Description:
A Non-Profit Organization is a comprehensive social service organization in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. A Non-Profit Organization serves hundreds of people in need each year through its Dining Room, “Washeteria,” Health Center, Social Services Center, Educational Equity Program, and Legal Center. Through an approach of hospitality, mutuality, and transformation, we provide a safe environment and practical tools through which our clients can confront personal challenges, empower their lives, and fulfill their unique potential.A Non-Profit Organization Legal Center provides high quality legal services to low-income residents of Germantown and the surrounding neighborhoods. A Non-Profit Organization Legal Center handles cases related to housing, SSI/SSDI and government benefits, access to vital documents, guardianship, basic estate planning, and criminal pardons.
As part of its Housing Stabilization Initiative (HSI), the Legal Center represents both tenants and low-income homeowners in getting or keeping safe, healthy, and stable housing. On the tenant side, the Legal Center defends tenants in eviction and ejectment cases, and also brings affirmative habitability claims against landlords. For homeowners, the Legal Center assists with tangled title matters, property tax issues, and estate planning—all with the short-term objective of stabilizing the homeowners' housing situation, and the longer-term goal of promoting racial equity by facilitating the intergenerational transfer of wealth reflected in our clients' homes. We also have funds to assist with crucial home repairs, and we work in conjunction with several community partners to carry out those repairs.
The Housing Staff attorney will assist in representing tenants in the court cases described above, by drafting pleadings, conducting discovery, and appearing in court. The Housing Staff Attorney will also assist homeowners through preparing and filing deeds, litigating quiet title or related actions, helping homeowners apply for property tax relief and pursue property tax appeals, and by assisting with estate planning. The Housing Staff Attorney will perform these activities under the supervision of the Legal Center Director, an experienced litigator who also handles these matters.
The position is full-time. In person on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays, and involves remote work on Tuesdays and Wednesdays as well as some holidays. *Thanksgiving required.
More Details
Duties:
- Provide representation to clients in housing-related issues including eviction defense, habitability cases, tangled title matters, property tax matters, and estate planning.
- Collaborate with other A Non-Profit Organization programs to ensure the seamless delivery of services.
- Assist in reporting on the Legal Center's outcomes and growth.
- Collaborate and form relationships with legal and non-legal service providers.
- Attend biweekly staff meetings and the organization's annual retreat, and participate in volunteer work on Thanksgiving Day
- Responsible for other duties assigned to help drive A Non-Profit Organization vision, fulfill our mission and abide by our organizational values – Hospitality, Mutuality, and Transformation
Qualifications:
- J.D. and Pennsylvania bar admission.
- Experience in housing law representing homeowners and/or renters is desired but not required.
- Commitment to or experience with holistic representation.
- Experience forming relationships with community groups.
- Experience working with a diverse set of clients, including low-income clients, clients experiencing homelessness, and clients with mental illness.
- Commitment to advancing racial equity.
