Directing Attorney - Tenant Law Center

Overview

Full-time position starting at $87,700/yr (D.O.E) with COMPETITIVE BENEFITS INCLUDE:

• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance and Long-Term Disability
• Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account
• Generous PTO, paid sick time, 15 days of paid vacations, 12 days of paid holidays, plus a personal holiday
• CCS/CHS 403(b) Employee Saving Plan
• Employee assistance program

Program Description

The Tenant Law Center (TLC) is a homelessness prevention program that offers free legal assistance to qualifying low income households in the City of Seattle and limited services throughout King County with matters related to eviction, subsidy termination, landlord/tenant issues, and credit issues related to past tenancies.

Position Description

The Directing Attorney provides supervision and direct services through the Tenant Law Center. The Tenant Law Center, formerly known as the Legal Action Center, is a leader in King County in the efforts to reduce homelessness. The Tenant Law Center (TLC) offers free legal assistance to qualifying low-income persons in King County who are facing eviction or subsidy terminations, and to homeless residents who face barriers to returning to stable housing. TLC attorneys and paralegals provide free legal help ranging from self-help info to representation in court.

Responsibilities

Legal Representation, Supervision, and Training

• Represent tenants in unlawful detainer and housing subsidy termination cases, post-eviction relief matters, and other housing instability issues.
• Supervision of all legal work of TLC.
• Maintain services to provide support to Veterans enrolled in Supportive Services for Veteran Families, Rapid Re-Housing, and Housing and Essential Needs, via legal info and negotiation for client debt repayment and other issues.
• Conduct trainings for programs that provide eviction prevention services, within CCS and with outside agencies, regarding landlord-tenant laws and the eviction process.
• Participate in Housing Task Force and King County Regional Planning Meetings.
• Responsible for ensuring that all legal services comply with the Rules of Professional Conduct.
• Provide supervision of multiple Staff Attorneys and support staff (current program staffing is three Staff Attorneys, two Paralegals, and one Case Manager/Outreach Coordinator).

Program Management

• Oversee supervision, training, performance reviews, and hiring of staff and volunteers.
• Responsible for the program meeting all performance outcomes required by funders.
• Responsible for private donor fundraising and grant development.
• Coordinate supervision of undergraduate and law student interns/externs and maintain relations with local schools.
• Supervise general administration of the office, including budget and contract compliance issues.
• Participate in community relations, advocacy, and CCS administrative matters as necessary.
• Responsible for long range planning and leadership. Responsible for developing and safekeeping a workplace which values and supports a culturally diverse working environment.
• Manage and enter data on clients into HMIS (Clarity) and the TLC legal database, LegalServer, as appropriate. Produce detailed monthly, quarterly, and annual demographic service reports for funders.
• Ensure client records meet agency and contract standards.
• Develop policies and procedures for intake process and service delivery to ensure equitable access for clients to services.
• Develop and conduct client satisfaction surveys and policies and procedures, ensuring quality improvement of services and programming.

Fiscal Management

• Monitor payment of the programs bills through the agency accounting department.
• Prepare and manage a budget of approximately $500,000 of annual funding. Funds are subject to audit.
• Monitor funding contracts for services. Assist program staff with record keeping and audit preparation.

Program Development

• Maintain an awareness of clients unmet needs and seek opportunities to expand services to address those needs. Research and develop relationships with ethnically and culturally specific service providers to increase CCS services to under-served populations, particularly people of color. Develop partnerships for co-delivery of services, with an intent to build programming in outside entities focused on and controlled by people of color.
• Explore new partnership and funding opportunities for the Tenant Law Center. Write applications for funding to government, foundation, and private sources.
• Make solicitations on behalf of the program to community groups and individuals.
• Maintain positive relationships with local community partners.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Washington State Bar membership
• Five years of experience as an attorney
• At least one year of experience as a supervisor.
• At least one year of experience in representing tenants in housing matters.
• Demonstrated commitment to serve low-income populations
• Demonstrated the necessary attitudes, knowledge, and skills to delivery culturally competent services and to work effectively in multi-cultural situations
• Demonstrated ability to work with student interns and volunteers
• Ability to read and interpret legal and general correspondence, policies and procedures, referral information, and financial documentation.
• Ability to present information effectively and respond to questions from clients, staff, referral sources, and general public.
• Excellent written communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a team.
• Criminal history background checks are required prior to employment
• Ability to travel within King County; must have a valid drivers license, insurance, and access to reliable transportation
• Support and uphold the mission, beliefs, and values of Catholic Community Services and Catholic Housing Services.
• Willingness to learn and work within a diverse environment
• Must be able to attend weekly staff meeting

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with vulnerable populations, including people in homelessness, with trauma, domestic violence, mental illness, and substance use disorders
• Proficiency in a secondary language common to clients served.

Note to Internal Candidates: HR reviews internal compensation and determines any increase based on their experience and also agency internal equity factors.

Catholic Community Services and Catholic Housing Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Please let us know if you need special accommodations to apply or interview for this position.