Exciting Career Opportunity: Housing Justice Staff Attorney, Tenant Defense

Location: Schenectady, NY

Employment Type: Full Time, Exempt

Reporting To: Supervising Housing Justice Attorney

About Us at The Legal Project:

Are you ready to be a part of a groundbreaking organization dedicated to justice and equality? Do you believe that access to housing is a human right? Do you want to use your legal career empowering families and ensuring that people in court against their landlords receive excellent legal representation? Since 1995, The Legal Project has been at the forefront of providing essential legal services to those who need them most, including victims of domestic violence and the underserved. From preventing foreclosures to handling immigration cases, our mission is to safeguard the rights and improve the lives of our clients. Our housing justice attorneys help build communities and neighborhoods, providing legal assistance and advice to New Yorkers at risk of experiencing homelessness and housing instability.

What You’ll Do:

Step into a pivotal role as our Tenant Defense Attorney as part of our Housing Justice team, where you’ll join attorneys and support staff fighting for homeowners and tenants trying to maintain the housing that they and their families have worked so hard for. Exercise your organization and outreach skills as you work to build a new program in partnership with our community funders. Hone your grassroots skills as you provide education on tenant rights and collaborate with our community partner to ensure that tenants receive the legal advice and representation they need in a timely manner. Work closely with clients at risk of losing their housing, connecting them with financial resources where available and advocacy to enable them to maintain their housing or minimize the trauma of eviction. Your focus will be on particularly vulnerable tenants, domestic violence survivors, immigrants and veterans. This is not just any legal job—you will be a champion in the courtroom and beyond, helping families who have fallen on hard times stay in their homes, advising tenants of their rights in an honest and non-judgmental manner, representing them in housing court, empowering their voices in mediation and negotiation against landlords, linking them additional assistance and resources, and driving community-focused legal outcomes.

Your Impact:

· Empower Clients: Provide expert legal advice and representation to tenants facing eviction or other issues with their landlords. Provide them with the respect and dignity they deserve as human beings and valuable members of our local communities.

· Educate & Advocate: Work with the rest of the housing justice team to conduct impactful community sessions on housing rights, tenant rights and foreclosure. Educate tenants and families caught up in the housing crisis and provide them with the knowledge and tools to stand up to the big corporate landlords and banks that continue to decimate the availability of safe, affordable, and sustainable housing in New York State.

· Collaborate for Change: Work alongside our dedicated team to continuously improve our services and strategies.

· Be part of the solution: Work within a well-respected legal services agency providing wrap-around legal services to the most vulnerable and forgotten members of our society. Make a difference in the lives of your neighbors and feel good about the work that you do every day.

Who You Are:

· Licensed to practice in New York State or able to waive in with a background in Foreclosure, Eviction, or Real Estate Law Preferred.

· A lawyer who understands the advantages given to highly financed litigants within our civil justice system and who wants to ensure that everyone is represented even if they can’t pay for their attorney.

· A person who believes in community, neighborhoods, and the fundamental right of safe and affordable housing

· Someone who enjoys holding landlords accountable and ensuring that procedure is followed correctly

· Someone able to treat vulnerable people with dignity and respect and provide honest advice in a non-judgmental manner

· Multilingual abilities preferred; sensitivity to trauma-informed care is a plus, reliable transportation is required

Why The Legal Project?

· Flexible & Hybrid Work Schedules: Enjoy the flexibility of hybrid work models that fit your life.

· Generous Time Off: Benefit from 25 paid time off days & 17 holidays in your first year along with polices that also include additional floating holidays for religious observances and paid parental leave

· Dog-Friendly Office: Bring your furry friend to work in our inclusive and welcoming environment.

· Commitment to Work-Life Balance: Experience a supportive culture that values balanced workloads and comprehensive well-being.

· Inclusive Culture: Thrive in an environment that values diversity and provides equal opportunities for all.

· Commitment to Justice: Join us at The Legal Project where your expertise will make a direct impact on people’s lives and help foster a just society. Apply today and be a part of a team that values justice, community, and service.

Ready to Make a Difference?

Your expertise in law can truly change lives at The Legal Project. Don’t just take the next job, embark on a mission. Apply now and help us protect rights, enforce laws, and build a stronger community.

Salary Range:

$77,000 - $83,000

Apply Today:

Start your journey with us by submitting a resume, writing sample, and statement of interest.

Your path to a fulfilling legal career starts here!

The Legal Project is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $77,000.00 - $83,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k)
Dental insurance
Flexible schedule
Flexible spending account
Health insurance
Health savings account
Life insurance
Paid time off
Parental leave
Professional development assistance
Vision insurance

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

License/Certification:

License to Practice Law in New York State (Preferred)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Schenectady, NY 12305

The Legal Project

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Housing Justice Staff Attorney, Tenant Defense