Staff Attorney/Sr. Staff Attorney - Tenant Law Center

Ccsww•Seattle, WA

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

CCS is looking to hire a dedicated legal professional to join our Tenant Law Center team. This position will be filled at either the Staff or Senior level, depending on the candidate's experience. The Tenant Law Center (TLC) is a homelessness prevention program that offers free legal assistance to qualifying low-income households in the City of Seattle and limited services throughout King County with matters related to eviction, subsidy termination, landlord/tenant issues, and credit issues related to past tenancies. Staff Attorney: Focuses on providing legal representation and assistance in community outreach/education. Senior Staff Attorney: Acts as a mentor and guide to team members and collaborates with the Directing Attorney on training staff, in addition to carrying a caseload and doing community education. Candidates qualifying for the Senior level will take on additional leadership duties. You will participate in providing legal assistance, ranging from counsel and advice to full representation, to people at risk of losing their housing, facing housing instability issues, or who need assistance addressing issues from previous tenancies that impact their ability to obtain housing and will report to Directing Attorney.

Requirements

Active Washington State Bar Membership.
Demonstrated commitment to serve low-income populations.
Excellent written communication skills and the ability to deliver culturally competent services and work effectively in multi-cultural situations.
Understanding of systemic inequality and commitment to striving toward race equity.
Experience with Legal Server or other legal case management database software.
Demonstrated commitment to race equity work.
Ability to work independently and as a member of a team.
Ability to travel within King County; must have valid driver’s license, insurance, and access to reliable transportation
Support and uphold the mission, beliefs and values of Catholic Community Services and Catholic Housing Services.
Support and contribute to a creative, collaborative and respectful environment that promotes teamwork.
One-year experience as an attorney or Rule 9 intern representing tenants in eviction matters.
Fluency in another language common to the community served.
Four (4) years of experience representing low-income populations.
Two (2) years of experience supervising attorneys, volunteers, law students, and paralegals.
Demonstrated ability to lead staff and manage complex legal workflows within a multi-cultural context.
Four (4) years of specific experience in housing cases; fluency in a community language.

Nice To Haves

Candidates qualifying for the Senior level will take on additional leadership duties.

Responsibilities

Represent low-income tenants in negotiation and litigation; provide ongoing representation for eviction notices or subsidy terminations; and perform all duties in compliance with the Rules of Professional Conduct.
Maintain thorough case notes in Legal Server; track deadlines; participate in screenings/referrals; and engage in regular case reviews with the Directing Attorney.
Respond to inquiries from community partners; develop and present trainings for client groups; and attend relevant task force meetings.
Participate in legislative hearings, stakeholder meetings, and work groups to increase tenant rights and protections.
Developing expertise in landlord-tenant and subsidized housing law.
Supervise paralegals/interns on assigned cases and 3-6 hours a week on the intake line.
Assist with training new attorneys as needed.
Focuses primarily on direct client advocacy and intake legal advice.
Utilizing existing expertise to handle complex cases and debt barriers.
Supervise support staff across assigned cases and mentor new attorneys on strategy.
Actively participate in recruitment, selection, and institutional procedures.
Other duties as assigned by the Directing Attorney.