Senior Legal Advocate, Tenant Rights

Position Summary:

The Senior Legal Advocate, Tenant Rights, assists the Director, Tenant Rights and Supervising Attorney, Tenant Rights, to orient, train, and mentor Tenant Rights project staff. The Senior Legal Advocate, Tenant Rights also provides direct legal services to and engages in education and advocacy on behalf of older low-income tenants who are facing who are facing housing instability or homelessness and other landlord-tenant issues.

Role-Based Duties and Responsibilities:

Additional Leadership Responsibilities

·         Provide assistance to the Director, Tenant Rights and Supervising Attorney, Tenant Rights, as follows:

o   Coordinate project call retrieval process to ensure that messages from project intake lines are               retrieved, transcribed, and entered properly as prescreens in the case management system.

o   Coordinate project call retrieval process to ensure prompt intake calls are made.

o   Act as point person to ensure processing of project referrals to and from partner organizati       including emailed referrals and e-referrals.

o   Coordinate project attorney clinic process to assure attorney intake clinics are scheduled each   month.

o   Answer questions from project staff, students or other volunteers under direction from Project Director other project supervisor.

o   Assist with Quality Control and report issues observed to Project Director.

o   Monitor requests for assistance/call volume.

o   Assist with onboarding/orientation of new project staff, including assisting with the preparation and improvement of onboarding/orientation training sessions and training materials.

o   Assist with coordination and oversight of updating and maintenance of resources for older tenants.

o   Act as a mentor to project staff, providing training, guidance and support as necessary.

o   Act as a liaison between the project leadership and project legal advocates.

o   Assist with coordination of outreach requests for project staff.

o   Other duties as determined appropriate by Project Director.

Client related

               · Handle all aspects of client intake, including, but not limited to:

o  retrieving, transcribing and performing prescreen data entry in the case management system

o   screening and interviewing walk-in and/or emergency clients in coordination with the Intake, Education, and Pro Bono staff

o   conducting client interviews by telephone or in person to screen for eligibility for services

o   scheduling, canceling and confirming client appointments

o   reviewing on-line intake and/or e-transfers

o   reviewing agency-wide project-related checklists with project clients.

o   maintenance of attorney clinic slots in case management system.

             · Assist project staff with case-related tasks including but not limited to:

         o   preparing and mailing retainers and letters,

         o   drafting court documents

         o   communicating with clients or third parties via telephone, email, text message or other by other means

         o   assisting in preparation of case files for hearing/trial

         o   assisting in maintenance of case files and case management database

         o   providing support to attorneys at court, as needed

         o   conducting home visits to frail or homebound clients

         o   handling other case or client related tasks as necessary

· Utilize Language line or other interpretation services for Limited English Proficient (LEP) older adults.

· Provide information and referrals to older tenants, linking them to other resources and supportive services, including emergency financial assistance, support groups, health services and other resources.

Community Outreach and Education

              · Represent SeniorLAW Center at professional committees/coalitions related to landlord- tenant issues to advocate for better services and access to justice for older tenants.

              ·Aid in the preparation and presentation of legal education workshops to older tenants.

              · Aid in the development of educational materials and resources for older tenants and “best practices” resources for professionals.

              ·Aid in planning, organizing, and attending community outreach and tabling events.

              · Coordinate with Project Director to update website, E-News, and other communication tools with project related information.

Additional Responsibilities:

         ·         Participate in scheduled project related meetings.

         ·         Participate in staff and Legal team meetings.

         ·         Provide support to other colleagues agency wide as needed.

         ·         Assist with on-boarding staff as needed.

·         Become knowledgeable of and follow all SeniorLAW Center’s personnel and legal policies and procedures.

·         Demonstrate and model commitment to SeniorLAW Center’s mission and values.

·         Participate in SeniorLAW Center’s culture of philanthropy and events to support the organization.

·         Assist with quality control and case management data collection and reporting as necessary.

·         Other responsibilities to further mission of the project and organization.

Project-Based Duties and Responsibilities:

Client-related

·         Review eviction notices, complaints and other legal forms with clients at intake.

·         Help conduct intake and review documentation for the SeniorLAW Center staff attorney covering the Lawyer of the Day (LOTD) program at court.

·         Provide advocacy and referrals to SeniorLAW Center clients with the primary focus on older tenants facing housing instability, homelessness, and other housing related issues.

·         Assist clients with housing search.

               ·         Assist with maintenance of resources and referral information for tenants.

               ·         Assist with other special projects, as needed.

               ·         Assist with tenant focused community clinics.

               ·         Assist with tenant focused client council.

Systemic Advocacy

·         Identify systemic problems affecting older tenants and work with our local, statewide and national partners to develop creative solutions.

 Other Duties:

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Required Education and Experience:

             ·         B.A. or B.S.

             ·         At least three (3) years experience in a legal services program or law office

Preferred Education and Experience:

            ·         Experience with older tenants

            ·         Second language proficiency preferred

            ·         Paralegal experience

Required Knowledge, Skills, Abilities & Behaviors:

  ·         Must be able to act as mentor to other staff members to facilitate their career development

           ·         Must be a motivated self-starter

           ·         Must possess high quality advocacy skills

           ·         Highly professional, organized, energetic, flexible, and culturally sensitive

           ·         Excellent writing, organizational, interpersonal and presentation skills

           ·         Interest and ability to work with older people and persons of different backgrounds

Work Conditions:

           ·         This job operates in a professional office environment

           ·         This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, and photocopiers.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job with or without accommodation.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle, feel or operate objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear.

The employee must occasionally lift and/or move objects up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.