Access to Justice Fellow

Community Economic Defense Project•Denver, CO

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Community Economic Defense Project (CEDP) is seeking an Access to Justice Legal Fellow to partner with its Clinic and Community Law teams to expand access to justice for tenants facing housing instability in Colorado. This fellowship will focus on building innovative, community-centered legal services that help low-income tenants navigate eviction proceedings, understand their rights, and access meaningful legal support at critical moments in the eviction process. The fellow will work closely with the Clinic Supervisor and Community Law Supervisor, who will provide mentorship, training, and supervision. The role involves collaborating to develop and submit applications to various fellowships, with a potential start date in early Fall 2027. The project could focus on establishing legal eviction clinics, developing "Lawyer for a Day" courthouse programs, creating partnerships for know-your-rights trainings, expanding access to legal information in underserved communities, supporting vulnerable tenant populations, advancing innovative approaches to eviction prevention, strengthening partnerships among courts and legal organizations, and gathering data on tenant needs and outcomes.

Requirements

Work collaboratively with CEDP (the host organization) to develop and submit fellowship application(s)
JD earned in 2026 and currently entering a clerkship position or JD expected to be earned in 2027
Demonstrated passion for housing justice, economic justice, public interest law, and/or access to justice
Strong desire to center client and community needs in legal advocacy and program design
Excellent interpersonal communication skills and ability to engage with diverse stakeholders
Strong organizational and project management abilities
Ability to work in a collaborative, fast-paced, and community-centered environment
A supportive, client-focused, and solutions-oriented attitude
Creativity, initiative, and willingness to think outside the box in designing sustainable legal interventions
Interest in community lawyering, public speaking, and partnership-building
Ability to travel within the Denver metro area and surrounding jurisdictions for community events, court appearances, meetings, and trainings
Knowledge of Microsoft Office, Google Suite, and case management systems preferred

Nice To Haves

Other language skills are not required but are a strong plus and may be eligible for an additional language salary differential

Responsibilities

Communicate with clients in a timely, respectful, empathetic, and trauma-informed manner
Build relationships with community organizations, courts, and partner agencies to support housing stability initiatives
Help establish and implement a recurring legal eviction clinic in partnership with greater Denver metro jurisdictions and community stakeholders
Assist in developing a “Lawyer for a Day” model to support tenants appearing in eviction court
Provide direct legal services, limited-scope representation, and/or legal information to tenants facing housing instability, as appropriate to the fellowship project
Develop and facilitate community education and know-your-rights presentations related to housing and eviction law
Set and complete project goals identified in partnership with supervisors and in accordance with fellowship requirements
Develop knowledge of Colorado housing and eviction law and apply it to direct services, trainings, and systems-level problem solving
Coordinate with supervisors and stakeholders to ensure timely project implementation, case tracking, reporting, and fellowship deliverables
Sharpen project management, relationship-building, public speaking, and community lawyering skills
Contribute to a collaborative, equity-centered legal practice focused on expanding access to justice and preventing housing instability