Staff Attorney - Tenants’ Rights

Uptown People’s Law Center (UPLC) is hiring a staff attorney to work primarily on implementing the Cook County Just Housing Amendment (JHA) and leading mass action affordable housing preservation work. Over the last several years, UPLC, in line with our dual areas of work supporting Illinois people in prison and protecting tenants’ rights, has been one of the leading agencies enforcing the Just Housing Amendment. With affordable housing in jeopardy in Uptown and surrounding neighborhoods, UPLC has partnered with community organizations and tenant unions to preserve affordable housing. Secondary duties of this position include representing tenants in a variety of related cases, including traditional eviction defense, advocating for tenants experiencing substandard living conditions, and teaching both tenants and social services providers about tenants’ rights. Responsibilities This staff attorney will, under the supervision of the Housing Supervising Attorney, and with the assistance of other UPLC staff, continue to develop UPLC’s Just Housing Amendment Program and the Housing Preservation Program. As part of this effort, this staff attorney will: Represent tenants who are denied housing in violation of the JHA. This will include representation before the Cook County Human Rights Commission, as well as in the Circuit Court of Cook County. Representation includes, but is not limited to, investigations of claims of discrimination, settlement negotiations, filing of complaints, mediation, and hearings. Provide training and other outreach and educational efforts to tenants, community groups, social service agencies, and housing providers in order to raise broad as well as targeted grassroots awareness about the JHA and to advise both landlords and tenants of their rights and obligations under the law. Initiate and further general and targeted advocacy efforts at the local, state, and federal level to advance fair housing rights. This will include coordination of a coalition of legal aid organizations dedicated to fair housing, developing partnerships and collaborations with other agencies, and working with the Cook County Department of Human Rights and Ethics, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and other government entities to craft policy on housing access and protections. Work with community organizations, tenant unions, and other legal aid agencies to identify and advocate for groups of tenants who are at risk of losing their affordable housing. This staff attorney will also provide direct legal services in tenant’s rights and other cases that come to UPLC. This includes: Appearing in state court for eviction proceedings, and preparing for jury trials with the drafting of and responding to discovery requests, arguing any appropriate dispositive motions, engaging in settlement negotiations, and other litigation‑related tasks. Representing tenants in other housing legal matters, including illegal lockouts, landlord retaliation, illegal entries, material noncompliance on building conditions and repairs, and discriminatory actions by landlords. Additionally, this staff attorney is expected to: Support the training of paralegals, legal interns, and outreach workers, including reviewing their work, as needed. Attend CLE classes and legal community meetings on relevant legal and social justice topics. Perform other duties as assigned. Qualifications J.D. and licensed to practice in Illinois by date of application. 1–3 years experience (this may include law school clinical experience, internships, fellowships, judicial clerkships or other similar experience, in addition to traditional legal practice). Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences. Strong interpersonal skills. Ability to work effectively with clients who have experienced trauma and/or crisis; especially attractive would be a candidate with experience working with people who are currently or were previously imprisoned. Ability to take initiative, self‑motivate, and juggle multiple tasks. Community outreach and engagement skills, presentation and communication skills, experience with conducting trainings are a plus. Ability to develop advocacy strategies and comment on policies is preferred. Comfortable managing an appropriate workload and sensitive client issues, as well as the high‑intensity atmosphere of litigation. Cross‑cultural competencies and self‑awareness around issues of power, privilege, and difference. Experience handling eviction cases or general trial experience is preferred, but not required. Demonstrated commitment to social justice and experience providing direct legal services to low‑income communities is preferred, but not required. Travel Requirements Occasional travel to area social service providers, typically but not exclusively in the Uptown neighborhood, and to the Chicago Daley Center courthouse in the Loop, is required. Most locations can be reached via Chicago public transit; however, access to a car is a plus. Required Hours Office hours are Monday through Thursday, 9:00am to 5:00pm, and Friday 9:00 - 2:00. Flex time and limited remote work options are available. This is a full‑time, exempt position. Non‑traditional hours—weekends and evenings—may be required on occasion, including when preparing for trial, presenting trainings, and attending community meetings, which are often held in the evenings. UPLC is proud to be an equal‑opportunity employer and strongly encourages people of color, LGBTQ folks, people with disabilities, and/or former prisoners to apply. Staff members are chosen on the basis of ability without regard to race, color, religion, ethnicity, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, disability, HIV status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, national origin, or prior record of arrest or conviction, in accordance with federal and state law. #J-18808-Ljbffr Uptown People's Law Center