Staff Attorney, Consumer Housing Unit, Foreclosure

Position: Staff Attorney, Consumer Housing Unit
Full-Time Position

Application requirements: Cover letter and resume

BACKGROUND:
Philadelphia Legal Assistance (“PLA”) is the federally funded civil legal aid provider for
Philadelphia’s indigent community. We provide high-volume, high-quality and innovative legal
representation in administrative and court proceedings, including all levels of state and federal courts.
We also provide community education, advice, referral, and support of pro se representation. Our
focus is on legal matters addressing basic human needs: family safety, health, income maintenance,
and home preservation.

PLA seeks to immediately hire a full-time permanent attorney to work as part of its Consumer
Housing Unit representing homeowners facing mortgage foreclosure, with a particular emphasis on
homeowners who have experienced a financial hardship due to the pandemic. The attorney selected
for this exciting and demanding position will help low-income individuals throughout Philadelphia
save their homes, stabilizing families and neighborhoods in the process. While the primary focus will
be litigation, the job responsibilities will also include some community outreach, education, and policy
advocacy on issues affecting home ownership, as well as providing support to paralegals working on a
foreclosure prevention hotline.

QUALIFICATIONS:
Law degree and admission to a PA Bar, or a willingness to take the PA bar exam. Candidates
with at least 3 years of client representation experience are preferred, but less experienced
attorneys will be considered;
Creativity, tenacity, empathy and a passion for justice for low-income individuals;
Experience in defending against tax and mortgage foreclosure and in real estate transactional
work preferred, but not required;
Experience representing debtor’s in chapter 13 bankruptcy preferred, but not required;
Fluency in a second language, particularly Spanish, preferred;
Ability to manage a significant caseload of individual clients;
Excellent legal analysis skills;
Excellent work ethic, organization, and communication skills;
Excellent legal research and writing skills;
Excellent litigation skills and oral advocacy skills;
Experience and interest in policy work and others forms of systemic advocacy;
Possess sound professional and legal judgment;
Experience and ability to work with low-income and vulnerable diverse individuals;
Illustrate a high-level commitment to racial justice advocacy;
The ability to work cooperatively as part of a team

SALARY AND BENEFITS:
Salary is commensurate with years of experience based on union scale. Full health coverage for
employees and their dependents. Generous holiday and leave benefits.

APPLICATION PROCESS:
Philadelphia Legal Assistance (PLA) is an equal opportunity employer.  PLA values a diverse
work environment and strongly encourages women, people of color, people who identify as LGBTQ,
people with disabilities, people who have experienced poverty or homelessness, and people who have
had prior contact with the juvenile, criminal, or child welfare systems to apply. PLA invites all
applicants to include in their cover letter a statement about how your unique background and/or
experiences might contribute to the diversity, cultural vitality, and perspective of our staff and legal
services practice.  Interested applicants should email a cover letter and resume, preferably in one PDF
document, to: work@philalegal.org.