Staff Attorney (Housing Unit), CAMBA Legal Services, Staten Island

Who We Are: CAMBA is a community of staff, volunteers, clients, donors, neighbors and partners who work together to build an inclusive New York City, where all children and adults have access to the resources and supports they need to thrive.  We take a comprehensive approach by offering more than 180 integrated programs in:  Education & Youth Development, Family Support, Job Training & Employment Support Services, Health, Housing, and Legal Services. We reach more than 73,000 individuals and families, including almost 13,000 youth. CAMBA serves a diverse cross section of New Yorkers from new mothers in Brownsville to job seekers in the Rockaways. More than half of our clients are immigrants and refugees from around the globe. Over 85% of our families are in living in poverty, reflecting the challenges faced by nearly 1.7 million New Yorkers today.

CAMBA Legal Services, Inc. (CLS) is the legal services arm of CAMBA, Inc. CLS provides free civil legal services to low-income New Yorkers in the areas of consumer law, foreclosure prevention, immigration, housing law, and domestic violence assistance. In addition to providing direct representation and providing legal advice and counsel to thousands of clients, CAMBA attorneys also engage in legislative advocacy, impact litigation in both state and federal court, provide community education and offer expert training on a wide range of issues, services that allow members of our community improve their lives.

Position: Staff Attorney (Housing Unit)

Reports To: Program Manager

Location: 56 Bay Street, 5th Floor, Staten Island, NY 10301

What The Staff Attorney (Housing Unit) Does:

• Represent clients in court and before quasi-judicial or administrative agencies of government.
• Conduct client intake and assessment of client cases.
• Provide advice and counsel in foreclosure litigation.
• Interview clients and witnesses, as appropriate, in preparation for litigation and/or court proceedings.
• Prepare legal documents, conduct legal research, negotiate work outs, etc. in foreclosure, consumer and housing proceedings.
• Advise clients of their rights, laws, rulings, and regulations applicable to their case.
• Gather evidence to formulate defense or to institute legal action on clients’ behalf.
• Develop legal strategies, arguments, and testimonies in preparation for presentation of cases for trials, hearings, and oral arguments.
• File motions, briefs, pleadings, legal memos, and appeals with court clerk.
• Research and interpret laws, rulings, and regulations as they relate to clients' cases.
• Coordinate follow up advocacy with lenders, agencies providing financial assistance, etc.
• Ensure paralegals conduct proper follow-up with all aspects of cases (i.e. – proper filing and service of court documents, follow-up with administrative and social agencies).
• Coordinate with other attorneys to ensure case/ intake coverage.
• Provide legal seminars and workshops for various organizations.
• Attend appropriate trainings.
• Provide all required information for weekly/monthly/quarterly/annual report.
• Maintain accurate and comprehensive client files including up to date case note documentation.
• Participate in and coordinate with other housing, foreclosure prevention and consumer advocates.
• Record all court dates in the shared court calendar.
• May assist with billing of cases, including the completion of billable hour forms and corresponding affidavits.
• May assist new attorneys in foreclosure and consumer work and/or with their housing court cases.
• May research and analyze law sources such as statutes, recorded judicial decisions, legal articles, legal codes, etc.
• May conduct outreach.
• May deliver or direct delivery of subpoenas to witnesses and parties to action.
• May follow up with clients and other organizations regarding client progress toward legal goals.
• May recommend and implement strategies to persuade clients to participate fully in their own legal process.
• May represent clients in Housing Court and administrative hearings before the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance and the New York City Housing Authority (Section 8), Department of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR), etc.
• May advocate on behalf of clients when applications are denied i.e.-prepare advocacy letters, etc.

Minimum Education/Experience Required:

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) + Licensed to practice law in NY State

Other Requirements:

• Must be in good standing with NY State Bar
• Knowledge of, and experience in, foreclosure and housing law preferred
• Ability to analyze complex rent/mortgage breakdowns to determine proper amount of rent owed
• Ability to converse with clients in a language other than English preferred (Haitian/Creole, French, Spanish, Russian, etc.)

Compensation: $77,000- $120,841 annually
When salary ranges are listed, the range would represent the low and high end for the applicable position & program. The salary offered would be based on various factors unique to each program and candidate. This includes but is not limited to experience, education, budget and/or program size, internal equity, skills and other factors that may be required for the position and organization.

Status: Full-time (35 hours per week)
Benefits: CAMBA offers a comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, dental insurance, 403(b) retirement plan with employer match, paid time off (vacation, personal, and sick time), and paid holidays.

The support staff, law graduates, and staff attorneys at CAMBA Legal Services are unionized with the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys, UAW Local 2325 as the CAMBA Legal Services Workers Union.

CAMBA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value a diverse workforce and inclusive workplace. People of color, people with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people are encouraged to apply. We consider all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, disability, socio-economic status, marital or veteran status, pregnancy status or sexual orientation.