Housing Staff Attorney Job Announcement
Housing Staff Attorney Job Announcement
The Public Interest Law Project (PILP) seeks an experienced attorney to join our housing practice. Since 1996, PILP has provided crucial litigation and advocacy support to local legal services and public interest law programs throughout California. Responding to the elimination of federal funding for state and national legal services support centers, PILP was established to ensure that local legal services programs could continue to participate in major litigation and advocacy on behalf of low-income people.
Today, PILP is one of California’s premier legal services support centers and works to advance racial and economic justice for low income communities and communities of color by building the capacity of legal services organizations through impact litigation, trainings, publications, coalition building, and systemic advocacy. Our current priorities include work to: increase and preserve affordable housing; fight displacement; eliminate discriminatory zoning; support unhoused communities; prevent homelessness; and expand access to public benefits, income support, and supportive services.
PILP seeks an attorney with at least 10 years’ experience practicing law and expertise in housing, land use, civil rights, fair housing, homelessness prevention, or a related public interest field, and an enthusiasm for our mission. This position will include advice and training to legal advocates, systemic advocacy at the state and local levels, creation of educational materials and trainings, and impact litigation. The position combines direct involvement in PILP’s law, litigation, and policy advocacy to help support statewide systemic change.
Responsibilities will focus on co-counselling, technical assistance, training, and policy advocacy throughout the state. The work will involve collaboration with other PILP attorneys, local legal services attorneys, and other state support centers.
Responsibilities.
• Co‐counseling impact litigation in state and federal courts with local program attorneys, other state support centers, and our private bar pro bono partners
• Monitoring existing litigation settlements and engaging in enforcement activities as needed
• Advice and research assistance to local programs
• Training local program attorneys and grassroots advocates in relevant areas of law and litigation
• Advocacy regarding local, state, and federal laws and policy in conjunction with local programs and other support centers
• Participating and coordinating statewide legal working groups and task forces, and working with state and regional advocacy groups
• Traveling to other parts of California for litigation, advocacy, task forces and training
• Preparing and updating our resource and training manuals and materials as appropriate
• Supervising law clerks and legal interns as needed
• Participating in organization-wide activities, including integrating diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility policies into our work and workplace
• Assisting with meeting relevant grant reporting requirements, including helping with drafting narratives and compiling and interpreting data
• Other duties as assigned
Qualifications.
• At least 10 years’ experience litigating in the public interest
• Member in good standing of the California Bar preferred; will accept applications from applicants awaiting California bar results that meet other qualifications
• Expertise in California housing, homelessness, land use, and/or fair housing laws
• Experience effectively working in diverse coalitions to advance social change
• Experience working with and a demonstrated sensitivity to persons from diverse backgrounds, as well as a genuine recognition of the role implicit bias has in society and interpersonal actions and decisions
• Commitment to applying principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in performance of job duties
• Desire to learn and grow as an advocate, and openness to feedback
• Excellent analytical, research, writing, and oral advocacy skills, including the ability to communicate clearly, concisely, and persuasively about policy issues to multiple audiences
• Ability to be detail-oriented, multi-task, set and respond to changing priorities, and work independently
• Strong interpersonal skills, demonstrated ability to collaborate with internal and external teams to produce results
Compensation and Working Environment.
Base salary range between $96,200 and $110,200, based on a fixed scale and grounded on years of experience. PILP offers an excellent benefits package, including liberal vacation and leave policies, compensation time, fully employer‐paid medical, dental and life insurance benefits, $1500 self-insurance health reimbursement policy, and a generous employer-contributed retirement plan ranging from between 10% to 15% of salary that fully vests after five years.
PILP staff currently work primarily remotely; however, staff must be prepared and available to provide in person services and advocacy as client and business needs dictate. Some travel (in California) will be required to fulfill job responsibilities. Our home office is in Oakland, but we welcome applications from applicants living anywhere in California.
How to Apply. This position is open until filled.
Please send a cover letter, resume, legal writing sample, and list of three professional references as attachments to hiring@pilpca.org. We value lived and diverse experiences; your cover letter should reflect how your identity and background have prepared you to be an advocate for social justice (especially if your resume does not). If you prefer an alternative method of submitting these materials please contact us at this email address.
Note: All positions are subject to funding; ongoing funding or employment cannot be assured.
The Public Interest Law Project (PILP) is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to maintaining a diverse workforce and a respectful and inclusive culture. We strongly encourage people of color, people with disabilities, people of all gender identities, gender expressions, and sexualities, older adults, and individuals from other traditionally underrepresented and historically oppressed groups to apply. It is PILP’s policy to prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type and to establish and maintain equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, disability, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, medical condition, veteran status, national origin, marital status, familial status, or any other protected status.