Access to Justice Fellow

About the Community Economic Defense Project (CEDP) & CED Law Our Mission: We partner with low‑income and working people to build economic and racial equity by confronting economic abuse and investing in community wealth. We use legal, economic and advocacy tools to dismantle unjust systems, aiming for a world where all people have what they need to live and thrive. Our Organization: CEDP is a Colorado-based nonprofit launched in 2020 as the COVID‑19 Eviction Defense Project. We began by keeping neighbors housed during the pandemic and expanded to a comprehensive approach to eviction, foreclosure, and homelessness prevention, centering the legal and financial needs of housing‑insecure families. Today we serve more than 1,000 people per month, bring together housing lawyers, economists, data analysts, policy experts, organizers, and technologists, and have served more than 68,000 low‑income Coloradans. We have contributed to major legislation to prevent eviction and have been cited as a best practice by federal agencies. We have expanded services to include disaster response, predatory towing, debt collection, benefit access and navigation, long‑term rental assistance, and homelessness response, offering a continuum of care with legal support and advocacy. More about the Access to Justice Fellow Role Our practice seeks an Access to Justice Legal Fellow to partner with our Clinic and Community Law teams to expand access to justice for tenants facing housing instability in Colorado. The fellowship focuses on building innovative, community‑centered legal services that help low‑income tenants navigate eviction proceedings, understand their rights, and access meaningful legal support at critical moments. The fellow will work closely with the Clinic Supervisor and Community Law Supervisor for mentorship, training, and supervision. Together we will develop and submit applications to fellowships such as Equal Justice Works, Justice Catalyst, and law school–specific public‑interest fellowships. If selected, the position would begin at CED Law in early Fall 2027. We welcome applicants who are interested in shaping and co‑designing a project with us. Candidates can propose any of the following areas: Partner with jurisdictions in the greater Denver metro to establish and operate a recurring legal eviction clinic for tenants facing housing instability Develop a “Lawyer for a Day” courthouse program to provide limited‑scope legal assistance to tenants navigating eviction proceedings Create partnerships with community organizations to deliver accessible know‑your‑rights trainings on housing and eviction law to vulnerable populations Expand access to legal information and representation for tenants in underserved communities and legal deserts Support highly vulnerable tenant populations, including seniors, families with young children, survivors of domestic violence, immigrants, and individuals with disabilities Advance innovative and community‑centered approaches to eviction prevention and housing stability Strengthen partnerships among courts, legal services organizations, and community‑based organizations to increase access to justice for tenants Gather and analyze data on tenant needs, service delivery, and eviction outcomes to inform evidence‑based interventions and support long‑term housing stability efforts In this role you will: Communicate with clients in a timely, respectful, empathetic, and trauma‑informed manner Build relationships with community organizations, courts, and partner agencies to support housing stability initiatives Help establish and implement a recurring legal eviction clinic in partnership with greater Denver metro jurisdictions and community stakeholders Assist in developing a “Lawyer for a Day” model to support tenants appearing in eviction court Provide direct legal services, limited‑scope representation, and/or legal information to tenants facing housing instability, as appropriate to the fellowship project Develop and facilitate community education and know‑your‑rights presentations related to housing and eviction law Set and complete project goals identified in partnership with supervisors and in accordance with fellowship requirements Develop knowledge of Colorado housing and eviction law and apply it to direct services, trainings, and systems‑level problem solving Coordinate with supervisors and stakeholders to ensure timely project implementation, case tracking, reporting, and fellowship deliverables Sharpen project management, relationship‑building, public speaking, and community lawyering skills Contribute to a collaborative, equity‑centered legal practice focused on expanding access to justice and preventing housing instability Position Requirements: Work collaboratively with CEDP to develop and submit fellowship application(s) JD earned in 2026 and currently entering a clerkship, or JD expected to be earned in 2027 Demonstrated passion for housing justice, economic justice, public interest law, and/or access to justice Strong desire to center client and community needs in legal advocacy and program design Excellent interpersonal communication skills and ability to engage with diverse stakeholders Strong organizational and project management abilities Ability to work in a collaborative, fast‑paced, and community‑centered environment A supportive, client‑focused, and solutions‑oriented attitude Creativity, initiative, and willingness to think outside the box in designing sustainable legal interventions Interest in community lawyering, public speaking, and partnership‑building Ability to travel within the Denver metro area and surrounding jurisdictions for community events, court appearances, meetings, and trainings Knowledge of Microsoft Office, Google Suite, and case management systems preferred Other language skills are not required but are a strong plus and may be eligible for an additional language salary differential Additional Details: Candidates must reside in Colorado, ideally within the greater Denver Metro area The position includes competitive pay, flexible time off, benefits package (including medical, dental, vision), and 401(k) Competitive salary of $65,000 per year pre‑admission to the Colorado bar and $75,000 post‑admission. CEDP will top up any fellowship grant awarded to these amounts All employees receive a technology stipend of $720 per year Employees who utilize two languages or more at work are eligible for a $2,000 salary differential per year added to the salary grade listed above. Language assessment will be conducted by the organization as a requirement to receive the differential Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis but must be received by June 26th, 2026 The estimated time to complete the recruitment process will be by July 3rd, 2026 As in‑person work is required, all employees at CEDP & CED Law are expected to maintain current vaccination status in keeping with CDC recommendations CEDP is an equal opportunity employer, committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status. #J-18808-Ljbffr Community Economic Defense Project