Staff Attorney, Housing Justice

Position Summary:

The Staff Attorney, Housing Justice provides comprehensive legal services, direct representation, community engagement, and systemic advocacy to prevent displacement and preserve housing stability. This includes both tenant rights (evictions, unsafe housing, subsidy issues) and homeownership preservation (foreclosure, tangled title, and estate-related housing issues).

Founded in 1978, SeniorLAW Center is a dynamic nonprofit public interest legal services organization whose mission is to seek justice for older people by using the power of the law, educating the community, and advocating on local, state, and national levels. We are the only non-profit agency in Pennsylvania wholly dedicated to providing legal assistance to older persons and protecting their legal rights, and one of few in the nation. SeniorLAW Center prioritizes services to older people who are low-income, cultural, and racial minorities, the disabled, victims of crime and family violence, and those facing other vulnerabilities and challenges. We fight senior poverty, fraud, and homelessness, provide protection from elder abuse and financial exploitation, enable grandparents to raise grandchildren, and improve access to justice.

Salary Range/Benefit Information: 

Excellent benefits, including fully paid health and dental for employee, long- and short-term disability, 401k, flexible spending plan, and generous holidays and leave time, with a value of over $20,000. Salary range, commensurate with years of experience and SeniorLAW Center’s salary structure: starting salary $66,000. 

Project-Based Duties and Responsibilities:

Client-related

• Provide civil legal assistance to older tenants and homeowners including, but not limited to:
  • Represent tenants in eviction, ejectment, and illegal lockout matters
  • Filing preliminary injunctions or other pleadings challenging illegal lockouts
• Representation in administrative hearings for public or subsidized housing tenants
• Represent tenants in complaints before the Philadelphia Fair Housing Commission
• Filing of and representing older tenants in other civil legal matters as assigned by Project Director
• Homeownership Preservation
  • Represent homeowners in mortgage foreclosure diversion and litigation
  • Resolve tangled title issues through probate, estate administration, and deed preparation
  • Draft wills and planning documents to stabilize housing ownership
  • Provide advice and brief services on home-ownership-related legal issues
• Provide advocacy and referrals to SeniorLAW Center clients with the primary focus on older tenants and homeowners
• Assist with housing focused community clinics
• Assist with housing focused client council
• Other duties as identified by Project Director. 
  
  

Community Outreach and Education

• Represent SeniorLAW Center at professional committees/coalitions related to housing to advocate for better services and access to justice for older tenants and homeowners
• Develop and present legal education workshops
• Aid in the development of educational materials and resources for older tenants, homeowners and “best practices” resources for professionals.
• Aid in planning, organizing, and attending community outreach and tabling events
• Assist with community clinics focused on housing related issues
• Coordinate with Project Director to update website, E-News, and other communication tools with project related information.
  
  

Systemic Advocacy

• Identify systemic problems affecting older tenants and homeowners and work with our local, statewide, and national partners to develop creative solutions.
  
  

Role-Based Duties and Responsibilities:

Client-related

Handle all aspects of client representation, including, but not limited to:

• Screening and interviewing walk-in and/or emergency clients
• Conducting client interviews by telephone or in person to give legal opinion or recommend a case is accepted for further services
• Filing necessary court documents timely
• Analyzing facts to prepare appropriate case strategies
• Preparing for all court appearances
• Assessing holistic legal needs of clients and make referrals internally and externally
• Providing technical assistance to staff and volunteer attorneys
• Retrieving, transcribing, and performing prescreen data entry in the case management system as needed
• Preparing and mailing retainers and letters
• Drafting court documents
• Communicating with clients or third parties via telephone, email, text message or other by other means
• Preparing case files for hearing/trial
• Maintaining case files and case management database
• Conducting home visits to frail or homebound clients
• Handling other case or client related tasks as necessary
• Utilize Language line or other interpretation services for Limited English Proficient (LEP) older adults.
• Provide information and referrals to older tenants, linking them to other resources and supportive services, including emergency financial assistance, support groups, health services, and other resources.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Participate in scheduled project-related
• Participate in staff and Legal team meetings
• Provide support to other colleagues agency wide as needed
• Assist with on-boarding staff as needed
• Become knowledgeable of and follow all SeniorLAW Center’s personnel and legal policies and procedures
• Demonstrate and model commitment to SeniorLAW Center’s mission and values
• Participate in SeniorLAW Center’s culture of philanthropy and events to support the organization
• Assist with quality control and case management data collection and reporting, as necessary.
• Other responsibilities to further mission of the project and organization

Other Duties

• Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job.  Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Required Education and Experience

• Juris Doctor
• Active member of the Pennsylvania Bar in good standing
• Courtroom experience

Preferred Education and Experience

• Experience in housing law (tenant or homeownership)
• Experience with foreclosure, title, estate, or subsidy-related matters
• Experience working with older adults or vulnerable populations
• Second language proficiency

Core Competencies

• Strong litigation, advocacy, and negotiation skills
• Excellent writing, communication, and organizational abilities
• Cultural competence and client-centered approach
• Self-starter with flexibility and sound judgment
• Ability to manage a diverse, high-volume caseload

Work Conditions

• This job operates in a professional office environment
• This role routinely uses standard office equipment

Physical Demands

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job with or without accommodation.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle, feel or operate objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear.
• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move objects up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Note SeniorLAW Center has a mandatory COVID vaccination policy for all staff and volunteers. All applications should include a cover letter and resume, a professional writing sample, and at least three (3) professional references. The references shared should be able to attest to the candidate’s work ethic, skills, and achievements in past roles.

SeniorLAW Center is an equal opportunity employer and values fostering an inclusive and welcoming workplace in all aspects of our work. SeniorLAW Center prohibits discrimination based on age, race, national origin, color, religion, veteran status, sexual orientation, disability, sex, gender identity, familial status, or any other basis prohibited by law. We encourage people of all backgrounds to apply.

Reports to:      

Director, Housing Justice

Hours of Work: 

9 AM-5 PM

Work setting:

Minimum 2 days per week in-office requirement, Philadelphia PA

Classification: 

Exempt

Travel:

As needed