Senior Staff Attorney Req - 5162

The Tenant Defense Senior Staff Attorney I role at BronxWorks is designed for attorneys with at least three years of experience looking to advance their career and receive a salary increase above the staff attorney scale. Key responsibilities include:

1. Providing comprehensive legal representation to tenants through the Universal Access to Counsel initiative and other referral sources.
2. Litigating in various forums such as housing court, appellate courts, and administrative tribunals, including NYCHA tenancy termination proceedings and housing benefits hearings.
3. Maintaining regular communication with clients, negotiating with opposing counsel, handling motion practice, hearings, discovery, and trials, and advocating with government agencies and external providers on clients' behalf.
4. Developing and applying expertise in housing court practice, housing programs and subsidies, and public benefits to secure the best possible client outcomes.
5. Engaging in court-based intake processes and conducting intakes.
6. Participating in client and community outreach and education initiatives.
7. Mentoring junior staff and law graduates, accompanying them to court and providing guidance on legal strategies.
8. Assisting in leading legal team meetings, CLE trainings, and strategic planning sessions.

Required Qualifications

• A J.D. from an accredited law school and admission to practice law in New York State (or eligibility to be admitted on motion or by waiver).
• At least three (3) years of experience practicing law, with substantial litigation and trial experience.
• Experience in New York City Housing Courts or with landlord-tenant matters is strongly preferred, but candidates with equivalent experience in other jurisdictions will be considered.
• Demonstrated commitment to social justice and serving low-income communities and communities of color to advance equity.
• Proven ability to leverage transferable skills, including trial advocacy, legal writing, strategic case planning, and litigation management, to excel in a fast-paced legal environment.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to connect with individuals from diverse backgrounds and conduct outreach in under-resourced neighborhoods.
• Exceptional organizational skills and the ability to manage a diverse and dynamic caseload generated by a universal access to counsel intake system where clients are legally entitled to representation.

Preferred Qualifications & Plus Factors

• Supervisory Experience: Mentoring or supervising junior attorneys, graduates, or interns, especially in housing defense.
• Advanced Litigation: Handling complex housing cases, including trials, appeals, and high-volume court work.
• Housing Subsidy Knowledge: Strong understanding of Section 8, NYCHA, and other NYC rental assistance programs.
• Multi-Lingual Skills: Proficiency in languages commonly spoken in the Bronx (e.g., Spanish, French, Arabic, Mandarin).
• Community Engagement: Experience with tenant organizing, know-your-rights workshops, and community advocacy.
• Public Benefits Advocacy: Familiarity with SNAP, SSI, cash assistance, and related benefits.
• Training Skills: Leading CLEs, workshops, or structured legal trainings.
• Anti-Displacement Work: Experience addressing tenant harassment and displacement through litigation or policy advocacy.
• Technology Proficiency: Skilled in LegalServer, eCourts, and document automation tools.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to use a computer for prolonged periods.
• Ability to occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.
• Ability to stand, walk, or sit for long periods of time.
• Ability to climb five flights of stairs, if required to conduct home visits and/or fieldwork.
• Ability to travel in the boroughs of New York City and its adjacent counties via public transportation.
• Ability to travel for a minimum of 1 mile within a reasonable amount of time and in all types of weather, including inclement weather, if required to conduct home visits and/or field work.

Equal Employment Opportunity

BronxWorks is committed to equal employment opportunity and providing reasonable accommodations to qualified candidates and employees pursuant to applicable law. This commitment applies to all terms, conditions, and privileges of employment, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, training and employee development, placement, promotion, demotion, upgrading, downgrading, transfer, layoff, and termination. We value and encourage diversity and solicit applications from all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, gender, sex, age, religion, creed, national origin ancestry, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military and veteran status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, status as a victim of domestic violence, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. If you require reasonable accommodation as part of the application process, please contact hrbenefits@bronxworks.org .