Staff Attorney - Housing & Habitability

JOB DESCRIPTION

Staff Attorney – Housing & Habitability

Organization Overview:

For over 30 years, the Legal Clinic for the Disabled (LCD) has worked to empower low-income people with disabilities, chronic health conditions, and the deaf and hard of hearing in the Philadelphia by providing free legal representation to overcome legal obstacles that would otherwise affect their independence, health, or quality of life. LCD is headquartered in Center City, and staff work directly with medical partners at multiple sites across Philadelphia through our Medical-Legal Partnership Initiative and Housing and Habitability Initiative. Focused on addressing health-harming legal needs, our practice areas include family, housing, planning documents, public benefits, and social security law. In addition to our Initiatives, we conduct general telephone intake, hold Community Legal Outreach Clinics and healthcare provider trainings, and actively participate in the Philadelphia Eviction Prevention Project. Last year alone, LCD served over 2,000 clients, furthering our mission to foster inclusion, independence, and justice for all.

Job Summary:

This position reports to a Supervising Attorney. An LCD staff attorney provides high quality legal services to low-income people with disabilities in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties. The attorney will work within the Housing and Habitability Initiative.

Essential Duties:

The staff attorney will handle cases from intake to resolution in accordance with the Code of Professional Responsibility. This includes conducting client interviews, conducting research, gathering evidence, preparing case strategy and legal documents, negotiating case resolutions, discovery and motion practice, and providing direct representation in administrative and civil court proceedings. The staff attorney will provide on-site legal services, host community outreach and education events, and assist with general telephone intake. The attorney will mentor and support legal interns and other student interns. The ideal candidate has litigation experience with a working knowledge of one or more of the following substantive areas: SSI/SSDI, landlord/tenant law, family law, public benefits, and advance planning documents.

Housing Initiative:

The attorney will provide direct legal services to tenants including advice, administrative advocacy/proceedings, in-court representation including but not limited to Municipal Court, Court of Common Pleas and the Fair Housing Commission. The staff attorney will encounter and address a broad range of issues related to housing, including but not limited to: eviction, habitability and repair issues, reasonable accommodation, illegal lockouts, discrimination, and retaliation. The staff attorney will also provide training and support to community partners on substantive legal issues. The candidate should have an understanding of how housing issues may impact a client’s health.

Responsibilities:

• Provide direct legal services to clients including advice, administrative advocacy/hearings, in-court representation, and referrals as needed, including the Lawyer of the Day (LOTD) program
• Engage in legal work on behalf of clients and maintain a case load
• Engage with LCD Social Work to advance the legal case
• Assist in assembling training material and presentation for partners and community members
• Present at community outreach events in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties
• Assist with administration tasks related to LCD’s participation in the Philadelphia Eviction Prevention Project
• Facilitate research related to housing and social determinants of health
• Participate in working groups within the public interest community, advocacy group, or a community-based organization
• Participate in other activities related to LCD’s mission including community education, writing of publishable materials, and submissions for presentations at professional conferences
• Publish community education materials
• Participate in regular case reviews and trainings
• Maintain professional licenses and complete continuing education requirements
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• Admission to the PA Bar required
• Three+ years of litigation experience preferred
• Sensitivity to the special needs of individuals with disabilities
• Strong legal, writing and administrative skills required
• A proven interest in the intersection of the law, health, housing policy and the needs of low-income people
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Excellent communication skills (oral and written)
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to prioritize work, plan and problem-solve, meet deadlines, and work well under pressure
• Proven ability to establish effective working relationships with individuals from diverse backgrounds and populations
• Ability to develop creative approaches to working with limited resources
• Resourceful and proactive when issues arise
• Sound professional judgment
• Spanish fluency a plus (increase to base salary upon certification of ability to interpret or translate in another language and using that language to communicate with LCD clients)

Working Conditions and Physical Demands:

This position requires travel to legal proceedings, client home visits, community meetings, travel between partner sites and the main office, and other locations. As such, the LCD staff attorney must be flexible and adaptable to the changing environments at the various sites. Remote work is permissible up to two days per week.

This is a full-time position covered by the collective bargaining agreement between LCD and the National Organization of Legal Services Workers International Union UAW, Local 2320, AFL-CIO. LCD offers a competitive salary based on experience. The current minimum starting salary is $67,500 for staff attorneys, which increases with relevant years of experience and according to the provisions of the current collective bargaining agreement. There is an increase in base salary upon certification of ability to interpret or translate in another language and using that language to communicate with LCD clients.

LCD's benefits package includes 100% employer-paid health benefits (for employees and minor children) for full-time employees, access to flexible spending accounts for health and dependent care, a 403(b) retirement plan with employer matching, disability insurance, and generous vacation and holiday time (20 vacation days (increases with years of service), 2 personal days, 12 sick days, and 13 holidays).

There is an increase in base salary upon certification of ability to interpret or translate in another language and using that language to communicate with LCD clients.