Staff Attorney - Housing and Homelessness

Central West Justice Center (CWJC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Community Legal Aid (CLA), seeks a staff attorney to work in its Springfield office. Together, CWJC and CLA have over 180 dedicated, talented staff working across multiple offices in central and western Massachusetts. Our core work includes effective client-centered advocacy and robust outreach to and partnerships with our client communities.

The attorney will represent tenants in eviction cases, tenants facing denials or terminations from public and subsidized housing programs, and families appealing denials or terminations from the state’s Emergency Assistance homeless shelter program. The attorney will regularly participate in a Housing Court lawyer-for-the day program. The attorney will have significant client contact and will engage in community outreach and education, and may be involved in some grant-reporting activities.

QUALIFICATIONS: Third-year law students, 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. Administrative agency advocacy experience, including law school clinical experience, helpful.

COMPENSATION: The starting salary for this position is $73,000, which is based on a union scale and adjusted upward depending on experience. CWJC offers a very generous benefits package that includes 401(k) with employer-paid contribution; low-cost health insurance (medical, dental, and vision) for employees and their dependents; malpractice insurance; paid leave (4 weeks vacation, 3 personal days, 12 sick days, and 13 holidays); law school loan repayment assistance; and relocation reimbursement. CWJC has a hybrid work environment and requires advocates to work in their assigned office at least three days per week.

APPLICATION PROCESS: Please submit your resume and cover letter online on our website: https://communitylegal.isolvedhire.com/jobs/1539918. Alternatively, you can mail your application Recruitment Coordinator, Community Legal Aid, 370 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01608.

CWJC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and strives to ensure that our staff members reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. CWJC encourages applicants from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.