Shriver Supervising Attorney- Homelessness Prevention Project

Description

ABOUT PUBLIC COUNSEL

Public Counsel is a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to advancing civil rights and racial and economic justice, as well as to amplifying the power of our clients through comprehensive legal advocacy. Founded on and strengthened by a pro bono legal service model, our staff and volunteers seek justice through direct legal services, promote healthy and resilient communities through education and outreach, and support community-led efforts to transform unjust systems through litigation and policy advocacy in and beyond Los Angeles.

Public Counsel operates eight legal projects:
Children’s Rights, Community Development, Consumer Rights & Economic Justice, Homelessness Prevention, Immigrants’ Rights, Veterans’ Advancement, Gender Justice, and our impact litigation project, Opportunity Under Law.

Public Counsel has a full-time staff of approximately 160. We are committed to building a diverse staff and encourage applications from people of color, people with disabilities, and people of all gender identities, gender expressions, and sexualities. We recognize the essential role of staff in achieving our goals, and we have set a long-term intention to provide competitive compensation, benefits, training, mentorship, and overall workplace wellness, making Public Counsel a leader among nonprofit law firms.

ABOUT HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION LAW PROJECT

Public Counsel’s Homelessness Prevention Law Project (HPLP) serves individuals who are at high risk of becoming homeless or are currently unhoused. HPLP assists unrepresented low-income litigants in unlawful detainer (eviction) actions, and provides pre-litigation counsel and advice to tenants who are involved in a landlord-tenant dispute. HPLP also provides pro bono representation to homeless individuals and families to help remove legal barriers to obtaining permanent housing.

In addition, we run several community clinics to connect low-income Angelinos with free legal advice, and provide educational workshops in collaboration with community-based organizations.

In addition to our homelessness prevention and anti-displacement efforts, our recent work includes:

• Supporting local tenants in their successful efforts to obtain and preserve COVID-related eviction protections;
• Working with community-based organizations to provide know-your-rights presentations and workshops to tenants on new and constantly-changing housing laws;
• Teaming up with other non-profit legal services providers, tenant organizers and community-based organizations throughout Los Angeles County to push forward the implementation of a Right to Counsel for all tenants in eviction proceedings.

JOB SUMMARY

The Supervising Attorney position is a full-time position based at Public Counsel’s 610 S. Ardmore office. The Supervising Attorney will oversee Public Counsel’s Shriver Housing Project. The Shriver Housing Project is a project authorized under the Shriver Civil Counsel Act (AB 590) to demonstrate the benefits of providing counsel to clients in high-stakes civil litigation such as the possible loss of housing.

Although not a pure civil Gideon project, the Shriver Housing Project assists thousands of unrepresented low-income litigants in unlawful detainer actions each year. This position will oversee a team of three or more Staff Attorneys and three paralegals dedicated to this effort.

The Supervising Attorney will also help maintain and grow relationships with funders and community partners, and manage the administrative aspects of the project. This position may involve off-site clinics and workshops, and will require court appearances throughout Los Angeles County as needed. The Supervising Attorney will report to HPLP’s Directing Attorney.

The position has the following responsibilities:

• Supervision of direct services staff and casework;
• Maintaining a caseload as balanced with other supervisorial and administrative duties;
• Training, mentoring and professional development of staff;
• Providing litigation support to staff;
• Collaborate with the Directing Attorney and team members to assist with program design, development, oversight and administration;
• Grant reporting,…