Brooklyn Legal Services (“BLS”) seeks an experienced housing attorney to direct its Tenant Rights Coalition.

Brooklyn Legal Services, part of Legal Services NYC, provides high-quality, innovative representation to address the pressing legal needs of Brooklyn’s diverse low-income population. BLS focuses on the problems that have the greatest impact on our clients — preserving affordable and decent housing, maintaining income support, redressing abusive lending and consumer practices, promoting family stability and mitigating the effects of domestic violence, and advocating for the disabled.

The Tenant Rights Coalition (“TRC”) is a citywide initiative dedicated to anti-displacement work in neighborhoods facing heighten gentrification and tenant displacement, in particular due to recent rezoning actions by the city. The TRC utilizes a movement lawyering model and involves close collaboration with tenant organizing groups. Brooklyn Legal Services’ TRC unit, which is based in Brownsville, has nearly 30 staff comprised of supervisors, attorneys, paralegals, and essential staff. Our dedicated staff of housing advocates work with individuals and tenant groups to prevent evictions and support collective tenant action, often in partnership with community based organizers and tenant associations. The work of the TRC focuses on East New York, Brownsville, and surrounding neighborhoods.

Roles and Responsibilities

The Director will work to support the unit’s existing advocacy efforts as well as be responsible for broadening the unit’s work. The TRC Director will, among other responsibilities:

Shape the direction and manage the operations and vision of the unit in coordination with TRC’s Citywide Director and BLS’ Director of Litigation;
Work collaboratively with and provide support for LSNYC’s citywide housing practice;
Supervise TRC’s team of supervisors working directly with attorneys and paralegals on a range of litigation, including affirmative group litigation, individual client eviction defense;
Identify systemic housing-related trends that could be affected by strategic litigation;
Develop and strengthen relationships with partner community partners, elected officials and agency officials; and
Handle administrative and grant responsibilities.
Experience and Qualifications

We seek an attorney admitted to the New York State Bar with:

A demonstrated passion for social justice and a commitment to working with low-income communities and communities of color to advance equity;
Minimum of 5 years housing litigation experience;
Excellent legal writing, litigation, and advocacy skills;
Strong interpersonal, teaching/training and organizational skills;
Demonstrated expertise in local, state and federal housing law and policy, housing court practice, housing programs and subsidies, and public benefits;
Prior supervisory experience, experience working with grassroots organizations, experience supporting community-based organizing, and experience with policy, legislative, and media advocacy, are strongly preferred; and
Proficiency in Spanish or another language commonly spoken in the communities we serve is also preferred.
How to Apply

Applicants should send a cover letter, resume, and two writing samples to bkhiring@lsnyc.org. Please write “TRC Director” in the subject line of the email. Only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. No telephone calls.

Additional information about the practice may be found on our website, www.legalservicsnyc.org.

Salary and benefits are determined by the LS-NYC Collective Bargaining Agreement.

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.

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