Staff Attorney, Wills & Estates

Since 1968, Brooklyn A has provided free legal services for low-income residents of Brooklyn, pursuing neighborhood-based mission of justice, empowerment, and community development. For over half a century, we have utilized an array of legal and advocacy strategies—community organizing, affirmative civil rights litigation, and eviction defense to defend the rights of individuals and families. Collaboration with the city, state, and federal officials to enforce housing laws and develop legislative solutions is also an integral part of our strategy. Brooklyn A has three core programs—Preserving Affordable Housing (PAH) Program, Consumer & Economic Advocacy (CEA) Program, and Community & Economic Development (CED) Program—each of which has unique initiatives and plays a vital community role to ensure basic needs are met and fundamental rights affirmed.

Brooklyn A seeks a Will & Estates Staff Attorney will engage in direct representation, advice, and advocacy on behalf of clients and community members. The direct representation of clients primarily includes representing personal representatives probating their loved one's estates and helping individuals draft proactive estate plans for their incapacity and after death. This position will also involve community outreach and education to expand awareness of our probate, wills and estate planning, mechanisms for avoiding heirs’ property and probate, and how effective planning can benefit NYC residents.

Responsibility will include:

• Providing a full range of private client practice and trust and estate administration/planning, including advising on complex wealth structures, drafting estate planning documents, tax analysis, estate administration and trust administration.
• Previous experience drafting, explaining, recommending, and finalizing sophisticated wealth planning strategies and documents; including but not limited to: testamentary estate plans, irrevocable grantor and non-grantor trusts, leveraged gifting strategies, income tax planning using trusts (particularly QSBS planning), post-mortem planning and estate administration.
• Preparation and drafting of Surrogate’s Court petitions and related documents for Probate Court or Administration of an Estate.
• Knowledge of and ability to research and apply rules governing estate, gift, GST, and income taxation of trusts and estates, gift and estate tax return reporting and preparation.
• Perform intake and screening, and provide advice, consultation, advocacy, and brief services to potential clients at clinical programs in the community and other community events.
• Maintain data in case management system and assist with gathering data for grant reporting.
• Draft, review and finalize a variety of estate planning documents, including but not limited to wills, trusts, power of attorney and advance healthcare directives.
• Assist in the administration of estates and trusts, including preparing and filing necessary legal documents, managing asset distribution and resolving any disputes.
• Collaborate with clients' financial advisors, accountants and other professionals to develop comprehensive estate plans.
• Represent clients in court proceedings related to probate and trust administration as needed; and
• Attend client meetings and participate in community outreach efforts promoting program services which may occur during evening and weekends as necessary.

To be successful in this role, you must have: Admission to the bar of the State of New York or eligible for admission; Minimum-2 years’ experience working in New York civil and/or Federal, or other relevant public interest litigation; housing law preferable; and Minimum –2 years’ experience working with clients in the nonprofit sector, low-income communities, community organizations and/or coalitions.

The most important competencies for the role are:

• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to effectively communicate with individuals from diverse backgrounds, local organizations and people in desperate crisis;
• Experience drafting and/or filing of estate planning documents including all types of trusts, as well as complex New York estate, probate, and trust administration
• Experience with estate, gift and fiduciary income tax returns is required
• Experience representing fiduciaries and beneficiaries in Probate Court estate and trust proceedings
• Ability to write clearly and informatively with minimal error legal memorandum, briefs, motions, contracts, correspondence, and other legal documentation and ability to vary writing style to meet specific needs;
• Excellent advocacy skills in English, bi-lingual Spanish preferred;
• Ability to work independently and as a team member with strong motivation, to manage a high case load, track case data, meet deadlines, and to be flexible;
• Computer proficiency sufficient to independently review and generate legal briefs/writings;
• Maintain up-to-date client information in Brooklyn A’s case management system to ensure accurate data collection and statistical tracking;
• Thorough commitment to Brooklyn A’s mission.

How to apply:

If you are interested in this position, you must submit your resume and a cover letter telling us why your experiences would make you a good fit for this role. This is a hybrid 3-day in-office/2-day remote position based in Brooklyn, NY.

Compensation & Benefits

Annual salary $79,400 - $96,200 dependent on years of experience. Benefits highlights - 27 days vacation; employer paid health, dental and vision insurance; employer contribution to 401(k); and paid parental leave.

Brooklyn A is a diverse team that is committed to recruiting, supporting, retaining, and promoting a talented staff with diverse backgrounds and experiences that share the organization's commitment to racial, economic and social justice. At Brooklyn A, diversity encompasses a variety of characteristics, lifestyles, and perspectives, including race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, education, disability, socio-economic status, and family status. We firmly believe that a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment is essential to both the quality of our client services and the personal satisfaction of our staff.

We encourage applicants of diverse backgrounds to apply, including women, people of color, immigrants, people with disabilities, LGBTQ people, people from low-income backgrounds, and with lived experiences in the communities we serve. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, physical disability, or length of time spent unemployed.