Job Description

Job Description

Position: DC 37 Municipal Employees Legal Services (MELS) Staff Attorney - Consumer/Debt/Bankruptcy Unit (Team C); Salary Range $73,270.00 --$104,637.00 per annum  This title is covered by a collective bargaining contract.

Company Description District Council 37 (DC 37) is New York City’s largest public employee union, representing a diverse membership that delivers essential services across the city. The union is committed to protecting workers’ rights, improving workplace conditions, and ensuring fair treatment for its members. DC 37 provides legal, educational, and support services to help members navigate complex employment and financial issues. The organization values equity, inclusion, and advocacy, offering staff opportunities to make a meaningful impact in the lives of working people.

General Statement of Duties:

Each Staff Attorney is a part of a team of lawyers, social workers and legal assistants who represent city employees and their families in connection with civil legal matters covered by the MELS programs. 

Example of Typical Tasks:

Staff Attorneys assigned to specialized areas are expected to become proficient in those areas. Under the direction of Supervising Attorneys, all Staff Attorneys have direct responsibility for all legal components of cases assigned to them from the initial intake to the conclusion of the matter. In instances where paraprofessional assistance is appropriate, the Staff Attorney is expected to delegate to the paraprofessional certain tasks and to assure that they are properly completed. 

Staff Attorneys are expected to adhere to prescribed systems of substantive case handling and office procedures and to keep strict records of all activities, including accurate time records. Each Staff Attorney meets regularly with the team’s Supervising Attorney to review the progress of each case assigned to that Staff Attorney and to review in depth the overall handling of each case at its conclusion. 

While addressing clients’ legal interests as outlined above, Staff Attorneys must also be aware that each client represents more than an abstract legal problem to be analyzed and solved. Legal problems are often closely linked to personal, family or work problems that must be addressed in order to provide effective, lasting assistance to clients. MELS attorneys must, therefore, be sensitive to clients’ non-legal matters and collaborate with staff social workers in service to the clients. 

Requirements:

Admitted to New York Bar  • MELS will expect each Staff Attorney to make a commitment of at least two years to MELS • Two years’ experience preferred after admission to the New York Bar • Bi-lingual Spanish language speakers encouraged to apply • Ability to work with co-workers in a professional and non-confrontational manner.

Anyone interested in this position, please send a resume and cover letter to Jacqueline Francis, Director of MELS, email jfrancis@dc37.net by the end of the business day on Tuesday, September 1, 2026. 

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