Staff Attorney

ORGANIZATION: The Fair Housing Justice Center (FHJC) is an impactful non-profit civil rights organization that serves New York City and seven surrounding New York counties of Dutchess, Nassau, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk, and Westchester. FHJC’s mission is to: 1) challenge and eliminate housing discrimination; 2) promote policies that foster open, accessible, and inclusive communities; and 3) strengthen the enforcement of local, state, and federal fair housing laws. Nationally recognized as an expert in fair housing enforcement, the FHJC investigations have led to legal challenges that have opened more than 81,000 units of housing to previously excluded people, recovered more than $55 million in damages and penalties for housing discrimination victims, and changed the ways many private developers, landlords, housing providers and government agencies do business. Our large service area, broad range of investigations, excellent policy advocacy, and strong litigation program make the FHJC one of the most effective and highly regarded fair housing organizations in the country.

POSITION SUMMARY:FHJC is seeking an experienced attorney to serve as a Staff Attorney to provide oversight of its legal matters. The Staff Attorney will be responsible for working closely with the array of cooperating partner attorneys, including civil rights firms, that work with the FHJC to enforce fair housing laws in Federal and State Courts, and in State and City administrative agencies. The Staff Attorney will also support and provide advice to the FHJC’s investigative, intake, outreach, and policy staff.

The Staff Attorney reports to the Legal Director.

Candidates must have a J.D. from an accredited law school, be admitted to practice law in New York State and be in good standing.

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:

Coordination and Oversight of Legal Matters:

1. In consultation with the Legal Director, make referrals to and coordinate the work of multiple, cooperating partner attorneys and firms that represent individual complainants and/or the FHJC in litigation and administrative enforcement.
2. Work closely with the Executive Director, Legal Director (and when necessary, with Board members) on legal strategy in potential and pending legal matters where FHJC is a complainant or plaintiff.
3. Serve as a point of contact and advisor for cooperating attorneys from referral of a matter through case resolution.
4. Coordinate internal staff responses to interrogatories and document requests. Work with law firms to coordinate and prepare FHJC staff for depositions and other participation in enforcement actions.
5. Along with the Executive Director and Legal Director, attend mediations, settlement conferences, hearings, and trials in cases where the FHJC is a plaintiff or complainant as the corporate representative of the FHJC.
6. Field questions from and provide support to cooperating partner firms related to all aspects of a case. Oversee monitoring and compliance of settlement agreements and orders.
7. Work with the Legal Director and the Board Litigation Committee to recruit new cooperating attorneys and law firms to provide legal representation to the FHJC and to approve retainers and legal settlements.

Organizational Collaboration:

1. Recruit, interview, select, and participate in the supervision of legal interns.
2. Assist with oversight of the Adele Friedman Housing Accessibility Fund which provides people with advice on reasonable modifications and, in pertinent cases, with funding for those modifications.
3. Collaborate with the Investigations Team to ensure that investigations conducted by staff can form the basis for individual and/or systemic legal challenges designed to secure compliance with fair housing laws and obtain community-based remedies, including the creation of more open, accessible, and inclusive communities.
4. Collaborate closely with the Intake and Outreach Team to ensure that complaints are timely and fully jurisdictional.
5. Regularly meet with FHJC intake and investigative staff to discuss the status of housing discrimination complaints and investigations. Confer with other FHJC staff members about making referrals to appropriate organizations, administrative agencies, and/or FHJC cooperating attorneys. Provide legal advice and assistance to other FHJC staff regarding organizational activities.
6. Develop legal training materials and train FHJC staff as well as external partners and stakeholders on fair housing laws. In collaboration with the Intake and Outreach team, create educational and information materials. Periodically attend education and outreach events with pertinent staff members.

Professional development opportunities could include:

1. The ability to appear as the plaintiff with authority to act on FHJC’s behalf at a mediation.
2. Acting as the point of contact for cooperating attorneys in compliance matters and active litigation.
3. Working closely with Intake and Investigations teams on an ongoing basis to develop resources.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum one to three years’ experience in civil rights litigation (specific experience in fair housing legal and administrative cases are a plus). Clerkship experience is also a plus.
• Commitment to vigorous enforcement of fair housing and fair lending laws and a demonstrated passion for social justice.
• Outstanding academic credentials and advocacy skills.
• Strong written and oral communication skills and attentiveness to detail. Strong organizational skills.
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills and teamwork skills. Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively with colleagues.
• Ability to work respectfully, cooperatively and effectively with diverse groups of people and organizations.
• Experience in landlord-tenant, disability, or government benefits law is a plus.

SALARY AND BENEFITS: The salary for the role is $85,000 - $115,000 annually. This is a full-time position with a comprehensive benefits package, including but not limited to medical, dental, vision, life and disability coverage, paid time off, including parental leave, transportation benefit, and an employer-matched retirement plan. This position requires work at least three days per week from the FHJC’s office in Long Island City, Queens, NY, and periodic travel within New York City and our service area. If the successful candidate will be relocating to New York City, the FHJC will be prepared to support reasonable moving costs.

LOCATION/CONTACT:

David M. Berman, Esq.

Legal Director

Fair Housing Justice Center, Inc.

30-30 Northern Blvd. Ste. 302 New York, NY 11101

Website: www.fairhousingjustice.org

To apply, please send a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and unofficial law school transcript, preferably in PDF format, to fhjc@fairhousingjustice.org.

INTERVIEWS WILL NOT BE SCHEDULED UNLESS ALL DOCUMENTS ARE SUBMITTED

The FHJC is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture and encourage applications from qualified individuals without consideration of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status, record of arrest or conviction, weight, height, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

This is a full-time position with a comprehensive benefits package, including but not limited to medical, dental, vision, life and disability coverage, paid time off, including parental leave, transportation benefit, and an employer-matched retirement plan. This position requires work at least three days per week from the FHJC’s office in Long Island City, Queens, NY and periodic travel within New York City and our service area. If the successful candidate will be relocating to New York City, the FHJC will be prepared to support reasonable moving costs.