Housing Staff Attorney – Safety Net Project

Urban Justice Center; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 69,000 - 114,000; Full time

Job summary

The Urban Justice Center seeks a Housing Staff Attorney for its Safety Net Project, focusing on public benefits access, homelessness, and tenant rights. The role involves direct legal representation, community organizing, and requires strong litigation skills and a commitment to social justice.

Benefits

Generous vacation and personal time

Industry-leading medical and dental coverage

Flexible hours and hybrid work options

Qualifications

• Admitted to practice in New York or eligible for admission.
• Excellent litigation and oral advocacy skills.
• Commitment to social justice and anti-oppression work.

Responsibilities

• Represent tenants in eviction proceedings and affirmative litigation.
• Conduct legal intake at housing court.
• Staff outreach clinics and provide Know Your Rights education.

Skills

Litigation skills

Research

Oral advocacy

Time management

Social justice commitment

Advocacy

Spanish proficiency

Education

Admitted to practice in New York

Job description

Housing Staff Attorney – Safety Net Project

The Urban Justice Center’s Safety Net Project (SNP) provides direct legal and social services in the areas of public benefits access, homelessness, and tenant rights. SNP also engages in policy advocacy and community organizing led by impacted community members. SNP is one of NYC’s Right to Counsel providers representing tenants facing eviction and is also active in various grassroots organizing campaigns fighting for systemic change. We are seeking housing staff attorneys who are looking for a creative and non-traditional environment, working with passionate and dedicated advocates in the fight against gentrification, displacement, and racist housing systems.

Primary Responsibilities

• Represent tenants in eviction proceedings, including non-payment and holdover cases, affirmative litigation, NYCHA administrative proceedings, group litigation including rent strikes in partnership with tenant organizers, and appeals.
• Conduct legal intake at Right to Counsel intake days at Bronx Housing Court.
• Staff outreach clinics, provide Know Your Rights education, and attend tenants’ association meetings, including during evening hours from time to time.
• Working across disciplines by collaborating with other attorneys, advocates, organizers, and social workers to assess and address client needs.

Qualifications

• Admitted to practice in New York or eligible for admission
• Excellent litigation skills, including research, strategy development, analysis, writing, and oral advocacy.
• Aptitude for tenacious advocacy and a demonstrated commitment to client-centered lawyering.
• Commitment to social justice and anti-oppression work, including the fight for racial justice and housing justice.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills, including flexibility and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Spanish proficiency or a commitment to learn Spanish is strongly preferred.

Salary and Benefits

A competitive salary and excellent benefits package are offered, with generous vacation, personal, and sick time, along with industry-leading medical and dental coverage. This is a bargaining unit position represented for collective bargaining purposes by the National Organization of Legal Services Workers, UAW, Local 2320. Subject to work needs, the Safety Net Project also offers flexible hours and hybrid work options.

The Safety Net Project is an equal-opportunity employer. SNP encourages applications from people with diverse backgrounds, including women, people of color, immigrants, domestic violence survivors, people with disabilities, LGBTQI+ people, people from low-income backgrounds, and people with personal experience with the criminal justice system. We strongly encourage applications from people with lived experiences in the communities we serve, of homelessness or housing instability, or of the benefits system.

Application Instructions

Interested applicants should send a resume and cover letter by e-mail to [e-mail]. The subject line of the email must include: “Housing Attorney Position.” We welcome applicants to inform us if they require any special accommodation to fully participate in the hiring process. The salary range for this position is 69,904.18 to 113,365.96. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. We regret that due to the high volume, we are unable to respond to inquiries and will contact only those candidates selected for consideration.

We serve all survivors of intimate partner violence, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status, or otherwise.

We welcome your questions and comments

Main Office

40 Rector St., 9th Floor
New York, NY 10006

646-602-5600