Staff Attorney: Housing Unit – De Novo

Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 72,000 - 82,000; Full time

Job summary

Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation is seeking a lawyer to represent clients in housing-related judicial and administrative proceedings, including evictions and subsidy issues. The role includes building Medical Legal Partnerships and acting as a liaison to medical partners, with provision of full representation where appropriate.

The attorney will staff the De Novo's Lawyer for the Day Clinics, assisting three Fridays per month, and will recruit, train, and supervise volunteers.

Qualifications

• Admitted to Massachusetts bar (or another state).
• Two+ years of legal experience.
• Experience representing low-income people in court and administrative proceedings.
• Experience representing low-income people in housing cases.
• Ability to supervise effectively.
• Bilingual abilities preferred; cross-cultural communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Represent clients in judicial and administrative proceedings involving evictions, housing rights, and subsidies.
• Assist in forming Medical Legal Partnerships and liaison to medical partners.
• Staff De Novo's Lawyer for the Day Clinics; assist clinics at least three Fridays a month.
• Recruit, train, and supervise volunteer attorneys and law students.
• Engage in coalitions, outreach, and community legal education.

Skills

Excellent writing

Oral advocacy

Supervision

Computer skills

Bilingual

Education

Massachusetts bar admission

Eligibility to practice as foreign lawyer (SJC Rule 3.04)

Job description

Responsibilities:

• Representing clients in judicial and administrative proceedings involving evictions, access to public and subsidized housing, enforcement of tenant rights, and termination of housing subsidies.

• Assist in forming two Medical Legal Partnerships and serving as a designated liaison to the medical partners, providing legal advice and information and, as appropriate, full representation to shared clients.

• Staff De Novo's Lawyer for the Day Clinics at the Middlesex Session of the Eastern Division of the Massachusetts Housing Court. In addition to their own case work, attorneys are expected to assist with these clinics at least three Fridays a month.

• Recruiting, training, and supervising volunteer attorneys and law students to handle cases.

• Participating in coalitions and task forces; working with community-based and legal service organizations; conducting outreach and community legal education.

Qualifications/Competencies (preferred unless otherwise noted):

• Admitted to Massachusetts bar (or a bar of another state**), required.

• Two plus years of legal experience.

• Experience representing low-income people in court and administrative proceedings required.

• Experience representing low-income people in housing cases.

• Experience working with and/or representing a broad range of people from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities, and people with low incomes.

• Excellent writing and oral advocacy skills.

• Ability to supervise effectively.

• Strong computer skills.

• Bilingual.

  **An applicant who is admitted to the bar of another state must be eligible to practice as a foreign lawyer under SJC Rule 3.04 and become a member of the Mass. bar within 2 years.

Salary/Benefits:

The position is 35 hours/week. This is a hybrid position with three days a week work-from-home depending on court (case-dependent) and in-person meeting requirements (currently Thursdays).

Salary range is $72,000 to $82,000 dependent on experience ($76,000 w/ 2 years' experience).