Job Title: Rentervention Staff Attorney
Position Type: Full time, Grant funded
Lawyers’ Committee for Better Housing (LCBH): For 40 years, LCBH has been Chicago’s only legal aid agency that advocates solely for renters. LCBH focuses its representation on serving low-income and working-class renters living in the private rental market. LCBH helps renters improve housing conditions issues and avoid displacement. LCBH attorneys work in collaboration with a social worker on staff to holistically address both the immediate housing crisis and its underlying causes.
Rentervention is a pilot project that will assist Chicago renters facing housing issues. It is a joint project of the Lawyers’ Committee for Better Housing (LCBH), Illinois Legal Aid Online, the Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois, and other advocates dedicated to helping Chicago tenants. Through Rentervention’s free chatbot, tenants can go online or communicate via text for assistance resolving problems with the conditions in their homes or with disputes over security deposits. Rentervention can assist with writing a letter to their landlord or completing a legal form. In some cases, Rentervention might also see if they qualify to talk to a Rentervention lawyer free of charge.
Position Announcement: LCBH is seeking an enthusiastic community lawyer who truly enjoys working with people and has the skills to effectively communicate with volunteers, clients, and community stakeholders. The Rentervention Staff Attorney will play a key role in the implementation of the Rentervention pilot project by serving as the day-to-day contact for renters who interact with the chatbot and require further assistance. They will also collaborate with the Rentervention Director and project partners to promote Rentervention and assist in its development.
As the project grows, the Rentervention Staff Attorney will work with LCBH’s Pro Bono Coordinator to recruit and train pro bono attorneys from Chicago law firms and corporations who will assist renters through Rentervention’s Virtual Clinic. The Rentervention Staff Attorney may represent renters (or co-counsel with pro bono attorneys) in eviction defense or other landlord-tenant cases referred from Rentervention.
Duties
- Train and support pro bono attorneys utilizing Rentervention’s Virtual Clinic
- Develop and maintain Rentervention’s pro bono guides and templates
- Field questions from renters and lawyers by phone, email, and text
- Provide legal advice and brief services to renters on housing issues
- Represent renters in eviction court or other housing matters
- Participate in community outreach efforts and promote Rentervention to the broader legal aid and housing advocacy groups
- Track hours and cases and report as necessary to funders and other stakeholders
Compensation and benefits: Compensation is commensurate with experience. LCBH offers a benefits package that includes medical, dental/vision, 401k retirement plan, and other pre-tax benefits. We also provide generous paid time off including holiday, vacation, personal and sick leave.
Qualifications
- Comfortable with technology
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Strong interpersonal skills--i.e. a “people person”
- Litigation, legal aid, or housing law experience a plus
- Ability to manage a dynamic workload that includes both casework and project management tasks
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively with LCBH staff and project partners
- Insights into issues affecting our clients that will bring a new perspective to LCBH, which may be based on personal experience with eviction court, housing instability or poverty, personal experience as a member of a marginalized group, and/or deep knowledge of a relevant body of law
- Commitment to the visions and missions of Rentervention and LCBH
- In good standing with the Illinois Bar
Application Process: To apply, please send your resume and a cover letter to [email protected]. Please include “Rentervention Staff Attorney" in the subject line. This position will remain open until full; however, applications received by Monday, July 8 will be given first consideration.