Staff Attorney, Housing Unit

Neighborhood Legal Services Program of the District of Columbia (NLSP) seeks a staff attorney to join our Housing Unit on the Family Preservation Project.

NLSP is a private, non-profit law firm that provides high quality civil legal services to low-income residents of the District of Columbia. NLSP has a long tradition of fighting for justice for the poor, combining direct representation with efforts to achieve broad-based change. Our three offices are located in the poorest neighborhoods of the District to maximize our visibility, accessibility, and connections to the communities we serve.

We believe that housing is a human right. Our housing unit works to ensure that all DC residents have access to safe, affordable housing by preserving, eliminating barriers to, and increasing affordable housing. We represent tenants in eviction cases, affirmative litigation to preserve affordable housing and prevent housing discrimination, building-wide conditions cases, voucher termination cases, and a variety of other cases. NLSP’s housing work is community-focused and driven by the needs of low-income DC residents.

As a staff attorney, you will be a member of NLSP’s 15-person housing team, particularly focused on legal interventions in the field of housing to promote family stability. Together we prevent hundreds of evictions each year, hold slumlords accountable, and secure tens of thousands of dollars for people who have experienced housing discrimination. We have a supportive and flexible work culture. We think of ourselves as a team, and we support each other in addition to supporting our clients. Our work is creative and fast-paced.

Currently all NLSP staff work a hybrid schedule, on-site and remotely.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
The Staff Attorney’s work will include:
• Providing high quality civil legal services to clients in a variety of housing matters including eviction defense cases, housing discrimination cases, building-wide conditions cases, and voucher termination cases.
• Identifying and, with other NLSP staff, developing responses to systemic housing problems in DC.
• Conducting outreach including know-your-rights presentations and on-site intakes (in COVID- safe ways) at a variety of locations where people need our services such as public housing complexes, libraries, schools, etc. as well as online presentations.
• Maintaining and/or developing community partnerships in order to help us serve more low- income DC residents.
• Participating actively as a member of the NLSP team, including participation in cross-office activities and advocacy.

BENEFITS
• Generous benefits package including excellent health, dental, and vision insurance and eight weeks of paid parental leave