Senior Staff Attorney Req - 4945

Organization Overview:

BronxWorks is a leading nonprofit serving Bronx residents for over 50 years. With more than 65 program sites, we provide housing support, youth and senior services, immigration assistance, financial empowerment, and more. Our Legal Services Department works to advance housing justice and prevent displacement for low income tenants across the Bronx.

Senior Staff Attorney Opportunity

The Tenant Defense Senior Staff Attorney I role provides professional growth opportunities for attorneys with at least three years of experience who are working toward supervisory roles, along with a salary increase above the staff attorney scale.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive legal representation to tenants referred to BronxWorks through the Universal Access to Counsel initiative and other referral sources.
• Litigate in various forums including housing court, appellate courts, and administrative tribunals, including NYCHA tenancy termination proceedings and housing benefits hearings.
• Provide full legal representation by advising clients on defenses and strategy, maintaining regular communication, negotiating with opposing counsel, handling motion practice, hearings, discovery, and trials, and advocating with government agencies and external providers on clients’ behalf.
• Develop and apply expertise in housing court practice, housing programs and subsidies, and public benefits to secure the best possible client outcomes.
• Participate in court-based intake processes and conduct intakes.
• Engage in client and community outreach and education initiatives.
• Mentor junior staff and law graduates, accompanying them to court and providing guidance on legal strategies.
• Assist in leading legal team meetings, CLE trainings, and strategic planning sessions.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• A J.D. from an accredited law school and admission to practice law in New York State (or eligibility to be admitted on motion or by waiver).
• At least three (3) years of experience practicing law, with substantial litigation and trial experience. Experience in New York City Housing Courts or with landlord-tenant matters is strongly preferred, but candidates with equivalent experience in other jurisdictions will be considered.
• Demonstrated commitment to social justice and serving low-income communities and communities of color to advance equity.
• Proven ability to leverage transferable skills, including trial advocacy, legal writing, strategic case planning, and litigation management, to excel in a fast-paced legal environment.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to connect with individuals from diverse backgrounds and conduct outreach in under-resourced neighborhoods.
• Exceptional organizational skills and the ability to manage a diverse and dynamic caseload generated by a universal access to counsel intake system where clients are legally entitled to representation.

Preferred Qualifications & Plus Factors

• Supervisory Experience: Mentoring or supervising junior attorneys, graduates, or interns, especially in housing defense.
• Advanced Litigation: Handling complex housing cases, including trials, appeals, and high-volume court work.
• Housing Subsidy Knowledge: Strong understanding of Section 8, NYCHA, and other NYC rental assistance programs.
• Multilingual Skills: Proficiency in languages commonly spoken in the Bronx (e.g., Spanish, French, Arabic, Mandarin).
• Community Engagement: Experience with tenant organizing, know-your-rights workshops, and community advocacy.
• Public Benefits Advocacy: Familiarity with SNAP, SSI, cash assistance, and related benefits.
• Training Skills: Leading CLEs, workshops, or structured legal trainings.
• Anti-Displacement Work: Experience addressing tenant harassment and displacement through litigation or policy advocacy.
• Technology Proficiency: Skilled in LegalServer, eCourts, and document automation tools.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to use a computer for prolonged periods.
• Ability to occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.
• Ability to stand, walk, or sit for long periods of time.
• Ability to climb five flights of stairs, if required to conduct home visits and/or fieldwork.
• Ability to travel in the boroughs of New York City and its adjacent counties via public transportation.
• Ability to travel for a minimum of 1 mile within a reasonable amount of time and in all types of weather, including inclement weather, if required to conduct home visits and/or field work.

Equal Employment Opportunity

BronxWorks is committed to equal employment opportunity and providing reasonable accommodations to qualified candidates and employees pursuant to applicable law. This commitment applies to all terms, conditions, and privileges of employment, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, training and employee development, placement, promotion, demotion, upgrading, downgrading, transfer, layoff, and termination. We value and encourage diversity and solicit applications from all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, gender, sex, age, religion, creed, national origin ancestry, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military and veteran status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, status as a victim of domestic violence, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. If you require reasonable accommodation as part of the application process, please contact [email protected] .