Executive Director
2 days ago
Utica
Job Description The Legal Aid Society of Mid-New York, Inc. seeks an outstanding strategic and collaborative leader to serve as its next Executive Director. The Legal Aid Society of Mid-New York, Inc.(LASMNY) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit public interest law firm founded 74 years ago to provide free legal services to low-income individuals and families in the Mohawk Valley and Central New York. LASMNY is funded by the Legal Services Corporation along with other federal, state, local and private grants, and has offices in Utica, Syracuse, Binghamton, Watertown, Oswego, and Oneonta. We provide services in a range of areas of urgent legal need, including older adults, disability law, housing, and agricultural workers. LASMNY's mission is to provide free legal assistance to low-income individuals in thirteen upstate counties facing civil legal problems that impact the basic needs of life. Through legal advice, emergency legal services, extended legal representation and community legal education, we help low-income people stabilize their finances, protect themselves and their children from domestic violence, obtain access to healthcare and education, stay housed, and increase household income. We also focus on specific vulnerable populations with our services, such as senior citizens, victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, people with disabilities, refugees and immigrants, the LGBTQ+ community, veterans, and agricultural workers. The Executive Director has the opportunity to lead our exceptional staff of over 70 people, including our experienced managers and senior leaders. In 2024, we closed 5,768 cases, benefitting 11,817 individual clients and members of their families. We have grown significantly over the years – our current budget is approximately $15 million/year – giving us a solid foundation to meet the needs of our client populations. This position is an excellent opportunity for a leader, team-builder, connector, and communicator who is passionate about the delivery of justice to marginalized communities. More about LASMNY: Each year, LASMNY provides free civil legal services to over 11,000 individuals and families in Central New York who cannot afford to hire an attorney. We provide high-quality and innovative legal representation, advice, and community education to countless community members to help with some of life’s greatest challenges: from violence within a family, to a threat to stable living with disabilities. LASMNY knows that one legal problem can quickly impact other aspects of a client’s life, and our advocates apply a collaborative approach to provide holistic services. Because the need for free legal services outstrips our capacity, we also provide plain-language materials to explain common legal problems to those in our community with unmet legal needs. For example, during the period from April 2024 to March 2025, LASMNY provided almost 8,000 educational materials to community members. While the bulk of our work consists of individual client representation, LASMNY is also committed to innovating the traditional legal services model to expand our reach. For example, LASMNY staff and LASMNY pro bono volunteer attorneys operate legal clinics where they present on the divorce process and the forms to help people fill out themselves. Such innovations help accommodate both LASMNY’s limited capacity to provide full representation and the outsized need in our community for legal assistance in family matters. LASMNY also prioritizes collaboration with other nonprofits to facilitate access to our services. We work closely with other providers of legal services in Central New York. We are governed by a Board of Directors that includes lawyers working in our geographic service area, people who are eligible for LASMNY’s services, and other community members. For more information about LASMNY, visit: Responsibilities of LASMNY’s Executive Director include: LASMNY’s Services & Advocacy • Ensure and oversee the delivery of high-quality legal services to eligible clients through our staff’s legal representation and counsel, facilitation of community legal clinics, outreach and engagement with client groups and community providers., • Ensure the continued development and targeting of our work to meet the legal needs of specific populations as identified through regular needs assessments, outcome measurement, and evaluation., • Oversee LASMNY’s fund development and actively engage volunteers, Board members, event committees, community partners, and funders., • Ensure development and effective deployment of an annual fundraising plan., • Serve, along with the Board President, as a primary spokesperson for the organization., • Ensure and support a strong process to maintain and develop diverse funding sources., • Support and guide the Board of Directors and its Committees., • Ensure the development and implementation of corporate compliance and operational procedures in accordance with Board policy, applicable laws, regulations, and contractual obligations., • Assist the Board in developing and implementing strategic positioning and actions, in accordance with our Strategic Plan., • Select, support and supervise senior leadership and management., • Lead the management team, including setting team goals and supporting the team in its coordination, communication, and work towards its goals., • Ensure effective organizational talent acquisition, onboarding, and professional development both directly and through senior leadership and management., • Promote a positive, respectful, equitable and safe workplace environment for staff and clients that attracts, retains, and motivates top quality/diverse people., • Ensure the development and maintenance of forward-facing organizational policies., • Continue development of a collaborative working relationship with LASMNY’s union staff, including negotiation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement., • Supervise LASMNY’s Finance Director and ensure that the day-to-day fiscal affairs of the organization, including accounting and cash management, are managed with the highest integrity with respect to fiduciary responsibilities, regulations, and Board policy., • Ensure that LASMNY continues to develop and deploy an internal culture and external services that elevate diversity, equity, and inclusion., • Experience as an effective organizational leader or senior manager with direct supervisory and program management responsibilities. (Membership in the New York Bar and/or other legal experience preferred but not required.), • Deep understanding of and vision for the delivery of legal services to clients in need., • Demonstrated passionate commitment to equal justice for all, and experience protecting and advancing the rights of marginalized and disadvantaged populations., • An established record of organizational leadership, resource development, and personnel management., • A demonstrated commitment to supporting a diverse and inclusive workplace., • Experience and willingness to lead an organization with unionized staff., • Skill in building and supporting teams and collaborations, gathering input and feedback, and making and communicating decisions., • Excellent written and oral communication skills, including experience with public speaking to diverse audiences, and communicating effectively with staff across an organization., • Ability to work effectively with a broad range of stakeholders including bar associations, judiciary, social services agencies, funders, and community groups and their leaders, and a commitment to elevating the voices of client communities., • Ability to manage wide-ranging responsibilities and to direct others in managing their responsibilities in a demanding environment., • Experience working with a finance team and Board to oversee and manage a large organizational budget., • Experience in developing and maintaining government and private revenue streams, including federal, state, and local grants, as well as building and leading fundraising efforts. Compensation The salary for the Executive Director is budgeted from $175,000 to $200,000, depending on experience. LASMNY offers a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, and vision insurance, paid leave and retirement benefits. Application Process: Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. To receive full consideration, candidates are urged to submit their application by close of business on Friday, March 27, 2026. Applicants should e-mail a resume with a cover letter that explains why you are interested in the Executive Director position, and why you feel you could be successful in the position. Applications should be e-mailed to Board President Matthew Skinner at with the subject line “LASMNY Executive Director Search.” LASMNY is committed to the support of an inclusive and diverse workplace and providing Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action to all applicants. We seek to build diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging within our organization, and in partnership and allyship with the communities we serve. We strongly encourage applications from women, people of color, people who identify as LGBTQ, veterans, people who have experienced poverty or homelessness, people who have had prior contact with the juvenile, criminal, or child welfare systems, the elderly, and people with disabilities.