Description

POSITION SUMMARY 
The Residential Landlord-Tenant Eviction Defense Attorney position offers a unique opportunity to co-lead and expand Friends Association’s eviction prevention work, represent tenants facing eviction, and work as part of an interdisciplinary team including social workers and community partners.  This position will require both legal and administrative/programmatic work. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Fast-paced representation of a high volume of individual clients each week in court hearings on multiple days.
• Maintain a caseload of eviction defense and related cases at various levels of service including brief advice and counsel, negotiation, mediation, representation in court and appeals.
• Respond to Tenant, Landlord, Courts, and other partners related to case status and resolution.
• Prepare, investigate, and defend Tenants in all phases of Eviction Proceedings.
• Conducting legal research including interpreting statutes, case law, regulations, and other sources of law.
• Prepare legal documents, including but not limited to briefs, pleadings, motions, notices, correspondence, memoranda, discovery, and documents responsive to discovery requests.
• Completing administrative tasks including timely entry of case notes in multiple case management software programs and maintaining physical files.
• Conduct regular outreach to identify clients in need of legal services.
• Assist day-to-day operations of the Eviction Prevention Case Resolution (EPCR) Program including case intake, screening cases for merit and referrals to community providers.
• Assist agency clients regarding issues with criminal record expungement, government benefits, violations of community supervision.
• Engaging in non-litigation focused systemic advocacy, including policy, administrative and legislative advocacy, and racial justice initiatives, as well as organizing and teaching community and professional education session on a variety of issues, including tenant eviction laws, preservation of affordable housing, lead paint elimination, domestic violence, criminal records, federal housing policy, and other substantive areas of housing law and policy.
• Participate in various coalitions and task forces with community partners on matters relevant to the practice area.
• Fulfill grant reporting obligations required by EPCR funders.
• Support fundraising efforts for EPCR staffing and proposed projects.
• Perform other duties, tasks, and special projects, as required.

Requirements

   Admitted to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
   Twelve (12) hours continuing legal education is required annually.
   A valid driver’s license and use of a personal vehicle is required.
   1-2 years litigation experience as a practicing attorney, experience practicing PA landlord-tenants law, federally subsidized housing law, fair housing law a plus.
   Familiar with the Rules of Civil Procedure including the MDJ Rules of Civil Procedure.
   Proficiency in Microsoft Office and related products.