Supervising Attorney, Related Government ; Brooklyn

Overview

The Legal Aid Society’s Civil Practice’s Housing Justice Unit – Tenant Defense seeks an experienced lawyer to join as Supervising Attorney. The role supports a team of managers, staff attorneys, supervisors, paralegal case handlers, and support personnel. The Housing Justice Program engages in eviction defense and affirmative litigation, handling a broad range of tenant representation at trial and appellate levels, including holdovers, nonpayment proceedings, HPs, Housing Authority administrative hearings, and state and federal court appeals.

The Supervising Attorney, with the Director of Housing and the supervisory team, will ensure smooth day-to-day operations of the Housing Justice Program in the assigned office. The Supervising Attorney reports to the Borough Director of Housing and Attorney-in-Charge and will supervise a team of Housing Attorneys and Paralegal Case handlers. They will also work with the Housing-related Government Benefits Supervising Attorney to oversee Government Benefits work of Housing Attorneys and Paralegal Case handlers in the Brooklyn Neighborhood Office.

The Government Benefits work may include representation, legal assistance, legal advocacy and education to clients needing income and related supports from city, state and federal programs. The Supervisor will support housing advocates representing low-income tenants in housing-related matters seeking assistance relating to benefits cases, including rent arrears and grants from city agencies and charities. They will supervise housing case handlers, including representing clients at administrative hearings and advocating with NYC HRA and NYS OTDA to ensure maximum benefits are received.

They will coordinate with citywide initiatives related to all Housing and government benefits.

They will collaborate with other Supervisors to build substantive knowledge and skills related to Housing and public benefits generally, and rent subsidy and arrears advocacy in particular. The Supervising Attorney will coordinate and collaborate with the Brooklyn Housing related Government Benefits supervisor and with the Government Benefits Unit to create practice-wide training and advocacy programming for housing and benefits advocates. The Supervising Attorney will also coordinate, mentor, and supervise staff, provide leadership, and prioritize legal issues.

The Supervising Attorney participates in practice-wide management discussions and decision-making and is responsible for maintaining relationships with other stakeholders in the legal, court, and service communities.

• Supervise, mentor, and train staff attorneys and paralegals
• Monitor and maintain a high standard of representation and client service
• Collaborate and work closely with the Director of Housing, Housing Coordinators, and the housing, benefits and grants management teams on all aspects of the housing practice
• Participate in structural and strategical planning for the benefits work within the housing practice of their respective neighborhood office
• Identify needs and resources for the Brooklyn Neighborhood Office and participate in management team responsibilities to meet those needs
• Coordinate intake
• Represent clients in local, state and federal administrative and court proceedings
• Develop and maintain community support and relationships with community-based organizations, advocates, government agencies, elected officials, and the courts
• Reinforce and maintain staff accountability
• Analyze legal issues, develop legal strategy, and supervise the implementation of legal strategies under the supervision and at the direction of the Director of Housing and in consultation with the Director of Government Benefits develop impact and/or affirmative litigation
• Conduct community education, training, and outreach and promote the work of the office, the Housing Practice, and the Civil Practice
• Develop and maintain community support and relationships with community-based organizations, advocates, government agencies, elected officials, and the courts
• Represent the Civil Practice and Legal Aid in the community
• Conduct off-site…