Description:
Job Description: The Housing Justice Project ("HJP") Staff Attorney will work with low-income tenants facing eviction or other housing legal issues. This includes, but is not limited to, triage, legal consultations, brief services, and limited representation. The attorney will have opportunities to contribute to policy initiatives as they arise.Position Mission: The primary focus of this position will be pre-eviction housing stability including, but not limited to, rent disputes, habitability issues, illegal practices, security deposit disputes, discrimination, and subsidized housing issues. The Staff Attorney is also expected to represent the agency at coordinating and networking meetings involving housing issues and perform community outreach and education.
Reports to: Managing Attorney
Primary Responsibilities:
- Staff and manage legal clinics;
- Evaluate the needs of and advise low-income tenants through in-depth interviews and analysis of documents to identify legal issues;
- Utilize fact-fathering methods, such as reviewing court documents, analyzing leases and ledgers, and consulting third parties, to assess client needs;
- Provide legal assistance to clients in urgent and emergent situations, including brief services;
- Develop training and materials for and supervise and mentor law student interns and volunteers;
- Attend and participate in internal and external meetings;
- Maintain professionalism and strict adherence to the Rules of Professional Conduct;
- Perform other duties as directed by the Executive Director or Managing Attorney
- Complete and input case data into legal case management system - LegalServer;
- Prepare reports, data, articles, and communications for internal and external community distribution;
- Meet monthly metrics, timekeeping and case administration and management, as defined by various grants
- Update community resources for client use and distribution;
- Conduct outreach and presentations to underserved communities throughout Snohomish County;
- Work with other SCLS departments and community partners and social service agencies to refer cases for holistic service delivery;
- Work with other legal services providers in the community to develop and implement outreach efforts to community groups, agencies, housing partners, and related audiences;
- Represents SCLS at coordinating and networking meetings;
- Stay up-to-date on local, state, and federal housing laws, regulations, and case precedents to ensure accurate and effective legal assistance to clients;
- Engage with the community, stakeholders, and advocacy organizations, raising awareness about housing issues and collaborating on systemic change and coordinated delivery of services;
- Perform community outreach, presentations, and other educational opportunities