TDP - Supervising Attorney

ICLC•Los Angeles, CA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Inner City Law Center (ICLC) is a nonprofit law firm located in the Skid Row neighborhood of Los Angeles, seeking extraordinary people to help end homelessness in Los Angeles. Founded on the principle that every person should be treated with dignity and respect, ICLC fights for justice for low-income tenants, working-poor families, people who are disabled or experiencing homelessness, people living with HIV/AIDS, and homeless veterans. The Supervising Attorney is part of the Tenant Defense Project leadership team and is primarily responsible for providing direct supervision of Staff Attorneys and/or Housing Justice Fellows who provide eviction defense representation to tenants. The role focuses on helping new attorneys develop effective trial advocacy skills, managing attorneys, and overseeing legal casework to ensure client-centered, effective, and efficient legal representation. The Supervising Attorney also collaborates with team leadership to develop, implement, and monitor systems and processes for high-quality legal representation, proper case management, and equitable work division among legal staff.

Requirements

Minimum of 3 years of eviction defense or housing litigation experience.
Admitted to the California State Bar or in another state and eligible to practice as a Registered Legal Aid Attorney under Rule 9.45 of the California Rules of Court.
Innovative and solution oriented.
Strong research, writing, and analytical skills.
Organized and detail oriented.
Able to assume responsibility quickly and independently manage varied responsibilities in a rapidly growing organization.
Commitment to client-centered advocacy, and ability to build trust and rapport with a wide range of clients and team members in a kind, appropriate, and effective manner.
Strong interpersonal skills and able to cultivate relationships with partner organizations.
Desire to mentor junior staff, work as part of a team, and collaborate with project staff and partners.
Excellent problem solving, time management, and decision-making ability.
Effective communication skills, remaining responsive to team members in a fast-paced environment.
Strong organizational and project management skills to seek input from multiple stakeholders and see multiple priorities through completion.
Must have access to reliable transportation.
Committed to ICLC’s mission and values, equity, diversity, and racial justice.
All Staff must have received the COVID-19 vaccine and undergo TB testing upon hire.

Responsibilities

Direct the work of Staff Attorneys and Housing Justice Fellows, including reviewing and assigning case work, training, and coaching.
Provide trial and in-court support to Fellows and less experienced Attorneys, including serving as co-counsel on unlawful detainer jury trials.
Proactively supervise case work through frequent informal communications and regular 1-on-1 meetings to discuss case progression and strategy, monitor caseload, and ensure proper case management.
Maintain familiarity with supervisee’s cases and address potential workload concerns.
Supervise, collaborate with, and support an assigned Training Attorney.
Co-counsel on supervisees’ cases, including trial co-counsel and other in-court support.
Provide case coverage during supervisees’ absences and arrange coverage with other staff as needed.
Ensure compliance with organization and team policies and procedures, including document management, case notes, case timekeeping, inputting appearances and deadlines, and grant requirements.
Plan and lead weekly case review meetings where attorneys share individual cases and complex issues for discussion.
Provide regular feedback to supervisees based on in-court observations, review of case work product, and assessment of their strengths, skills, and areas for improvement.
Identify appropriate professional development opportunities for staff.
Conduct performance evaluations of all supervisees.
Manage substantive and administrative onboarding and provide ongoing guidance.
Stay informed of applicable laws, rules, procedures, and policies affecting eviction defense litigation and keep supervisees informed.
Support the creation of written guidelines for case assessment and litigation protocols.
Provide legal training and technical assistance to staff and collaborate on a training program for attorneys new to eviction defense litigation, leading the development and implementation of a trial skills building curriculum.
Manage offboarding according to team procedures and reassign cases.
Evaluate and troubleshoot team issues and procedures and recommend solutions.
Serve as a strategic thought partner to the Legal Co-Director to improve team’s litigation standards and protocols and overall program design.
Conduct regular review of supervisees’ ready-to-close cases and confirming proper case outcomes and other case data.
Responsible for administrative tasks, including onboarding, managing staff schedules, timecard completion, and time-off requests.
Represent the organization in meetings with funders, media, and partner agencies.
Participate in hiring process for Staff Attorneys, Housing Justice Fellows, Paralegals, and other support staff.
Participate in community outreach events, legal clinics and workshops, and other external partnership building opportunities.
Performing other duties as assigned.