Supervising Attorney- Tenants Rights

Position: Supervising Attorney, Tenants’ Rights

Reports to: Tenants’ Rights Directing Attorney

Bargaining Unit: No

FLSA: Exempt

Position Summary

Our Tenants’ Rights Practice works to stop displacement and stabilize our communities through eviction defense, drop-in legal clinics, affirmative litigation, administrative hearings before rent boards, know-your-rights presentations and an array of community outreach, and policy initiatives. We are seeking an experienced attorney who will bring leadership and innovation to our team of Tenants’ Rights advocates. 

Primary Responsibilities

• Supervise drop-in clinics and KYR workshops in order to build power in communities, monitor trends in displacement crisis, and identify potential plaintiffs for affirmative litigation;
• Training, mentoring, and supporting the ongoing development of a diverse staff of attorneys and advocates, volunteers, and interns - including conducting performance evaluations;
• Represent low-income tenants in high-impact affirmative litigation to enforce tenants’ rights in our community, including protections from unlawful eviction, substandard conditions, illegal rent increases, and landlord harassment; cases include lawsuits on behalf of one or more tenants, as well as class action, with support of Centro Legal’s Litigation Director and various co-counsel; 
• Assign and help manage supervisees’ caseloads at a rate that promotes self-care and wellbeing;
• Assist in determining appropriate case stories for use in reports, advocacy materials, and public education and providing expert testimony to media on current tenants’ rights law and policy topics;
• Collaborate with Directing Attorney to monitor, track, analyze and report data and case deliverables for projects and programs within practice;
• Directly representing low-income tenants in unlawful detainer trials and appeals;
• Providing Know Your Rights presentations to community-based organizations;
• Presenting to and working with key stakeholders on changes in law, policy and practice; and
• Collaborating with local, regional, and national partners on policy initiatives, funding, and litigation efforts, as needed.

Qualifications

The applicant must profoundly share Centro Legal’s mission and vision of racial, economic and social justice. Qualifications include:

• J.D; admitted and in good standing with the California bar;
• Fluency in Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, or Vietnamese preferred, but not required;
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in housing law or public interest litigation;
• Trial experience;
• Strong leadership skills and experience managing attorneys, fellows, or interns;
• Knowledge and adherence to community lawyering principles;
• Excellent writing, research, analytical, and verbal communication skills;
• A demonstrated commitment to civil liberties, tenants’ rights, and public interest law;
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity within the office and a personal approach that values all individuals and respects differences regarding race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, ability, socio-economic circumstance, immigration status, and record of arrest or conviction;
• Familiarity in working with clients in crisis or who are trauma survivors;
• Willingness to conduct training and outreach activities in the community as needed; and
• Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively on projects with lawyers, other staff members across organization, and diverse community organizations, stakeholders and policymakers.