Staff Attorney – Housing Defense

Neighborhood Defender Service Inc; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 78,794 - 122,912; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and dental benefits

Retirement plan with company match

Robust time off perks

Job summary

Neighborhood Defender Service Inc is hiring a Staff Attorney for its Housing Defense practice in Detroit. This role is vital for advocating for clients facing housing insecurity and requires a commitment to social justice. The ideal candidate should have experience in landlord/tenant law and demonstrate effective communication and organizational skills.

In addition to regular court appearances, the attorney will conduct community outreach efforts and collaborate with a team to enhance client representation. Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits offered.

Qualifications

• Commitment to housing and social justice issues.
• Experience with landlord/tenant and subsidized housing.
• Capacity to empathize with clients in crisis.

Responsibilities

• Provide advocacy for clients facing housing insecurity.
• Engage in court appearances and litigation.
• Coordinate with team members and perform community outreach.

Skills

Indigent defense commitment

Racial equity

Housing justice

Organizational skills

Effective communication

Education

Admitted to practice law in Michigan

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Overview

Job Title:Staff Attorney – Housing Defense

Department:Housing Defense

Location:Detroit

Reports To:Supervising Attorney

Position Type:Full-time

Union Status:Unioneligible

FLSA Status:Exempt

AboutNDS:

Neighborhood Defender Service (NDS) is a national nonprofit public defense organization that pioneered the holistic defense model more than 30 years ago. Founded in Harlem, NDS was built to challenge the traditional public defense model by centering clients, communities, and interdisciplinary advocacy. Today, NDS operates community-based offices in Harlem; the Bronx; Detroit; and Hays County, Texas, supported by a unified national infrastructure that allows local teams to deliver high-quality, responsive representation rooted in the communities they serve.

Across all locations, NDS provides client-centered legal representation through interdisciplinary teams composed of attorneys, investigators, social workers, client advocates, and team administrators. Our approach emphasizes early and ongoing engagement with clients—before arrest where possible, throughout the life of a case, and beyond case resolution—while addressing the legal, social, and systemic challenges thatimpactlong-term stability. NDS is committed to treating every client with dignity and respect and to advancing justice for individuals and communities that have been historically marginalized and over-policed.

Core Purpose of the Role:We invite you to join our team as we expand our Housing Defense Practice, where our goal is to decrease housing insecurity and safeguard our clients’ right to secure and/or maintain stable housing while combating the destabilization and disintegration of Detroit’s diverse communities.We areseekinga highly organized, self-driven, and resilient individual dedicated to our mission.

The ideal Housing Defense Attorney is an experienced attorney whodemonstratesa commitment to serving marginalized persons and communities, preferably with experience in a public defender office or fast-paced legal services organization. The Housing Defense Attorney will help shape our present and future—contributing to a collaborative environment and culture of excellence in alignment with our values. At NDS Detroit, how we represent our clients is as important as individual case outcomes, and our ideal Housing Defense Attorney approaches the cultivation of a positive office culture and the representation of indigent clients with equal rigor and commitment.

Responsibilities

• Embody NDS’ philosophy of client-centered, community-based, holistic representation and commitment to excellence.


• Provide vigorous advocacy work with energy and enthusiasm to clients and their families inthe City of Detroitwho face housing insecurity.


• Perform client intakes, complete the Housing Defense Intake form, Legal Analysis Summary, Retainer Agreement and Client Income Attestation, complete and file Appearance with thecourtas necessary.


• Engage in frequent court appearances and litigation, including legal arguments, hearings, and trials.


• File motions, briefs, and other pleadings and make oral arguments in-person andvirtually ona frequent,timelybasis.


• Provide effective oral advocacy in negotiations, hearings, and trials.


• Advocate for clients to access and obtain benefits, subsidies, and other services to resolve Housing Court proceedings


• Interview clients by phone, in person and through virtual means, conduct legal research and write pre-pleading letters, emails, pleadings, motions, and memoranda on behalf of clients.


• Coordinate work performed by team members (socialworker, client advocates, and teamadministrator).


• Work with cross-practice colleagues (criminal/civil defense) to obtain positive and comprehensive legal outcomes for clients.


• Perform community outreachrepresentingNDS Detroit Housing Defense at community-based initiatives on housing issues on a bi-weekly basis.


• Contribute ideasinthe development of forms, processes, and procedures to implement within the housing defense team.


• Meet reporting requirements: enteringcase notesin client database for each client daily,submittingdaily worklogto the team administrator and supervising attorney daily.


• Scan,uploadand save court forms and other case documents to client files daily.


• Identifycommunity resources/agenciesandclient referrals.

Qualifications

Required

• A demonstrated commitment to indigent defense, racial equity,housingand social justice issues, involving the City of Detroit.


• Admitted to practice law in the State of Michigan.


• Experience with landlord/tenant, subsidized housing, and foreclosures.


• Knowledge regarding rapidly changing executive orders and agency policies, particularly eviction moratoriums and eviction diversion programs, both state and federal.


• A track recordof strategically guiding casework,projectsand/or relationships; applying good and practiced judgment; and routinely pushing through roadblocks to achieve your goals.


• An ability to quickly build relationships across varying identities, income levels,racesand ethnicities.


• A high levelof organizational, time management, and administrative skills.


• Effective communication skills, both orally and in writing.


• Ability to empathize and show compassion for clients in crisis.


• Knowledge and experiencewithMicrosoftOfficeSuiteincludingMicrosoft Wordand OneDrive.

Preferred

• Bilingual (Spanish or Arabic) individuals are encouraged to apply.

Compensation

Compensation iscommensuratewith experience.The current salary range for this position is$78,794.69- $122,912.49.The salary, benefits, and employment policies relevant to this position are governed by the CBA between NDS and the NDS Union, part of ALAA UAW 2325.

SALARY RANGE BASED ON TRANSFERABLE EXPERIENCE

1-5 Years

$78,794.69 – 85,511.20

6-10 Years

$89,615.27 – 98,806.58

11 – 15 Years

101,104.41 – 105,859.64

16 Years +

$105,997.93 (about $1k for eachadditionalyear)

• Full medical and dental benefits


• Retirement plan with companymatchup to 5%


• Robust time offperks, paid parental leave and other benefits, are provided

The Neighborhood Defender Service is committed to creating a diverse environment that reflects the community we serve. NDS is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. NDS encourages people with incarcerated loved ones, formerly incarcerated people, people of color, women, queer, transgender, gender non-confirming, and gender fluid people to apply.