The Legal Aid Society
In order to meet client needs and as part of the Pre-Arraignment Project, the Criminal Defense Practice has an opening for a full-time Community Escort to be based in the Bronx Office. The Community Escort will be responsible for transportation of Criminal Practice clients to community-based programs.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES
Appear in court regularly to meet clients who are being released to a community-based program
Escort clients to appointments, serving as a liaison with community and governmental agencies:
Escort services require extensive travel throughout NYC, upstate New York, and the Tri-State area. When necessary, the Community Escort arranges for and drives a rental car (g. visits to locations inaccessible by public transportation or when a client is being transported.)
Work with clients with major mental illness and/or drug intoxication, respond in crisis situations, and de-escalate situations with volatile clients
Accompany social workers and other staff on community visits
Pick up and deliver records and reports
Assist with clerical backup in the office, including filing, file preparation, copying, document retrieval and reception
Maintain community calendar
Work within a team model
TRAINING AND QUALIFICATIONS
GED or equivalent work experience (GED certificate, high school diploma, four years of responsible work experience, or some combination of work and education)
Valid driver’s license
Experience working with individuals with mental health issues and substance use challenges
Able to collaboratively trouble-shoot problems
Knowledgeable about procedures of community-based programs; transportation systems, alternate routes, and City neighborhoods
Comfortable working with clients and their families
Able to interact effectively with courts, community, and governmental agencies
Proficiency in a second language preferred
SALARY AND BENEFITS
The leadership of The Legal Aid Society believes in attracting and retaining exceptional talent committed to serving our clients. We offer a generous benefits package including health insurance, paid vacation, disability, and life insurance, and more. Salaries for our unionized jobs are governed by our Collective Bargaining Agreement. Please visit our Careers page for additional information. Salary and benefits information will be available to applicants, when and if, an offer is made.
OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
The leadership of The Legal Aid Society is committed to a work culture of zealous advocacy, respect, diversity and inclusion, client-oriented defense, access to justice and excellent representation. We are dedicated to building a strong professional relationship with each of our clients, to understanding their diverse circumstances, and to meeting their needs. Our ability to achieve these goals depends on the efforts of all of us.
COVID VACCINATION INFORMATION
The Legal Aid Society is taking precautions and implementing safety measures to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to comply with New York City’s requirements concerning Covid-19. All members of the Legal Aid community have a shared responsibility to support and comply with policies and protocols to protect the health and safety of our community. Learn more about our COVID-19 policy by visiting our website.
HOW TO APPLY
All applications must be completed online. We do not accept paper submissions. Please visit our Careers Page to review all current job postings, and instructions on the application process. For technical difficulties or questions regarding this posting, please email jobpostquestions@legal-aid.org.
As an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer, The Legal Aid Society prohibits discriminatory employment actions against and treatment of its employees and applicants for employment based on actual or perceived race or color, size (including bone structure, body size, height, shape, and weight), religion or creed, alienage or citizenship status, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity (one’s internal deeply-held sense of one’s gender which may be the same or different from one’s sex assigned at birth; one’s gender identity may be male, female, neither or both, e.g., non-binary), gender expression (the representation of gender as expressed through, for example, one’s name, choice of pronouns, clothing, haircut, behavior, voice, or body characteristics; gender expression may not be distinctively male or female and may not conform to traditional gender-based stereotypes assigned to specific gender identities), disability, marital status, relationship and family structure (including domestic partnerships, polyamorous families and individuals, chosen family, platonic co-parents, and multigenerational families), genetic information or predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, arrest or pre-employment conviction record, credit history, unemployment status, caregiver status, salary history, or any other characteristic protected by law.
