Litigation - Real Estate - Defense Attorney in Austin, TX

Public Interest

Austin, TX

Litigation - Real Estate - Defense Attorney in Austin, TX

Attorney

Min 2 yrs required

No

Attorney Application”.

BASTA Staff Attorney- Join the Fight for Tenant Rights in Austin!

BASTA (Building and Strengthening Tenant Action) is seeking a passionate and experienced Staff Attorney to join our team in Austin, Texas. As a project housed within Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, BASTA is dedicated to empowering and supporting Austin renters in their efforts to improve housing conditions and achieve affordable, healthy homes for all. If you are a dynamic, creative thinker with a strong legal background and a passion for social justice, we want to hear from you!

Key Responsibilities:

As the Staff Attorney for BASTA, you will play a critical role in our mission to advocate for tenant rights and empower renters in Austin. Your responsibilities will include:

Providing legal representation to individual tenants in various housing-related matters, such as eviction defense, habitability issues, and community rule disputes;

Conducting client intake interviews, assessing legal needs, and developing tailored legal strategies;

Representing tenants associations in negotiations and drafting community benefits agreements;

Overseeing BASTA's legal intake line and directing paralegal work;

Developing and maintaining relationships with other public interest attorneys in Austin to build co-counseling capacity;

Providing legal guidance and support to BASTA staff and tenants associations to inform and advance campaigns;

Serving as a resource for team members seeking legal expertise;

Collaborating with the Research and Policy Director on tenant-related policy advocacy;

Developing a community benefits agreement template and familiarizing staff and tenants with its use;

Creating policies to ensure separation of legal team and outreach work to avoid conflicts of interest and optimize flexibility in advocating for tenants;

Supporting the development of BASTA's legal team infrastructure, including referral processes and staffing; and

Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

To be considered for this role, you must have:

A Juris Doctor (JD) and active license to practice law in Texas;

At least 2 years of legal experience, with a focus on tenants rights and housing law preferred;

Experience in community lawyering, legal services, or public interest law;

A commitment to social, economic, racial, and language justice;

Knowledge of local and state housing laws and regulations;

Strong legal research, writing, and advocacy skills;

Excellent communication skills;

Strong interpersonal and consensus-building skills, with the ability to work effectively with a wide range of people;

The ability to problem solve and think strategically;

The ability to effectively multi-task and work well under pressure;

Strong organizational skills;

The ability to work independently and as part of a team;

The availability to work occasional evenings and weekends; and

A vehicle and driver's license.

Preferred Qualifications:

While not required, the following qualifications are preferred:

Proficiency in additional languages often spoken by tenants in Austin, such as Spanish, Arabic, Vietnamese, Pashto, Burmese, or ASL;

Experience working in multilingual spaces;

Proficiency with Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides or Microsoft equivalents;

Experience designing accessible and engaging print materials, with knowledge of Canva a plus; and

Familiarity with LegalServer, Slack, Miro, Hustle, and Toggl.

Organization Commitment to Diversity:

At BASTA, we are committed to building a diverse team that reflects the communities we support. We encourage people of color, immigrants, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those with experience living in low-income housing to apply.

To Apply:

If this opportunity sounds like a good fit for you, please email your resume and a brief paragraph explaining your interest in the position to with the subject line "BASTA Staff Attorney Application". We look forward to hearing from you!

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