Staff Attorney

ABOUT FAIR SHARE HOUSING CENTER

Fair Share Housing Center (FSHC) is a nonprofit advocacy organization that uses legal, policy, and community-building strategies to dismantle decades of racial and economic discrimination in New Jersey and nationally that excludes people from the opportunity to live in safe, healthy, and affordable housing. Fair Share Housing Center’s work has created over 70,000 homes affordable to lower-income families in communities that otherwise would have excluded them, with 50,000 more anticipated over the next decade. FSHC has shaped both state and national policy on racial justice and fair housing, including through the largest settlement in the 50-year history of the federal Fair Housing Act in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. And the organization also led the charge to pass the Fair Chance in Housing Act—the first statewide bill of its kind in the country that protects individuals with prior criminal legal involvement from discrimination in the rental market. More broadly, FSHC works closely with partner organizations in New Jersey and nationally to advance racial, economic, and social justice issues that impact low-income communities and communities of color.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Staff Attorney will be a key player in a small, tight-knit team of attorneys and policy advocates that works together to make sure that the promise of New Jersey’s fair housing laws becomes reality. This position will require an attorney with a diverse range of legal skills, including litigation, reviewing proposed ordinances and plans to ensure they actually will create affordable homes, and policy work. The successful candidate will be an attorney with demonstrated skills in creatively using legal knowledge in a broad range of forums and settings to protect the rights of lower-income people and people of color.

PRIMARY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Reviewing compliance with fair housing settlements through analyzing proposed municipal fair share plans, ordinances and supporting documentation to make sure much-needed homes are actually built; work will include frequent communication with opposing counsel, urban planners, and community leaders to attempt to resolve issues as they arise
• Litigation focused on ensuring compliance with fair housing rules, including bringing cases and litigating through to conclusion when municipalities fail to plan and provide for affordable housing, or violate past agreements or court orders setting forth requirements for affordable housing production
• Working with community groups and FSHC’s policy and communications staff to help explain our legal work—and the homes created through it—in order to ensure that potential applicants have information about how to apply to homes, and to respond to issues being raised by civil rights, religious, and other organizations about fair housing compliance in their communities
• Conduct legal research, draft motions and briefs, and represent FSHC in court
• Working collaboratively with the Litigation Team and/or Senior Staff Attorneys to strategize, plan for, and lead mediations between interested parties
• Collaborate with co-counsel, experts, and other stakeholders to develop and implement legal strategies
• Provide legal analysis and support for policy initiatives and legislative advocacy
• Review compliance with fair housing settlements through analyzing proposed municipal ordinances & policies
• Assist in the development and implementation of the litigation team’s strategic goals and initiatives
• Other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS

FSHC recognizes that an individual’s experience is gained through a wide and diverse range of personal, professional, and educational opportunities. When reviewing applications, we take a broad look at the combined experiences of each candidate. For this role, active admission to the NJ Bar is required. If you think you can do this job but don’t meet every additional qualification, we encourage you to still apply. Below are the other skills and values we prioritize:

• Demonstrated commitment to racial & economic justice and alignment with FSHC’s mission & values
• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school
• Admission to the bar in New Jersey with active license in good standing required
• 1-3 years of experience in civil rights, fair housing, or related public interest law (judicial clerkships may be considered towards this experience level)
• Experience or proven interest in working as a lawyer with communities of color on advancing racial and economic justice
• Knowledge of Fair Share Housing Center’s work or other housing/social justice organizations
• Courtroom and mediation/negotiation experience or willingness to shadow and train for these skills
• Excellent legal research, writing, and oral advocacy skills
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to maintain confidentiality

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of what is typically required to perform the essential functions of this role. We are committed to creating an inclusive and equitable work environment and will provide reasonable accommodations to support individuals with disabilities in fulfilling these essential functions. These physical demands include: sitting for long periods of time; extensive use of a computer and keyboard, including typing and reviewing documents on a screen; effective communication with team members and external stakeholders, which may involve phone calls, participating in video conferences, and written communications; operating office equipment, including computers, printers, and telephones, which may involve reaching, bending, and occasionally lifting office supplies and materials up to 50 lbs; occasional travel to attend meetings, conferences, or events, which may involve sitting for extended periods during transportation.

LOCATION

FSHC is a hybrid workplace, meaning work will be done remotely and in person. This position requires significant travel within the state of New Jersey to attend court appearances, as well as occasional evening and weekend commitments. The individual hired will be required to participate in in-person meetings at Fair Share Housing Center’s offices in Cherry Hill a minimum of once per month.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Fair Share Housing Center is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect, free from harassment and discrimination, where equal opportunities are available to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

FSHC believes that diversity and inclusion among our employees are critical to our success, and we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. Decisions related to hiring, compensating, training, evaluating performance, or terminating are made fairly and are based on merit, competence, and qualifications. FSHC is also committed to making our application process accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations upon request.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested applicants should apply online by submitting their resume, cover letter, and *writing sample (see below) at Fair Share’s Careers page:

https://fairsharehousing.bamboohr.com/careers/

WRITING SAMPLE

*As part of the application process for the Staff Attorney position, we kindly request that you provide a writing sample. This sample should reflect your legal expertise, analytical skills, and experience in handling complex legal matters. Ideally, it should be a document that you have authored, such as a brief, memorandum, or legal opinion, that best showcases your abilities in this role. Please ensure that any confidential or sensitive information is appropriately redacted.

All applicants will receive an acknowledgement that their application has been received. Only those candidates selected for further consideration will be contacted directly by our hiring team. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Employer-Paid Medical & Dental Insurance, Vacation/Sick PTO, 12 Holidays, 403B Retirement Plan with Employer Contribution, & Professional Development Opportunities

Fluency in English, both written and spoken, is required. Any other language is a plus but not required.