Staff Attorney Legal Hotline, Housing & Homeowner Stability Practices
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Staff Attorney Legal Hotline, Housing & Homeowner Stability Practices

The (CBJC) seeks an attorney committed to expanding access to justice to join us as a full-time Staff Attorney (30 to 35 hours per week). The roles duties will focus on housing and homeowner stability matters overseen by CBJCs , the most comprehensive operation of its kind in New York, and CBJCs , an innovative initiative that assists low to moderate means New Yorkers in foreclosure, title correction, deed theft/scam prevention and other housing stability matters. CBJC provides high-quality, free civil legal services benefiting over 25,000 New Yorkers each year who lack resources to hire private counsel. With a staff of roughly 40, CBJC also relies on expansive partnerships with law firms, corporate legal departments, the courts, the City Bar, and other stakeholders. In FY2022-23, over 1,800 pro bono attorneys donated services to support clinics and client matter work drawn from CBJCs .

Areas of responsibility include, but are not limited to:

• As part of a team of staff attorneys who provide legal information, advice, and referrals on CBJCs high-volume Legal Hotline which typically responds to approximately 1,000 calls and online inquiries per month serve as the principal point person for Hotline inquiry follow-ups focused on housing matters (principally landlord/tenant), including by providing advice and counsel and brief services to pro se tenants.
• Co-support CBJCs Homeowner Stability Project (HSP) by conducting follow-up services for Hotline inquiries focused on homeowner stability matters (e.g., foreclosure, property liens, deed theft/tangled title and similar matters), including by screening cases, reviewing land and title records and other legal documents, preparing case files, and providing other related support to the HSP team. HSP assists NYC homeowners who face housing instability, with a particular focus on homeowners who identify as Black, of color, seniors, or LGBTQ+, and other New Yorkers struggling with poverty and other systemic socioeconomic barriers, with a goal of keeping individuals and families in place and neighborhoods and communities intact while addressing the inequities of discriminatory historic and current lending and property law practices.
• Stay abreast of changes and updates to the law.

EXPERIENCE, SKILLS & REQUIREMENTS:

• Candidates must be New York bar members in good standing with at least 2 years of relevant practice experience, preferably in nonprofit legal services and with a focus on housing and/or homeowner legal issues. Candidates also should have skills or be prepared to develop skills in the range of matters handled by CBJCs Legal Hotline (principally consumer, family, and housing issues); fluency in Spanish is highly preferred.
• We seek a detail-oriented self-starter with superb legal judgment and a capacity to multi-task who is creative, thoughtful, tech savvy, and has high standards in work quality, and who can demonstrate a commitment to racial and economic justice and to serving those who struggle with a lack of resources.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and an ability to work both independently and with a team.
• Excellent people and client counseling skills, including effectively interacting with members of the public in a respectful and sensitive way, many of whom suspect institutions and the legal profession, and some of whom experience legal problems compounded by mental health struggles.
• Collegiality and being able to communicate and work collaboratively with other staff attorneys.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office 365 and ability to effectively learn and use legal database and other platforms.

This position is generally 75%-80% remote, with the individual hired for this position expected to work from our offices in midtown Manhattan approximately once a week, and on additional occasions for team-building, training, or other specific business activities. This position is supported by a renewable grant.

Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States. We are not able to sponsor visas for this position.

Salary range for this position, which can be a 4 days/30 hours or 5 days/35 hours weekly role, is $62,500-$82,500 (annualized) depending on schedule of hours worked and depth and diversity of skills and years of professional and practice experience. The New York City Bar Association provides a competitive benefits package, including generous paid time off (vacation, personal, sick time, holidays including closing between Christmas and New Years day this year, day off for volunteer work, extra time off in summer), choice of medical plans, dental, vision, 401K, life insurance, commuter benefits, Employee Assistance Program, short-term/long-term disability insurance, complimentary New York City Bar Association membership, many free City Bar CLEs and employee discounts, among others.

To apply: It is suggested that qualified applicants include a cover letter, to explain why you are interested in the position, when applying.

The City Bar Justice Center is a proud equal opportunity employer, and we particularly encourage applications from candidates belonging to communities historically under-represented in the legal profession. We actively seek a diverse applicant pool and encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply. It is our policy to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, creed, age, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, gender (including gender identity), sexual orientation, disability, arrest or conviction record, pregnancy, credit history, salary history, caregiver status, marital status, partnership status, or status as a victim of domestic violence, stalking and sex offenses, religion, sex, genetic information, military status, unemployment status or any other characteristic as protected by law. With regard to the Americans with Disabilities Act and other related laws, the organization will endeavor to make reasonable accommodations for persons due to their religious beliefs, disability, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition or because the individual was a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence or stalking.

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