Greater Boston Legal Services is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity / Accessible Employer. We want to build and sustain a staff that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve.
GBLS has an opening for a staff attorney at its Cambridge and Somerville Legal Services (CASLS) office which serves Cambridge, Somerville, Arlington, Belmont, Woburn, and Winchester. CASLS is a small supportive neighborhood office with a strong track record of success in the communities we serve. The anticipated start date is mid-July 2023. GBLS currently operates a hybrid work schedule.
Responsibilities: The staff attorney's responsibilities include representing private and subsidized tenants facing eviction in local district and housing courts, representing tenants facing Section 8 terminations, representing tenant groups seeking to preserve the affordability of their housing, and working closely with non-attorney community advocates on housing issues. The responsibilities will also involve administrative advocacy and maybe legislative work on housing issues. At the applicant’s option, a small portion of the work may include handling denials, terminations, and other issues relating to state public benefits (TAFDC, EAEDC, SNAP, MassHealth, and EA shelter).
Salary is based on a union scale. As of July 1, 2023, the annual salary for an attorney with two to five years of legal experience will be between $75,000 and $79,500. GBLS offers a generous benefits package including retirement contribution, student loan repayment assistance for eligible attorneys, and paid time off.
GBLS encourages applicants from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.
Qualifications: Candidate must be admitted to the Massachusetts Bar with between 2 and 5 years of legal experience, have excellent oral and written communications skills, and have the ability to handle and prioritize multiple tasks and work collaboratively with other GBLS staff and community partners. Knowledge of federal or Mass. housing law and some eviction trial/motion experience are preferred. In addition to English, fluency in one or more languages spoken by CASLS clients (such as Spanish, Portuguese, or Haitian/Creole) is helpful.
Candidates should submit a cover letter, resume and a brief writing sample to the Human Resources Team via e-mail to [email protected]. Please refer to Job Code: CASLS-Housing Atty when applying for this position. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled but applicants are encouraged to submit applications by June 23, 2023.