Worker and Tenant Impact Litigation Attorney

Position: Worker and Tenant Impact Litigation Attorney

Pay: $75,000.00 - $85,000.00 per year

Job description:

The Heartland Center for Jobs and Freedom is a nonprofit legal advocacy organization serving low-wage workers, tenants, and their families throughout the Kansas City region and Missouri. With legal representation, community education, and policy advocacy, HCJF helps tenants and workers address housing instability, eviction attempts, unsafe living conditions, wage theft, workplace discrimination, and other barriers to economic security.

HCJF carries out this mission through five major programs: the Right to Counsel (RTC) Program, which handles 600 eviction cases each year; the Safe Homes for All Program, which works to eliminate unhealthy conditions in residential rental housing; the Stable Homes Program, which challenges private business attempts to unlawfully opt out of affordability requirements required by the law and uphold fair housing protections; the Worker Power Project, which protects workers’ rights as they organize for unions and fight to regain stolen wages; and the Heartland Leadership and Action Committees, which collaborates with tenants and workers that served as our clients to lead grassroots and democratic mobilizations. 

We seek an experienced skilled attorney to help drive the Worker Power Project and contribute to the Safe Homes for All and Stable Homes for All Projects.

Description of the position:

• Track bad actors in Kansas City area with exploitative employment practices;

• Lead legal advocacy programs and build strategic litigation designed to improve conditions for low-wage workers broadly;

• Manage trial practice for class actions and limited individual employment-related cases (handle discovery, file motions and briefs, conduct and defend depositions, etc);

• Support outreach and know-your-rights education to support of low-wage workers and immigrant workers; 

• Support legal advocacy efforts related to uninhabitable living conditions, including contributing to impact litigation and tracking bad actors in the Kansas City area known to house tenants in unsafe and unlivable housing;

• Support legal advocacy efforts related to the maintenance of affordable housing and enforcing state and federal fair housing laws in Kansas City;

• Work with litigation team members to determine additional cases that will maximize programs’ impact; 

• Share information with the press to strengthen programs; 

• Collaborate with outside co-counsel.

Requirements:

• Law degree with admission to the Missouri Bar or ability to obtain admission through waiver or reciprocity;

• Excellent research, analytical, and persuasive writing skills;

• Ability to manage complex litigation and a significant workload effectively;

• At least three years of civil litigation experience;

• Be committed to working collaboratively and respectfully towards resolving obstacles and conflicts;

• Self-starter with the ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently;

• Ability to work well under pressure with attention to detail;

• Exceptional research, writing, and oral communication skills;

• Demonstrated ability to conduct complex legal analysis and fact-finding;

• Judicial clerkships, law review or journal experience, and/or experience litigating civil rights and civil liberties cases, desired

• Should be comfortable in a collaborative environment guided by a belief in worker and tenant democracy, housing as a human right, and the need to strive for societal change.

This is a full-time position. Position pays in the range of $75,000 to $85,000 depending on experience. Benefits include healthcare, retirement, paid sick days, paid vacation, and paid holidays. Salary range is negotiable for attorneys with extensive experience.

The Heartland Center is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital or parental status, gender identity, or gender expression.