Advocacy Director for Human Rights to Housing

Job title:

Advocacy Director for Human Rights to Housing

Company

Maryland Legal Aid

Job description

Maryland Legal Aid (MLA) advocates with and for Marylanders experiencing poverty to achieve equity and social justice through free civil legal services, community collaboration, and systemic change. Since 1911, Maryland Legal Aid has worked hand in hand with communities and individual clients to remedy their most fundamental civil legal issues and dismantle the systemic barriers that threaten stability, security, and access to justice for underserved Marylanders.MLA seeks an experienced attorney with expertise in Maryland and federal housing law to serve as its Advocacy Director for Human Right to Housing. This Advocacy Director will lead housing policy advocacy, provide training and substantive guidance for legal staff in MLA’s 12 offices across the State on housing law, support litigation, and help craft impactful strategies to significantly benefit low-income Maryland tenants and homeowners and reduce homelessness.The Advocacy Director for Human Right to Housing will be part of MLA’s Statewide Advocacy Support (SAS) Unit, made up of Directors of Advocacy who have deep expertise in their areas of practice. Like those Directors, the Advocacy Director for Human Right to Housing will work in close collaboration with MLA’s local office staff and will supervise and support the Deputy Advocacy Director for the Tenant Right to Counsel Project, Maryland’s groundbreaking statewide law to ensure counsel for Marylanders facing the threat of eviction. The Advocacy Director for Human Right to Housing will also work closely with the Advocacy Director for Community Lawyering and Development, to support community-driven efforts to improve and expand housing opportunities for low-income Marylanders across the State. The Advocacy Director for Human Right to Housing must have experience with multiple advocacy tools, including litigation, policy advocacy, and community education.KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:Litigation & Policy Advocacy

• Develop, lead, and ensure high quality and high impact advocacy and litigation to improve housing availability, accessibility, stability, and quality for low-income Marylanders.
• Expand and elevate MLA’s housing policy advocacy by working with partners, stakeholders, decisionmakers, bar committees, advocacy coalitions, and the public and the national legal services community.
• Advise the Executive Director, Chief Legal Director, and any designees concerning proposed changes in federal or state housing law or policies that may affect MLA clients.
• Work with communities to develop strategies that accomplish their goals and MLA’s strategic goals around housing.
• Co-counsel on complex individual representations and appeals on difficult or novel cases.
• Identify situations for which pro bono counsel may be needed to provide specialized or technical assistance on organizational governance or in areas of practice outside of MLA’s expertise and coordinate with appropriate MLA staff to secure such assistance.

Leadership, Supervision, Training, & Mentoring

• Supervise and support the Deputy Advocacy Director for the Tenant Right to Counsel Project, providing direction, consultation, and guidance to increase the effectiveness and impact of Maryland’s statewide law.
• Directly supervise staff, including interns and fellows, assigned to the SAS Housing team.
• With other MLA housing experts, recommend and participate in training or task forces that enable MLA staff to provide effective representation to housing law clients.
• Provide substantive guidance and support to legal staff to ensure they have critical updates in statutory, regulatory, and procedural changes in housing law and to assist in staff members’ professional growth.
• Mentor staff and respond to difficult litigation questions from around the state that may arise in housing lawyers’ cases, including developing future leaders and subject matter experts.
• Assist with the strategic use of data and technology to monitor trends and ensure effective advocacy strategies in the area of housing law.
• Create or advise on litigation best practices and template documents to systematize those best practices across the firm and provide consistency in our approach to housing issues.
• Participate in hiring, as requested by the Executive Team or colleagues.
• Upon request by Executive Team members, advise and participate in committees regarding MLA-wide institutional projects such as strategic planning implementation, fundraising/grant opportunities, and Board meetings.
• Act as a role model in meeting administrative or other programmatic requirements, including timekeeping deadlines, grants, and compliance requests, and in modeling professional demeanor.
• Perform other tasks as assigned by the Chief Legal Director or Executive Director.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• JD from an accredited law school.
• Current Bar membership in good standing to practice law in any state, Maryland preferred. If licensed to practice in another state, a commitment to obtain licensure in Maryland within 2 years of hire.
• 7+ years of legal experience, preferably in a legal aid or similar program. Experience must include housing policy advocacy (federal, state, or local) and litigation.
• Deep and current knowledge of federal and Maryland housing law, policies, and regulatory agencies that affect low-income tenants and homeowners.
• Demonstrated ability to motivate, advise, coach, and give constructive feedback to legal staff at all levels.

• Experience supervising staff, including those who are not lawyers.
• Significant experience effectively using current technology and remote communications to lead, supervise, and co-counsel, as needed, with staff located in multiple offices.
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills.
• The ability to partner with a team of professionals across offices.
• Willingness to spend significant time in our offices across the state as needed and to travel to conferences.
• Demonstrated experience working effectively with communities and community-based organizations, including tenant-led organizations.
• Experience working closely with tenant organizations highly desirable.
• Passion and commitment to the mission, vision, and values of Maryland Legal Aid.

BENEFITSThe salary range for this position is $ 110,000 – $ 135,000. In addition, MLA provides employees with a generous benefits package that includes health, dental, vision, life insurance, a 401(k) retirement plan, 4 weeks paid time off, paid sick leave, 14 annual paid holidays, and more! Future flexibility regarding a hybrid work arrangement is a possibility after the onboarding period.ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Please submit a resume and cover letter with your online application.
• References will be required at the time of the final interview.
• No telephone calls, please. The position will remain open until filled.

Maryland Legal Aid is committed to equity, justice, and inclusion. As an equal-opportunity employer, MLA seeks to hire employees from diverse backgrounds and perspectives that are reflective of the communities we serve, including people with disabilities, people of color, women, and members of traditionally underrepresented groups.

Expected salary

$110000 – 135000 per year

Location

Baltimore, MD

Job date

Thu, 28 Nov 2024 08:43:40 GMT

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