Staff Attorney

About the role

The Colorado Poverty Law Project (CPLP) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to improving access to legal services for low-income Coloradans. Our mission includes providing legal advice and representation, educating and counseling individuals, and supporting advocacy efforts.

Responsibilities

• Perform intake services for individuals seeking advice or representation on housing issues, including conducting client interviews and assembling documentation.
• Provide technical assistance to assist clients in navigating the court system, advocating for their housing rights, and securing other resources where appropriate.
• Provide assistance for clients who were denied public benefits such as SSI and SSDI.
• Cook up referrals of appropriate clients to CPLP volunteer attorneys.
• Support and guide CPLP volunteers through their representation.
• Perform detailed tracking of cases and data for reporting purposes.
• Represent clients as a lawyer for CPLP.
• Represent clients in mediations for CPLP and engage in mediation trainings and collaborations.
• Prepare training materials for volunteers, conduct training sessions virtually and throughout the community for volunteers, and recruit volunteer attorneys.
• Prepare training materials and Know Your Rights educational seminars for the community, service providers, etc., and conduct those trainings and seminars virtually and throughout the community.
• Maintain and build strong partnerships with community partners and organizers and collaborate with community partners and organizers in furtherance of CPLP’s mission.
• Work with CPLP staff on crafting policy and identifying opportunities for impact litigation.

Qualifications

• Graduated from an accredited law school and licensed to practice law in Colorado.
• Bilingual in Spanish and English preferred.
• Detail oriented and strong organizational skills.
• Experience conducting legal intakes for potential clients.
• Ability to carry out all tasks in a trauma-informed and culturally-competent manner.
• Ability to work independently while high level problem solving and to build and maintain strong working relationships with multi-disciplinary team members and community partners.
• Ability to coordinate with CPLP staff and volunteer attorneys to ensure cases are being outsourced to appropriate counsel in a timely manner and cases are properly transitioned.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze and understand current state, federal, and local legislation and orders affecting the rights of tenants, landlords, mortgagors, and mortgagees, including Colorado's F.E.D. statutes, Mobile Home Park Act, and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, among others.
• Familiarity with Colorado eviction processes.
• Willingness to perform other tasks as needed to advance Colorado Poverty Law Project's mission to prevent homelessness and secure housing stability for all Coloradans.

Pay

$75,000 - $85,000 per year