Staff Attorney, Housing Justice

SeniorLAW Center•Philadelphia, PA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Staff Attorney, Housing Justice provides comprehensive legal services, direct representation, community engagement, and systemic advocacy to prevent displacement and preserve housing stability. This includes both tenant rights (evictions, unsafe housing, subsidy issues) and homeownership preservation (foreclosure, tangled title, and estate-related housing issues).

Requirements

Juris Doctor
Active member of the Pennsylvania Bar in good standing
Courtroom experience

Nice To Haves

Experience in housing law (tenant or homeownership)
Experience with foreclosure, title, estate, or subsidy-related matters
Experience working with older adults or vulnerable populations
Second language proficiency

Responsibilities

Handle all aspects of client representation, including screening and interviewing clients, giving legal opinions, accepting cases, filing court documents, analyzing facts, preparing for court appearances, assessing holistic legal needs and making referrals, providing technical assistance, data entry, preparing and mailing retainers and letters, drafting court documents, communicating with clients or third parties, preparing case files for hearing/trial, maintaining case files and database, conducting home visits, and handling other case or client related tasks.
Utilize Language line or other interpretation services for Limited English Proficient (LEP) older adults.
Provide information and referrals to older tenants, linking them to other resources and supportive services.
Represent SeniorLAW Center at professional committees/coalitions related to housing.
Develop and present legal education workshops.
Aid in the development of educational materials and resources.
Aid in planning, organizing, and attending community outreach and tabling events.
Assist with community clinics focused on housing related issues.
Coordinate with Project Director to update website, E-News, and other communication tools.
Participate in scheduled project-related activities.
Participate in staff and Legal team meetings.
Provide support to other colleagues agency wide as needed.
Assist with on-boarding staff as needed.
Become knowledgeable of and follow all SeniorLAW Center’s personnel and legal policies and procedures.
Demonstrate and model commitment to SeniorLAW Center’s mission and values.
Participate in SeniorLAW Center’s culture of philanthropy and events to support the organization.
Assist with quality control and case management data collection and reporting, as necessary.
Other responsibilities to further mission of the project and organization.
Provide civil legal assistance to older tenants and homeowners including representing tenants in eviction, ejectment, and illegal lockout matters, filing preliminary injunctions, representation in administrative hearings, and representation in other civil legal matters.
Represent homeowners in mortgage foreclosure diversion and litigation.
Resolve tangled title issues through probate, estate administration, and deed preparation.
Draft wills and planning documents to stabilize housing ownership.
Provide advice and brief services on home-ownership-related legal issues.
Provide advocacy and referrals to SeniorLAW Center clients.
Assist with housing focused community clinics.
Assist with housing focused client council.
Identify systemic problems affecting older tenants and homeowners and work with partners to develop creative solutions.