Housing Attorney Senior Law

Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida, Inc. (CCLA) established in 2003 is a Legal Services Corporation (LSC) funded, non-profit organization. CCLA provides free civil legal services to low-income and otherwise eligible residents of Broward County and is located in Plantation, Florida, a suburb of Fort Lauderdale.  Our mission is to provide equal justice to underserved communities through quality and innovative free civil legal aid. CCLA provides legal advocacy for marginalized individuals in our community, helping thousands of economically disadvantaged residents to gain greater access to justice and much-needed legal assistance to remove barriers to a healthy and stable life. 

CCLA provides legal assistance in the areas of Family Law & Victims of Crime, Economic Advocacy & Community Health (public benefits), and Senior Law for people age 60 and older. At CCLA, we believe all individuals are entitled to quality civil legal representation and equal access to justice, regardless of their income. CCLA’s vision is a community where everyone has the legal resources to thrive.

CCLA is currently seeking a hardworking, compassionate Housing Attorney for our Senior Law Unit. The Housing Attorney is responsible for litigating eviction defense, and other housing-related matters. The Senior Law Unit provides legal counseling and/or representation to Broward County residents who are 60 years of age or older in various areas, such as Housing, Health and Public Benefits, Consumer, Naturalization, Elder Abuse, and Financial Exploitation.

Position Duties:

• Conducts interviews with clients and witnesses.
• Answer client related phone calls, keep detailed notes, keep court calendar updated.
• Advise clients regarding housing and consumer law issues and their legal rights.
• Interpret and analyze statutes and relevant case law. Undertake necessary legal research and writing.
• Analyze probable outcome of cases, using knowledge of legal precedent.
• Develop strategies and arguments in preparing and presenting cases.
• Engage in troubleshooting and prioritize cases.
• Analyze client documents.
• Preparation of legal documents for clients' housing and consumer law cases. Prepare relevant motions and orders.
• Prepare clients for testimony at court hearings.
• Attend court hearings and trials.
• Search for and examine public and legal records to support cases.
• Assess relevance of witnesses and evidence.
• Represent clients in court.
• Engage in discovery and depositions.
• Supervise paralegals. Assign work to paralegals and intern, review all legal work, and monitor workload.
• Communicate case progress, status, issues and outcomes to supervising attorneys.
• Oversee status of cases through case management system.
• Perform community outreach events in-person and virtually, as well as, on social media, and conduct educational trainings for staff, clients, and community providers, as needed.
• Maintain records, case notes and daily time-keeping in CCLA's case management system.
• Preparation of grant reports, if necessary.
• Compliance with program and grant requirements.
• Obtain cross-training in all legal areas handled by Unit.
• Perform other duties as requested by Management, Supervisors, or as required by grant(s).

Position Requirements:

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school and an active member in good standing of the Florida Bar.
• 2-5 years or more litigation experience, preferably in eviction defense.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, as direct client contact is part of the position.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and manage a varied caseload is essential.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Professional demeanor and client-oriented focus.
• Strong computer skills, proficient in Microsoft Office, particularly Word and Excel.
• Proficiency in using virtual platforms to communicate (i.e., Zoom, MS Teams).
• Due to funder requirements, all applicants must pass a background check before employment begins.

Here at CCLA we offer our employees an outstanding and generous benefits package, which includes medical, vision, dental (100% employer paid for individual coverage), life, short-term, long-term disability insurance (100% employer paid coverage), supplemental insurance, and a 403(b) plan (tax-sheltered annuity plan) with an employer contribution.

CCLA covers attorney’s Florida bar dues, Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits, and attorneys have the opportunity to apply for student loan payment assistance.

Additionally, CCLA offers substantial discounts on gym memberships, parks, travel, pet insurance, and more, contributing to our employees' overall well-being.

CCLA is very proud of our work-life balance by giving our employees a substantial paid time off package which includes, vacation, sick leave and over 12 holidays a year. At CCLA we offer our employees (non-probationary) a more flexible work schedule by temporarily working a hybrid schedule 2 days in the office and 3 days working remotely. 

At CCLA, we foster a positive and supportive work environment where we work hard to provide exceptional service to our community. The work is both challenging and rewarding, and we take pride in the commitment and dedication of our team.

For more information about CCLA, please visit our website at www.coasttocoastlegalaid.org.

CCLA is proud of our diversity. CCLA is an equal opportunity employer and provider.