Supervisory Attorney - Housing

Legal Aid Chicago encourages applicants with relevant volunteer and work experience, who have experiences with our client communities or individuals who identify as a person of color, LGBTQIA+, immigrant, or otherwise having backgrounds and experiences that are underrepresented in the legal profession to apply.

For over 50 years, Legal Aid Chicago has provided free civil legal assistance to people living in poverty in metropolitan Chicago. Each year our attorneys, volunteers, and staff help resolve civil legal problems, including domestic violence, consumer fraud, and unfair evictions. Legal Aid Chicago was founded on the philosophy that all individuals are entitled to quality civil legal representation, regardless of their income. We work to ensure that poverty is not an impediment to justice by dismantling the legal barriers that perpetuate inequality. Legal Aid Chicago staff live our mission through our core values of equity, excellence, inclusion, kindness, and respect.

Legal Aid Chicago offers a hybrid work environment. Our offices, located in downtown Chicago at 120 S. LaSalle Street, is ADA accessible and has convenient access to public transportation and local expressways. This position may require travel to court or other outreach events.

Position:

Legal Aid Chicago seeks a full-time Supervisory Attorney in our Housing Practice Group (HPG). The Supervisory Attorney will support all aspects of our litigation and advocacy work, including the Early Resolution Program and Right to Counsel Pilot Project (RTC). The RTC provides extended representation to tenants in eviction court in Chicago.

The Housing Practice Group seeks to ensure that tenants live in decent, safe, and sanitary housing, free from discrimination and affirmatively furthers fair housing through litigation, negotiation, and advocacy in various venues. The HPG defends tenants – mostly subsidized housing residents -- against unwarranted evictions and represents individuals and families who are facing the termination of their tenant-based rental assistance under the Housing Choice Voucher and other subsidized housing programs.

Responsibilities:

• Maintain a reduced caseload of individual cases in the areas HPG handles
• Supervise attorneys and other staff in HPG who handle a full caseload in the above areas of law, including editing their written work, providing guidance on case strategy, co-counseling complex cases, conducting regular case reviews, providing training in substantive areas of law as well as litigation skills, completing performance evaluations, and overseeing professional development
• Participate in complex litigation or advocacy to address systemic issues
• Engage in community outreach
• Represent Legal Aid Chicago on relevant community task forces, committees, or other government or non-profit bodies connected with our work
• Work collaboratively with Legal Aid Chicago supervisors, staff, students and volunteers to provide comprehensive legal services
• Maintain case files and accurate time records and ensure supervised staff do as well
• Participate in other activities related to poverty law including publication, permissible legislative and administrative advocacy, media relations, and fundraising.
• Track data related to court-based programs and assist on related reporting
• Assist in reporting and administering applicable grants
• Other duties as assigned by the Director.

Requirements

Applicants must have a J.D. degree and be licensed to practice in the state of Illinois or be licensed in another state and able to waive into the Illinois bar. The ideal candidate will have at least six years of demonstrated experience and experience supervising legal work. Experience litigating housing law cases is preferred and demonstrated history of innovation is a plus. Applicants must be highly collegial, have complex litigation experience, strong written and oral skills, be willing to work in an interdisciplinary manner with all Legal Aid Chicago staff, and have enthusiasm about working in a fast-paced practice and training and mentoring less experienced attorneys and advocacy staff. Experience working with people living in poverty strongly preferred. The applicant’s personal background, experience, or professional background should reflect an ability to work effectively in cross-cultural situations with clients, co-workers and the community we serve.

Salary and Benefits:

The Supervisory Attorney position begins at $84,500.

Legal Aid Chicago offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Bilingual Supervisory Attorneys are eligible for an additional stipend
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, effective the first day of employment
• Time Off: 21 vacation days and 18 sick days accrued within the first year of employment
• 19 paid holidays, including four floating holidays
• Twelve weeks of Paid Parental Leave at 100% of the salary after six months of employment
• 401(a) retirement plan with an employer contribution after 3 months of employment
• $100,000 Basic Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment insurance, at no cost
• Access to Employee Assistance Program resources, at no cost
• Chicago Bar Association Membership, at no cost
• Reimbursement of annual ARDC registration fees
• Monthly internet reimbursement
• Legal Aid Chicago is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and is an eligible employer for the federal public service loan forgiveness program