DEPUTY DIRECTOR(S) FOR HOUSING LAW UNIT RIGHT TO COUNSEL PRACTICE

Brooklyn Legal Services (‘BLS’) seeks one or two Deputy Directors for its Housing Law Unit – Right to Counsel Practice. The Deputy Director will be expected to work collaboratively with and provide leadership for LSNYC’s city-wide housing practice.

Brooklyn Legal Services is part of Legal Services NYC (LSNYC) and provides high-quality, innovative representation to address the pressing legal needs of Brooklyn’s diverse low-income population. LSNYC’s mission is to fight poverty and seek racial, social, and economic justice for low-income New Yorkers. LSNYC is the largest civil legal services provider in the country. Our staff of over 600 people in neighborhood-based offices and outreach sites across all five boroughs helps more than 110,000 New Yorkers annually. BLS focuses on the problems that have the greatest impact on our clients — preserving affordable and decent housing, maintaining income support, redressing abusive lending and consumer practices, promoting family stability and mitigating the effects of domestic violence, and advocating for older adults and people with disabilities.

LSNYC prides itself on its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) efforts. As a social justice organization, we are committed to fighting for a workplace that is as diverse, equitable, and inclusive as possible for everyone. Our DEIB committee and numerous affinity groups work to foster collegial relationships among staff at all levels and allow staff to explore and advocate for racial justice and anti-oppression growth within our organization and through our legal work. All employees are expected to learn about, seek to understand, and work to realize our DEIB goals. Every supervisor is expected to actively engage in learning and become increasingly skilled in supervision that supports diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. The Deputy Director(s)’ duties will include actively working to advance LSNYC’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging goals.

LSNYC provides numerous opportunities for growth and professional development. Our Learning Center provides opportunities to earn free CLE credits and gain experience as a trainer. In recent years we hired The Management Center to teach management skills to our directors and supervisors, and we encourage and support supervisors and directors to attend local and national trainings to build supervision and management skills.

The Housing Law Unit – Right to Counsel practice preserves affordable housing for Brooklyn’s low-income communities through the representation of low-income tenants in eviction proceedings, collaboration with community-based organizations, and affirmative litigation to challenge abusive and discriminatory behaviors that displace low-income families and eliminate affordable housing. Our Unit has partnered closely with the Human Resources Administration (“HRA”) to launch and build a unit to support this ever-expanding Right to Counsel. The core of the team’s work is to provide zealous legal representation to Brooklyn tenants facing eviction in Housing Court, appellate courts, and administrative proceedings through aggressive litigation and creative advocacy. In addition, we preserve housing subsidies and public benefits for our clients through both individual representation and cutting-edge litigation. We also provide advice and community education to tenants throughout Brooklyn at legal clinics and through Know Your Rights trainings.

The Deputy Director(s) will work closely with the Housing Unit Director and Deputy Directors to provide supervision to the Unit’s attorneys and paralegals, strengthen relationships with community partners, address systemic housing issues that perpetuate poverty, and handle administrative and grant responsibilities. The Deputy Director(s) will be responsible for helping to develop and implement a strategic vision for the Unit’s work and supervising attorneys on a range of litigation including individual and group representation in Housing Court, administrative proceedings, and affirmative litigation in State and Federal Court. Other duties include intake management, onboarding and training new attorneys, community education, and outreach, strengthening partnerships with community groups and elected officials, and policy advocacy.

The Deputy Director(s) will work closely with the Director of the Housing Unit and Deputy Directors in supporting the unit’s existing advocacy as well as overseeing Right to Counsel intake as follows:

• In coordination with the Housing Unit managers, create and keep updated intake and referral protocols, make case assignments to Staff Attorneys and Law Graduates and otherwise assist in managing the Right to Counsel intake operations of the team;
• Routinely solicit feedback from staff and supervisors about the intake process and implement changes when appropriate, in consultation with the Director of the Housing Unit;
• Together with the other Housing Unit managers, liaise between the Office of Civil Justice and Housing Court concerning the implementation of Right to Counsel and communication concerning eligibility and RTC referrals;
• Supervise/lead a team of attorneys and other advocates in a range of litigation including individual client eviction defense in Housing Court, appeals, administrative proceedings, and affirmative litigation in State and Federal Court;
• In coordination with the Housing Unit managers, create and lead onboarding and training programs for new advocates.

In addition to the qualifications below, the ideal candidate will be a highly motivated individual with a keen interest in supervising a practice in a community-based law office, and a demonstrated ability to jump-start litigation or community-based campaigns and to collaborate with other staff to see such initiatives through to fruition.

Experience and Qualifications

We seek an attorney admitted to the New York State Bar with:

• A demonstrated passion for social justice and a commitment to working with low-income communities and communities of color to advance equity;
• Excellent analytical, written, and communication skills;
• Strong interpersonal and organizational skills and the ability to provide supportive and consistent supervision to attorneys, paralegals, and support staff in a fast-paced and high- volume practice;
• Excellent persuasive writing and editing skills, experience with appellate advocacy;
• Minimum of 7 years of relevant litigation experience;
• Working knowledge of housing laws, court procedures, public benefits, and best practices in the field;
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively, with a high level of integrity;
• Ability to prioritize and meet multiple and competing deadlines;
• Prior supervision experience in a relevant setting, including implementation of Right to Counsel intake, mentoring/supervising a group of advocates in a fast-paced environment, and providing trainings and supervision to newer advocates daily; and,
• Strong ties to Brooklyn’s communities of color are helpful, but not required.

Health Recommendation

All employees are strongly encouraged to continue to receive and maintain up-to-date COVID vaccinations unless they are unable to for medical or religious reasons.

How to Apply

Applicants should send a cover letter, resume, and two writing samples to bkhiring@lsnyc.org. Please write “Housing RTC Deputy Director” in the subject line of the email. Only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. No telephone calls, please.

BLS offers an excellent benefits package and a highly competitive public interest salary. Benefits include health, dental, and vision plans; contributions to a 403(b) plan; and generous leave time. Salary is commensurate with experience.

Brooklyn Legal Services is an equal opportunity employer: people of color; women; people with disabilities; gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people; and people over the age of 40 are welcome and encouraged to apply. We are committed to race, gender, and economic justice in our work and within our workplace. Staff members who are not managers are members of the LSSA/NOLSW UAW Local 2320.

Job#72_2024; Posted: 07.2024

Salary Range: $115,584-$183,696 (based on years of experience)