Staff Attorney - Housing Law

National Legal Aid & Defender Association; Saint Petersburg (FL); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k)

401(k) matching

Dental insurance

Employee assistance program

Flexible schedule

Health insurance

Life insurance

Paid time off

Professional development assistance

Retirement plan

Vision insurance

Job summary

Gulfcoast Legal Services in Saint Petersburg, FL seeks a Staff Attorney to join our Housing Law team. The role focuses on housing-related cases for Manatee and Sarasota Counties, with occasional travel between service locations.

Hybrid remote work may be available after 30 days based on responsibilities and performance. The attorney will provide high-quality civil legal services to low-income clients, reporting to the Managing Attorney and Deputy Director, and collaborating with the Housing Law

Qualifications

• Strong advocacy, communication, and legal research abilities.
• Ability to work with low-income and vulnerable clients.
• Experience in or commitment to housing law preferred.

Responsibilities

• Interviews and counsels clients in office or outreach sites.
• Researches legal problems and develops case strategies.
• Represents clients in litigation and administrative proceedings.
• Provides counselling, negotiations, and referrals, including mediation.
• Collaborates with Housing Law team and staff on advocacy strategies.

Skills

Advocacy skills

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Legal research skills

Job description

Position Description

Gulfcoast Legal Services, a nonprofit civil legal aid provider, is seeking a Staff Attorney to join our Housing Law team. The position will be based out of our St. Petersburg office, with a requirement to work from our Bradenton office a minimum of two days per week.

Gulfcoast Legal Services, a nonprofit civil legal aid provider, is seeking a Staff Attorney to join our Housing Law team. The position will be based out of our St. Petersburg office, with a requirement to work from our Bradenton office a minimum of two days per week. This position may be filled by a candidate seeking either part-time or full-time employment, with a flexible schedule. The attorney will primarily handle housing-related cases serving Manatee and Sarasota Counties, with occasional travel between service locations and courts as needed. Hybrid remote work opportunities may be available after 30 days of employment, based on job responsibilities and performance.

The Staff Attorney position requires a high degree of professionalism, compassion, independence, and personal initiative. The successful candidate will provide a full range of high-quality civil legal services to individual clients and client groups, which may include representation in circuit court, county court, and administrative proceedings.

Applicants should be comfortable working with individuals and families experiencing housing instability and with survivors of abuse and trauma. The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong advocacy, communication, organizational, and legal research skills, as well as a commitment to providing high-quality legal services to low-income and vulnerable clients.

The Staff Attorney will report to an experienced Managing Attorney and Deputy Director and will work collaboratively with other members of the Housing Law team and Gulfcoast Legal Services staff.

Primary Responsibilities

• Interviews and counsels clients in the office, at outreach sites, and elsewhere, if necessary.
• Researches factual and legal problems and is responsible for the development and implementation of case strategies.
• Represents clients in litigation, administrative advocacy and other advocacy forums including: state or federal court proceedings or before administrative agencies or before legislative bodies, as necessary.
• Provides counselling, advice, other brief services and referrals, negotiates and pursues all avenues of solutions, including mediation and litigation, with opposing parties.
• Keeps abreast of new areas of law, especially as they affect the poor, with emphasis on identifying developing and implementing advocacy strategies to address systemic legal problems confronting low-income clients as well as developing new substantive and procedural skills.
• Assists and participates in community education and client outreach.
• Reviews relevant legislative proposals, giving attention to the potential legal impact upon legal services clients and other poor people.
• Identifies systemic problems affecting low-income clients and advocates for solutions through negotiation and litigation in the community and/or state or federal courts.
• Establishes and protects significant rights of clients through impact litigation.
• Locates and assists eligible community groups.
• Assists, as a resource, private attorneys who have volunteered services to the program's clients.
• Participates in trainings, task force, workgroup and office meetings to develop skills and expertise and to share information with other staff.
• Performs related assignments as required.

Demonstrated Abilities

• Ability to work on various community projects with different partnering agencies.
• Ability to work independently and with attention to detail on all case matters.

Experience With Trauma Informed Care Or Training Preferred

• Ability to deal professionally, courteously, and efficiently with clients in crisis.
• Ability to maintain client confidentiality and work independently providing representation to clients in the areas of public interest law.

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Benefits

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance
• Work Location: Hybrid in Saint Petersburg, FL 33701