Deputy Director/Attorney, Compliance & Training, Preserving Afforable Housing-Brooklyn

Since 1968, Build Up Justice NYC (BUJNYC) has provided free legal services for low-income residents of Brooklyn, pursuing neighborhood-based mission of justice, empowerment, and community development. For over half a century, we have utilized an array of legal and advocacy strategies—community organizing, affirmative civil rights litigation, and eviction defense to defend the rights of individuals and families. Collaboration with the city, state, and federal officials to enforce housing laws and develop legislative solutions is also an integral part of our strategy. BUJNYC has three core programs—Preserving Affordable Housing (PAH) Program, Consumer & Economic Advocacy (CEA) Program, and Community & Economic Development (CED) Program—each of which has unique initiatives and plays a vital community role to ensure basic needs are met and fundamental rights affirmed.

Position Summary:

The Deputy Director/Attorney, Compliance and Training will supervise attorneys in the PAHB program that represent low-income tenants in Brooklyn facing eviction in court and before administrative agencies and bringing affirmative litigation. They will provide legal oversight, mentoring and guidance and quality control for all casework handled by staff ensuring compliance with legal compliance and ethical standards. The Deputy Director will lead case review and assignment meetings to ensure manage the continuing education and professional development of attorney staff.

Essential Job Responsibilities:

Program Management:

• Lead weekly case assignment meetings and manage assignments to ensure professional skills and experiences are developing for attorney staff;
• Coordinate and supervise program work, including scheduling and attending meetings and case reviews, assign appropriate cases to the team, and provide support on case strategy;
• Participate in the development, implementation and management of program procedures to ensure meeting case numbers and other program deliverables;
• Supervise writing attorneys to facilitate development of templates, drafting legal documents, pleadings, motion brief and appeals and providing writing training for attorneys and paralegals;
• Oversee data in case management system to ensure it is up to date and compliance of program procedures are being maintained, gather data for grant reporting and provide support for grant reporting to funders;
• Manage pro-bono collaborations and program interns in coordination with Program Director;
• Organize learning opportunities for team to ensure career growth paths for staff attorneys are maintained;
• Conduct legal research and keeping current on state law and procedures within area of practice;
• Conduct trainings for community-based organizations and coalitions in the related substantive matters to include but not be limited to Know-Your-Rights housing workshops, clinics, and other educational outreach activities to ensure that tenants are aware of their protections under housing laws;
• Draft and update programmatic and educational materials for program staff and as requested for clients/outreach events;
• Attend meetings and perform administrative tasks related to the work and supervision, such as timekeeping and case tracking and notes; and
• Other duties as assigned.

Client Transactional Work:

• Provide additional support as needed for client intake and screening, and provide advice, consultation, advocacy, and brief services to potential clients at clinical programs in the community and other community event;
• Conduct discovery and depositions and represent/facilitate communication with clients, negotiations with opposing counsel and advocacy with outside agencies on behalf of clients;
• Attend client meetings and participate in community outreach efforts promoting program services which may occur during evening and weekends as necessary;
• Use technical knowledge and experience, 2nd seat/co-chair/partner with staff attorneys on challenging and complex cases;
• As needed, represent clients facing eviction in court to ensure that the procedure is fair, and the law is appropriately followed and applied;
• As needed, represent clients in non-payment, holdover, HP, 7A, and harassment proceedings in housing court and/or assist in settlement conferences;
• As needed, conduct discovery and depositions and represent/facilitate communication with clients, negotiations with opposing counsel and advocacy with outside agencies on behalf of clients;
• As a team leader, provide feedback and mentorship to staff attorneys and ability to represent the team.

Education, Skills and Experience:

• Admission to the bar of the State of New York or eligible for admission;
• Minimum 5 years’ experience working in New York civil and/or Federal, or other relevant public interest litigation; housing law preferable;
• Minimum 5 years’ experience working with clients in the nonprofit sector, low-income communities, community organizations and/or coalitions;
• Experience supervising a team of attorneys, paralegals and administrative staff;
• Experience working with clients in the public sector, low-income tenant groups, community organizations and/or coalitions;
• Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to effectively communicate with individuals from diverse backgrounds, local organizations and people in desperate crisis;
• Demonstrated ability to interact with client/tenants of different races, ethnicities, ages, and sexual orientations in a multicultural environment and a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion;
• Excellent legal writing, litigation and advocacy skills in English, bi-lingual in other language preferred;
• Ability to work independently with strong motivation, to manage a high case load, track case data, meet deadlines, and to be flexible;
• Computer proficiency sufficient to independently review and generate legal briefs/writings and other supervisory tasks;
• Experience managing case management system to ensure accurate data collection and statistical tracking;
• Ability to collaborate as needed write narrative reports for grant and contracts;
• Basic knowledge of New York City and State housing laws and rules;
• Must be available to work hybrid work schedule with 3 days in-office/2 days remote with some nights and weekends as required; and
• Thorough commitment to Build Up Justice NYC’s mission.

How to apply:

If you are interested in this position, you must submit your resume and a cover letter telling us why your experiences would make you a good fit for this role. This is a hybrid in-office/remote position based in Brooklyn, NY.

Compensation & Benefits

Annual salary $116,000 - $134,000 dependent on years of experience. Benefits highlights - 27 days vacation; employer paid health, dental and vision insurance; employer contribution to 401(k); and paid parental leave.

Build Up Justice NYC is a diverse team that is committed to recruiting, supporting, retaining, and promoting a talented staff with diverse backgrounds and experiences that share the organization's commitment to racial, economic and social justice. At Build Up Justice NYC, diversity encompasses a variety of characteristics, lifestyles, and perspectives, including race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, education, disability, socio-economic status, and family status. We firmly believe that a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment is essential to both the quality of our client services and the personal satisfaction of our staff.

We encourage applicants of diverse backgrounds to apply, including women, people of color, immigrants, people with disabilities, LGBTQ people, people from low-income backgrounds, and with lived experiences in the communities we serve. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, physical disability, or length of time spent unemployed.

Benefits highlights - 27 days vacation; employer paid health, dental and vision insurance; employer contribution to 401(k); and paid parental leave

Excellent legal writing, litigation and advocacy skills in English, bi-lingual in other language preferred