.

Compensation

• Salary ranging from $70,000-$90,000 commensurate with skills and experience

• Sign-on bonus

• Health insurance

• 401k with matching

• Generous Paid Time Off and incentives provided

About Our Firm

We are also seeking candidates who are the right fit for our office culture. Candidates must be passionate about helping children with special needs, about collaborating with team members to fulfill a mission that is bigger than ourselves, about achieving professional and personal growth, and about building our law firm so that we can reach as many families as possible and maximize our impact. If you view your job as a silo and you are not comfortable stepping in to assist with the firm’s needs as they evolve, this is not an opportunity for you.

Our team members care about getting to know each other, learning about each other’s interests, celebrating happy occasions, growing together professionally and personally, and helping each other feel supported through difficult times.

We care deeply about what our clients are going through and we go overboard to keep clients informed. Our Firm is a place where everyone’s ideas are heard. We are constantly looking to improve the way we operate and suggestions for innovations and improvements are always welcome.

Our Firm encourages a warm, pleasant, and sociable atmosphere, and values open and honest interpersonal communication, differences of opinion, creativity, respect for others, and trust and support.

Specific assignments will include, but are not limited to:

• Communicate with clients to understand their needs and concerns and determine how best to address them

• Draft relevant notices, witness affidavits, due process complaints, and direct examination questions in preparation for Impartial Hearings

• Negotiate with opposing counsel for possible settlement

• Represent clients at Impartial Hearing administrative proceedings, including direct and cross examination of witnesses

• Draft opening statements and closing briefs

• Conduct legal research

• Draft and finalize stipulations of settlement

• Prepare appeals to the Office of State Review

• Assist in the management of paralegals and administrative staff in various pre- and post-litigation tasks, including:

  • Supervising legal work assigned to paralegals who are working on your assigned matters, including weekly check-in meetings and daily guidance

  • Guiding paralegals on securing necessary documents/information from clients, providers, etc.

  • Interfacing with the Department of Education’s (DOE) Bureau of Nonpublic Schools Payables (BNPSP) in ensuring that all settlements are properly implemented, with necessary disbursements made to parents/schools

  • Guiding support staff’s work in interfacing with the DOE’s Impartial Hearing Office’s Implementation Unit to implement interim pendency orders and Findings of Fact and Decisions from Impartial Hearing Officer
    

Essential job functions

• Punctuality

• Weekend and evening hours when necessary to complete work assignments

• Appropriate and professional email and phone etiquette with clients, colleagues, third parties, and opposing counsel

• Consistent attention to detail

• Meeting deadlines consistently and independently

• Recording case time and expenses contemporaneously and meeting minimum billing requirements

• Recording notes regarding client communications and updates on our case management software

• Proposing ideas for innovations, improvements, and efficiencies

• Complying with Employee Handbook and office policies, systems, and procedures at all times
  

Benefits:

• 401(k)

• 401(k) matching

• Flexible schedule

• Health insurance

• Paid time off

• Parental leave

• Professional development assistance

• Retirement plan

Supplemental pay types:

• Bonus pay

Experience:

• Litigation: 1 year (Required)

Work Location:

• One location

Work Remotely:

• No

Work Location: In person

How to Apply

Interested applicants should email their cover letters and resumes in PDF format only to adayan (at) dayanlawfirm.com.

• The subject line of your email must be in the following format “Last Name, First Name – Candidate for Associate Attorney Position.” Your cover letter must address the following points:

• Why are you interested in special education law;

• What skills do you possess that would make you an asset to our firm;

• What about your personality, attitude, and disposition do you believe makes you the right fit for our office culture;

• What is an example of when you were part of something bigger than yourself.

Font should be Times New Roman, 12 point.

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: $70,000.00 – $90,000.00 per year