Housing Staff Attorney - Make the Road New York
Make the Road New York (MRNY) seeks a bilingual (Spanish & English) full-time staff attorney with expertise in housing law to start work in January, 2020.
THE ORGANIZATION:
Make the Road New York (MRNY) is a grassroots organization that builds the power of immigrant and working-class communities to achieve dignity and justice through organizing, policy innovation, transformative education, and survival services, which includes legal services. MRNY operates neighborhood-based community centers in Bushwick, Brooklyn; Jackson Heights, Queens; Port Richmond, Staten Island; Brentwood, Long Island; and White Plains, Westchester. With a membership of more than 23,000 low-income New Yorkers, MRNY tackles the critical issues facing our community: workplace justice, tenants’ rights, immigrant rights, language-access, LGBTQ justice, public education, health care access, and immigration reform.
LEGAL AND SUPPORT SERVICES AT MAKE THE ROAD NEW YORK:
The Department of Legal and Support Services at MRNY works to strengthen the organization’s organizing work by (1) helping to envision and implement leverage strategies (including strategic litigation) that help win our organizing campaigns; (2) providing technical legal support for policy work; and (3) providing legal and support services to high-need immigrant and low-income communities and help meet the immediate needs of MRNY’s members. The Department currently employs approximately 45 attorneys, advocates and case managers. Our legal team is integrated into all aspects of the organization’s work. The Housing Team consists of a supervising attorney, three experienced staff attorneys, and a housing and benefits advocate.
CURRENT OPENING:
We are currently hiring a staff attorney based out of our Brooklyn office to provide cutting-edge eviction defense and housing quality enforcement.
Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:
· Provide advice and representation to low-income tenants and tenant associations in neighborhoods facing strong displacement pressure.
· Maintain a docket of housing cases, including complex holdovers, nonpayment proceedings, HP actions, Article 78 proceedings, and administrative hearings.
· Collaborate with MRNY organizers to build and represent tenant associations.
· Provide legal support to MRNY organizers on policy issues and campaigns.
· Work with MRNY organizers and other partners to provide legal clinics and know-your-rights workshops to our members as well as the community at large.
· Maintain files and electronic case data and assist with grant reporting, and engage fully in MRNY meetings and trainings.
REQUIREMENTS:
· Admission to practice law in New York State (will consider applicants who have passed the bar with admission pending).
· Bilingual in English and Spanish.
· Experience providing legal services to low-income tenants.
· Commitment to social justice, community building, and housing as a human right.
· Interpersonal and organizational skills of the highest caliber.
· Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-energy environment.
PREFERENCES:
We seek but do not require the following:
· 1-5 years of housing litigation experience.
· Experience working among populations that make up major portions of MRNY’s membership, such as documented and undocumented immigrants, women facing domestic violence, members of LGBTQ communities, and youth.
Benefits
Starting salary is based on a step scale based on years of experience. Generous package of vacation, personal and sick days. Excellent health and dental coverage and family leave policies.
How to Apply
Forward a cover letter, resume, and writing sample by email to Sienna Fontaine, Co-Legal Director, at legalhousingjobs@maketheroadny.org. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis.
Make the Road New York is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer and seeks to insure equal opportunity and equal treatment of all employees and applicants for employment without unlawful discrimination as to race, creed, religion, color, citizenship, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, gender identity, genetic information and sexual orientation, in all employment decisions including but not limited to hiring, compensation, benefits, training, termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment.