STAFF ATTORNEY – HOUSING UNIT
Tenant Rights Coalition (TRC)

Staten Island Legal Services (across the street from the ferry), seeks a full-time Staff Attorney to join the Tenant Rights Coalition (TRC) team in our Housing Unit.

Program Description

Staten Island Legal Services (SILS) fights poverty and seeks racial, social, and economic justice for low-income New Yorkers. SILS provides high-quality, innovative representation to address the pressing legal needs of Staten Island’s diverse low-income populations. SILS focuses on the problems that have the greatest impact on our clients —preserving affordable and decent housing, preventing foreclosures, representing survivors of domestic violence, assisting in obtaining government benefits, obtaining immigration status and preventing deportations, and advocating for the LGBTQ community, students with educational needs and people with disabilities.

SILS is a part of Legal Services NYC (LSNYC), which is the largest provider of civil legal services in the country. We partner with scores of community-based and client-run organizations, elected officials, public agencies, pro bono lawyers, and the courts to maximize our effectiveness. Our work fights discrimination and helps to achieve equity for all low-income New Yorkers.

LSNYC employees have numerous opportunities for growth and professional development, including access to our internal Justice Learning Center, which provides opportunities to earn free CLEs and gain experience as a trainer. 

The Opportunity

We are looking for a candidate who is excited to work in a fast-paced environment and to use creative strategies in the pursuit of justice. The Housing Unit works to preserve affordable housing and fight family displacement through representation of low-income tenants in eviction proceedings and affirmative litigation to challenge abusive and discriminatory conduct, particularly on Staten Island’s North Shore. The TRC team collaborates with individuals and tenant groups to prevent evictions, secure necessary repairs, pursue harassment claims, and support collective tenant action, sometimes in partnership with community-based organizations.

Roles and Responsibilities
The Staff Attorney’s responsibilities will include but are not limited to the following:

• Representing clients in individual housing matters, including eviction defense proceedings.
• Litigating multi-plaintiff affirmative cases addressing repairs, overcharges, harassment, and other housing-related issues.
• Appearing in civil, supreme, and federal court, as well as in administrative proceedings.
• Collaborating closely with tenant organizers, tenant associations, and community partners to identify and address housing needs including but not limited to attending and/or supporting tenant meetings at buildings throughout Staten Island.
• Conducting outreach and off-site intake, workshops and clinics with community partners. Occasional evening and weekend hours may be necessary.
• Providing training to advocates, tenant associations, community members, and community groups.
• Working effectively in a team environment with both legal and non-legal members to better serve clients and the community.
• Maintain online case files within the office case management system to ensure compliance with various grants.

Experience and Qualifications:

• Applicants must have a J.D. from an accredited law school;
• Admitted or be in the process of being admitted to practice law in the State of New York;
• Strong demonstrated background and experience in public interest, litigation, housing, landlord/tenant, and/or related advocacy;
• Experience working with diverse low-income communities and familiarity with structural and systemic racism and their intersection with poverty. Strong ties to or understanding of the Staten Island low-income communities is a plus;
• Commitment to social justice and working in low-income communities and communities of color to advance equity;
• Strong interest in working directly with clients, specifically clients in crisis;
• Strong time management and organizational skills;
• Superb analytical, oral, and written communication skills; and
• Fluency or proficiency in Spanish or another language spoken by the communities we serve is helpful but not required.

Salary is commensurate with experience. Hybrid remote work policy, and excellent benefits package. All employees are strongly encouraged to continue to receive and maintain up-to-date COVID vaccinations unless they are unable to for medical or religious reasons.

How to Apply:

Interested individuals should submit a resume, cover letter, and writing sample. Only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. Please no phone calls.

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Additional information about the practice may be found on our website, www.legalservicesnyc.org. Legal Services NYC is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, people with disabilities, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people, and people over the age of 40 are strongly encouraged to apply.

Salary Range: $88,181 - $169,852 (based on years of experience)