Staff Attorney, Tenant Advocacy Program

About Catholic Migration Services:

Catholic Migration Services (“CMS”), an affiliated agency of Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens, provides high-quality free legal services, community education, and advocacy for low-income immigrants residing in Brooklyn and Queens, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, national origin, or immigration status. CMS assists individuals with their immigration, housing, and employment legal needs. CMS is committed

to “welcoming the stranger in our midst” by serving and working alongside underserved immigrant communities to advance equality and social justice in an ever-changing landscape.

The Tenant Advocacy Program assists Queens residents with a wide-range of legal matters, provides know-your-rights education, and organizes tenants to assert their rights and advocate for better housing laws. The attorney will provide legal representation for individual tenants and tenant groups in Queens, and will collaborate with CMS’ tenant organizers, as well as with attorneys and staff from the other CMS programs, to ensure that clients receive holistic legal services. Theattorney will be based in our Sunnyside, Queens office and will be required to work in-person three days per week.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Represent clients in housing-related litigation matters, including but not limited to individual and group cases, such as nonpayment proceedings, holdover proceedings, and HP actions in Housing Court; administrative proceedings at DHCR and the New York City Commission on Human Rights; and Article 78 proceedings in Supreme Court;
• Conduct intake and provide legal advice to Queens tenants in monthly clinics;
• Work with CMS’ organizers to provide legal services in collaboration with our tenant organizing efforts;
• Assist in community outreach and education efforts related to housing legal services;
• Assist in planning and implementation of strategic projects related to housing legal services; and
• Manage caseload and maintain client files in good working order and maintain and update case list and client/case information in case management database.

Diversity and Non-Discrimination Policy:

Catholic Migration Services values workplace diversity and welcomes applicants and employees of all backgrounds. CMS strives to create a positive, supportive, and inclusive work environment for all staff. CMS makes all employment decisions without regard to any applicant’s or employee’s protected characteristics, including their race, religion, color, national origin, immigration status, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, arrest conviction record, or marital status. BIPOC, women, people with disabilities, LBGTQIA+ candidates, and those who have experienced housing insecurity are encouraged to apply.

CMS offers a very competitive benefits package that includes medical, dental and vision insurance coverage, transit benefits, Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and a 403(b) retirement plan including employer contribution. We offer generous leave policies, including twenty days paid vacation, four paid personal days, twelve sick days, fourteen paid holidays, and the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day off, inclusive.

Union Representation:

This is a bargaining unit position represented for collective bargaining purposes by the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys, UAW, Local 2325.

Qualifications:

• Admission to or pending admission to the New York State Bar;
• Strong commitment to social and economic justice and community empowerment;
• Ability to regularly travel to Queens Housing Court and community events;
• Excellent written, oral and analytical skills;
• Excellent organizational skills;
• Basic computer skills;
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative and work independently; and
• Ability, interest, and experience working with clients from diverse backgrounds and communities.

Preferred Qualifications:

• At least 2 years of previous experience practicing in housing law; and
• Competency in one or more languages (other than English) commonly spoken in Queens.