Legal Aid Staff Attorney - Housing

Community Legal Aid (CLA) is the civil legal aid program serving the low-income and elderly residents of Central and Western Massachusetts. Through CLA’s effective advocacy in more than 8,000 cases each year, some of the most vulnerable residents of the region obtain safe and stable housing; access unemployment, disability and other benefits to stabilize their income; break free from domestic violence and other abuse and exploitation; and get needed services in school. In addition, CLA’s wholly-owned subsidiary, the Central West Justice Center (CWJC), specializes in cases involving humanitarian-based immigration relief.

The starting salary for staff attorneys is $71,500, which is based on a union scale and adjusted upward depending on experience. Job duties for staff attorneys vary slightly based on their practice area; generally, staff attorneys interview clients and provide legal advice, information, referrals, and representation at administrative and judicial proceedings; perform legal research; negotiate with opposing parties; and participate in community and client education efforts.

Our current openings include:

• Housing and Homelessness (CWJC - Springfield): The attorney will represent tenants in eviction cases, tenants facing denials or terminations from public and subsidized housing programs, and families appealing denials or terminations from the state's Emergency Assistance homeless shelter program. The attorney will regularly participate in a Housing Court lawyer-for-the day program. The attorney will have significant client contact and will engage in community outreach and education, and may be involved in some grant-reporting activities.
• Housing Law (Worcester and Fitchburg): The attorney will represent tenants in eviction cases, assist tenants facing denials or terminations from public and subsidized housing programs, and handle other housing-related matters. The attorney will regularly participate in a Housing Court lawyer-for-the day program. The attorney will have significant client contact and will engage in community outreach and education, and may be involved in some grant-reporting activities.
• Veterans Advocacy (Springfield): The attorney will assist veterans with a range of civil legal issues. The focus of the attorney's work will be on housing, including representing tenants in eviction cases and assisting tenants facing denials or terminations from public and subsidized housing programs. The attorney may also assist clients with family law issues, income support, and discharge status upgrades. In addition to representing individual clients, the attorney will engage in extensive community outreach and education and will work closely with community partners.

A full list of all our current staff attorney openings can be found on our website.

CLA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and strives to ensure that our staff members reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. CLA encourages applicants from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.