Homelessness Litigation - Supervising Attorney

The Urban Justice Center’sSafety Net Project (SNP) is a social justice organization that provides directlegal and social services in the areas of public benefits access, homelessness, and tenant rights. SNP also engages in community organizing around homelessness and welfare rights issues led by directly impacted community members, the Safety Net Activists.

SNP’s Homeless Litigation Supervising Attorney is a movement lawyering role that works in close collaboration with SNP’s organizers and members, to bring impact litigation and provide direct legal services that advance and protect the rights of homeless New Yorkers and public benefits recipients. Recently, SNP has filed federal litigation challenging the City’s inhumane sweeps of homeless people, State litigation challenging policies making it harder for street homeless New Yorkers and immigrants to access low-barrier shelter beds and brought litigation to challenge discriminatory subway rules. The Homeless Litigation Supervising Attorney provides technical support for SNP’s homelessness organizing efforts, while also supervising a staff attorney engaged in similar work. This is a great role for an attorney who is passionate about using innovative legal strategies to support grassroots movement building.

Primary Responsibilities

• Working with the SNP organizing and outreach team and homelessness and benefits advocates to identify and investigate potential litigation projects that support their organizing efforts.
• Working on all aspects of litigation to advance and protect the rights of homeless New Yorkers and public benefits recipients, including court appearances, legal research and writing, and negotiations.
• Identifying and interviewing prospective plaintiffs for SNP’s impact litigation projects.
• Working to identify and secure pro bono partners for SNP impact litigation projects.
• Communications with clients, pro bono partners, co-counsel, and other community partners.
• Directly supervises homelessness and benefits staff attorney(s), by doing regular
• support meetings, case reviews, and providing practice guidance, mentorship, and support as needed.
• Developing and presenting trainings and Know-Your-Rights materials for SNP’s members and staff
• Other duties relating to homelessness and benefits litigation assigned by your supervisor as needed.

Qualifications

• Admitted, or eligible for admission, to the New York State Bar.
• Minimum 3 years of litigation experience, preferably including some NYS Supreme and/or US federal court.
• Excellent legal research, analytical, written, and oral communication skills.
• Excellent litigation skills and experience litigating individual and group cases.
• A commitment to supporting, training, and mentoring junior attorneys.
• Familiarity with, or interest in, movement lawyering approaches and working with organizers and grassroots movements.
• Strong anti-oppression and social justice approach, including a demonstrated commitment to racial justice and housing justice, and experience working with diverse communities.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to work independently to move projects forward.
• Spanish or French proficiency is preferred.