Mobilization for Justice (MFJ), a non-profit legal services organization that provides a wide range of free civil legal services to low-income New Yorkers, is seeking a staff attorney tor further MFJ’s efforts to preserve decent and affordable housing for low-income tenants, including families and single adults, through eviction defense, HP proceedings, and affirmative litigation. The attorney will be part of a team that represents tenants in Bronx, Brooklyn, and Manhattan Housing Court, state Supreme Court, federal court, and administrative proceedings.

MFJ’s mission is to achieve social justice, prioritizing the needs of people who are low-income, disenfranchised or have disabilities. We do this by providing the highest quality direct civil legal assistance, conducting community education and building partnerships, engaging in policy advocacy, and bringing impact litigation. MFJ is a 130+ person staff comprised of attorneys, paralegals, social workers and support staff. It is a diverse, unionized, and collegial workplace where staff share the organization’s mission to achieve social justice, prioritizing the needs of people who are low-income, disenfranchised or have disabilities.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Conducting client intake; conducting legal research; drafting legal memoranda, advocacy letters and other legal papers; and litigating all phases of cases, including drafting pleadings, engaging in motion practice, conducting trials, and writing and arguing appeals.
• Conducting outreach to Bronx, Brooklyn and Manhattan communities and training community and tenant groups on the rights of tenants and related housing and fair housing issues.
• Working with organizers and community leaders to develop and execute strategies to prevent tenant displacement.
• Staffing and conducting intake at off-site legal clinics (at community organizations, offices of elected officials, places of worship, sister organizations, in courts, and other places to accommodate clients).
• Inputting and maintaining detailed records in a case management system.

Requirements:

• Admission to NYS Bar required.
• Spanish language skills strongly preferred.
• Minimum of one year of litigation experience and experience representing tenants in New York City, or with Section 8 and other subsidized housing preferred.
• Excellent research and writing skills.
• Ability to balance an active caseload and travel between MFJ’s offices, outreach sites, agency offices and courts.
• Ability to staff clinics, attend tenants’ association meetings, and participate in other work-related events during evening hours from time to time.

Salary is pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement.

Applicants should submit a cover letter, resume and writing sample to Elise Brown, Director of Housing Litigation, and transmit by e-mail to ebrown@mfjlegal.org by February 15, 2021. Early applications are appreciated. Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis. No telephone inquiries please. Please indicate where you found this ad and include HOUSING RIGHTS STAFF ATTORNEY in the Subject Line.

For further information about MFJ, please go to www.mobilizationforjustice.org.

MOBILIZATION FOR JUSTICE IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.

People of color, women, people with disabilities, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people are welcome and encouraged to apply.