Description:
Community Legal Aid (CLA) is the non-profit legal services program providing free civil legal assistance to low-income and elderly residents of central and western Massachusetts. CLA has over 180 dedicated, talented staff working across multiple offices. Our core work includes effective client-centered advocacy and partnerships with our client communities.CLA seeks a housing attorney to work in its Worcester office for the period of one year, with the possibility of extension. The attorney will represent tenants in eviction cases, assist tenants facing denials or terminations from public and subsidized housing programs, and handle other housing-related matters. Some of the attorney's clients will be referred by Medical-Legal Partnerships which CLA has established with the Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic in Worcester and various clinics at UMass Memorial Medical Center. The attorney will regularly participate in a Housing Court lawyer-for-the day program. The attorney will have significant client contact, will engage in community outreach and education, and may be involved in some grant-reporting activities.
Qualifications: Recent law school graduates and more experienced attorneys are eligible to apply. Applicants should have a demonstrated commitment to poverty law and social justice work. Experience working with diverse communities, strong interpersonal skills, and an ability to work in a collaborative setting are important. Experience in landlord-tenant work preferred, as is fluency in Spanish, Portuguese and/or Vietnamese.
