Housing Attorney

Job Announcement

Eastside Legal Assistance Program (ELAP) has an opening on our legal team. This full-time position will provide legal services to low-income residents of Kirkland, focusing on housing law.  This position is funded through a grant.

This is a dynamic opportunity to make equal access to justice in our community a reality. Eastside Legal Assistance Program (ELAP) provides civil legal services to survivors of domestic violence (DV) throughout King County, medical-legal assistance to individuals experiencing health-harming legal issues, assistance to individuals facing eviction or other housing problems in southeast King County, and pro bono legal aid to low-income individuals in Kirkland.

Please read the qualifications (below) carefully.  Before applying, you MUST have a current license to practice law in Washington State, you MUST have a passion for equal justice for marginalized communities, and you MUST have the ability to work in a holacratic organization.

Responsibilities

• The primary focus of this position will be housing stability; including eviction cases, tenant’s rights, housing discrimination, and mortgage foreclosure assistance;
• Evaluating the needs of and advising qualified low-income residents through in-depth client interviews and other methods of fact-gathering (court documents, Judicial Information System (“JIS”), police reports, third parties, etc.);
• Assisting clients with drafting and filing petitions, return hearings, as well as drafting any necessary additional pleadings;
• Monitoring active cases to determine if additional pleadings/filings are necessary to address client safety and stability concerns and whether additional court filings are needed to assure client safety and stability;
• Providing representation of clients for filing of necessary additional petitions or motions, and limited representation in court;
• Coordinating with the ELAP Staff Attorney holacracy to represent clients as efficiently as possible in the fact-gathering and representation process;
• Attending Continuing Legal Education (“CLE”) classes and conferences identified as furthering the pursuit of ELAP’s Mission as it relates to the Staff Attorney role;
• Representing ELAP at workgroups or other meetings sponsored by agencies in Kirkland Civil Legal Aid communities and the State communities as needed;
• Coordinating with area-wide legal advocates regarding individual client needs in a team atmosphere;
• Regularly appearing in King County Superior and District Courts as needed;
•  Performing such other related duties as directed by the Executive Director.

QUALIFICATIONS

• MUST HAVE a current WSBA license in good standing
• Demonstrated practical experience as an attorney, including case management, drafting of pleadings, interacting with the court system, and representation of clients in court.
• Outstanding verbal, written and interpersonal skills
• Intermediate computer knowledge; Legal Server experience a plus
• Collaboration and team building work style
• Self-starter, with ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Ability to problem-solve and utilize available resources
• Enthusiasm for and commitment to the ELAP mission
• Special consideration given to attorneys who have previous experience with housing law issues.
• Fluency in Spanish given special consideration

Working Conditions and Work Hours

Work Hours:            Base 40 hours/week

Location:                  Office in Kirkland, with a secondary workstation at the main ELAP office in Bellevue

Salary:                        $58,349.50 /year (with step increases indexed for inflation and seniority).

Benefits:                    Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance, 401(k) with match, 12 paid Holidays, plus week between Christmas Day and New Year’s off, Vacation, and Sick Leave, bar dues, and full compensated CLEs

Send resume and cover letter to Ngoc Nguyen, Operations Director at ngoc@elap.org.  ELAP will start interviewing at the beginning of June. Priority will be given to candidates who apply by June 2, 2021. This posting is open until filled.

Equity and Inclusion

ELAP is organizationally committed to fighting racism and to incorporating equity and inclusion in our advocacy work and our internal systems and work environment. ELAP expects all staff to uphold this organizational commitment and approach their role with a desire to learn and grow in this area. As with all staff, the attorney filling this role is expected to center race equity in their work and support ELAP’s goal to operate as an anti-racist organization. 

ELAP is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws prohibiting employment discrimination. ELAP promotes mutual respect, acceptance, teamwork and productivity in the workplace. People of color, immigrants, women, LGBTQIA, those with disabilities, mature workers, and other underrepresented and historically marginalized groups are strongly encouraged to apply. ELAP is committed to operating as an organization whose staff, board, and clients are diverse in background, experience, race, color, national origin, gender, age, religious preference, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, sensory, mental or physical abilities, veteran status, and other qualities that strengthen our work while reinforcing our mission. Individuals needing a reasonable accommodation for the application or interview process or for more information about the project should email Ngoc Nguyen, Operations Director, at ngoc@elap.org.

• Qualified Immunity 360: A Multi-Part Presentation on the History, Legal Basis, and Utility of the Judge-Made Defense to Claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983.

  The Minority and Justice Commission is sponsoring a day-long presentation on qualified immunity, co-hosted by Washington Supreme Court Justice Mary Yu and Judge David Whedbee of the King County Superior Court. The presentation aims to facilitate a “360-degree” discussion of this doctrine, to educate practitioners, judges, law students, and the public on the mechanics, history, and public policy behind the doctrine.

  The webinar event will be on May 7, 2021, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (with discussion afterward for those who are interested), co-sponsored by Washington State’s three law schools and the Washington State Bar Association.  CLE credit is available.

  The current roster of presenters is:

  1. David Owens, Seattle/Chicago-based plaintiff’s side practitioner with active § 1983 litigation across the country, will address his practical analysis when doing case selection, in light of the current qualified immunity case law and procedural obstacles. Mr. Owens, who teaches a class at Stanford on race and § 1983, will also discuss the disproportionate impact of police use of force on communities of color.  [8:30am – 9:30am].
  1. Brian Maxey, former Assistant City Attorney for the Cities of Seattle and New York, will discuss an officer’s ability to resort to qualified immunity and its advantages in litigation.  Mr. Maxey will also address related issues of officer indemnification and municipal liability. [9:40am to 10:40am].
  1. Tiffany Wright, adjunct professor at the Howard University School of Law Civil Rights Clinic, will provide the social and legal historical background for the emergence of the doctrine, including the legislative intent that animated the Civil Rights Act of 1871 and the failure in the post-Reconstruction era to enforce constitutional protections under the Act through to Monroe v. Pape, 365 U.S. 167 (1961). [10:50am – 11:50am].
  1. Prof. James Pfander of the Northwestern School of Law will address the legal validity of qualified immunity as rooted in the common law at the time of the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1871, as held in Pierson v. Ray, 386 U.S. 547 (1967), in addition to relevant common law defenses and remedies available during the Antebellum period.
  1. Prof. Janet Hoeffel of Tulane Law School will discuss the advent of the “reasonably unreasonable police officer” in Pierson and as further developed in subsequent case law such as Harlow v. Fitzgerald, 457 U.S. 800 (1982), as the U.S. Supreme Court expanded its theory for qualified immunity based on a public policy of shielding officers from the burdens of litigation.
• [Profs. Pfander and Hoeffel will have a combined presentation, from 12:30pm to 1:30pm]
• 1. Prof. Joanna Schwartz of the UCLA School of Law will address the question of how the public policies that underlie qualified immunity work in practice, in terms of impacts on courts and litigants based on her empirical research. [1:40pm to 2:40pm].
  2. Judge Carlton Reeves, of the Southern District of Mississippi, will discuss his qualified immunity opinion in Jamison v. McClendon, No. 16cv-595-CWR-LRA (S.D.Miss. Aug. 4, 2020), including his approach to drafting and any reactions to the opinion. His presentation will occur in an interview format with Chief Justice Steve González of the Supreme Court of Washington. [3:00pm to 4:00pm].

  Some of these presenters have participated in recent efforts to seek the U.S. Supreme Court’s reconsideration of the doctrine and will discuss this topic, too.

Pre-Registration is required: https://wacourts.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_vfeFrkJDSVKxvhmQ2p0gnQ

Save the date for "GOOD Guys: Corporate Edition", a program the Commission on Women in the Profession is cosponsoring with the Woman Advocate Committee, the National Conference of Women's Bar Associations, and the ABA Young Lawyers Division.  On 30 April, 2021 at 2:00 P.M. CT, information will be presented about the progress toward gender equity at in-house legal departments, followed by a panel of corporate counsel male allies who will discuss practical strategies they have seen work when advancing women in the profession.  The Commission on Women in the Profession's Men in the Mix study will be incorporated into the discussion, so the event is not to be missed!  If you are interested,  register here: form.jotform.com/210804629600146 and invite your male colleagues to do the same.  Here is a Linkedin post you can reshare, or copy and paste on another platform: Commission on Women ABA on LinkedIn: #legal #lawyers #diversity

2021 Judicial Academy - A Bootcamp for Aspiring Judges

Have you ever thought about pursuing a career on the bench?  Do you secretly dream of doing it but have no idea how to get started or wonder if the role is really for you?  Do you ever have doubts about whether "someone like you" could ever make it happen?  If you answered yes to any of the above, you owe it to yourself to attend this course.

The National Judicial College is offering a week-long Judicial Academy course this year at the National Judicial College in Reno, NV on October 25-29, 2021. Here is the registration link: 2021 Judicial Academy – A Boot Camp for Aspiring Judges | NJC. The deadline for applications is June 1, 2021.  Scholarships are available.

A personal note from Rania: I attended this course in its inaugural year in 2019 (on a full scholarship covering travel, hotel, and tuition).  It was a FANTASTIC, AMAZING and LIFE ALTERING experience - no joke. If you are at all interested or on the fence, please shoot me an email and we can set up a time to chat.  And/or I can put you in touch with William J. Brunson, the Director who runs this course at the National Judicial College (a highly respected institution that trains trial judges from all over the country).

 LIWOCA is a national organization dedicated to providing a community within the practice of law for women of color attorneys through educational and networking opportunities. This year LIWOCA is hosting its 16^th annual conference virtually in a series of webinars. 

Tickets for the entire series are only $99. A flyer is attached. The other programs in the series are:

• April 29 - Interactive Career Counseling and Young Professionals Small Group Coaching
• May 6 - The Imposter Syndrome
• May 1 - Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Young Professionals’ Networking Session
• May 20 - Fireside Chat with Breaking the Glass Ceiling Award Winner #1
• May 21 – Fireside Chat with Breaking the Glass Ceiling Award Winner #2 and  Virtual Closing Reception

Please see our website for more information: leadingwomenofcolor.org

This year LIWOCA will be hosting its 16^th annual conference virtually in a series of webinars that kicks off on April 22, 2021. We are slated to have three webinars that include roundtable and panel discussions, concluding with a virtual networking event with various general counsels. The attached flyer provides more specific details about this event. 

 Tickets for the entire series are only $99. The other programs in the series are:

• April 22 - Implicit Bias
• April 29 - Interactive Career Counseling and Young Professionals Small Group Coaching
• May 6 - The Imposter Syndrome
• May 1 - Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and Young Professionals’ Networking Session
• May 20 - Fireside Chat with Breaking the Glass Ceiling Award Winner #1
• May 21 – Fireside Chat with Breaking the Glass Ceiling Award Winner #2 and  Virtual Closing Reception

Should you have any questions, please feel free to email us at: info@leadingwomenofcolor.org.

Please see our website for more information: leadingwomenofcolor.org

The Financial Future is Female: Women Lawyers and Wealth Creation

"Empowering Your Own Financial Future: An Overview" - April 20^th, 2021 at 12:00 p.m. CT/1:00p.m. ET.

"Empowering Your Own Financial Future: An Overview" is the first webinar of a series "The Financial Future is Female: Women Lawyers and Wealth Creation." This webinar will show that at any stage in your career you can begin to focus on creating your own wealth and provide some practical tips to consider in setting your own path.  Not everyone's path is the same.  A panel of three women lawyers from different demographics and career stages will share their experience with wealth creation, the barriers they may have faced, and overcoming those barriers.   A representative from ABA Retirement Funds Program will present the common issues that often interfere with a woman's opportunity to create wealth and offer financial wellness solutions based on current industry research and experience. This overview is the first in a series of more detailed webinars intended to encourage and remind women lawyers that we have the power to create wealth. The first webinar will set the stage for the next three webinars that will focus more in depth on financial management issues facing young lawyers, financial management issues facing more senior lawyers, and maximizing and protecting your wealth creation.

*This presentation is intended for educational and informational purposes only.

Registration link: Empowering Your Financial Future: An Overview

On April 15th, Lewis & Clark, Seattle University, and Gonzaga Law Schools are collaborating to host a virtual event that features Gender and Justice Commission Members and Affiliates for discussion on gender-related issues in the law.  The event will focus on real-world legal advice about navigating gender and identity intersectionality in the workplace. WWL members are invited to volunteer for the event.  

The event will take place in two parts.  First, a main discussion room will briefly introduce the Commission and the topics at issue.  Second, we will divide into breakout rooms where students will be able to have a conversation with volunteer attorneys and judges.  Students can look forward to networking opportunities while simultaneously promoting discussion on modern gender-related issues in our profession.  The breakout room topics will focus on (1) Identity and Intersectionality in the Workplace (e.g., Gender and Race, Gender and LGBTQ+, Becoming a better Ally), (2) Uncomfortable Moments: Navigating Offensive Conduct and Microaggressions in the Workplace and in Interviews, and (3) Negotiating a Salary and Other Difficult Conversations.  

If you would like to participate, please fill out this form and select a breakout room: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1kLyJaH-B_TKg8zZwYUCU_QEBSuo3uNu5HeVgJL7YFjg/edit. Questions can be directed to event organizers, Ivy-Rose (ivykramer@lclark.edu) and Olivia (olivia@supplyhouse.com).

The Asian Bar Association of Washington is partnering with Davis Wright Tremaine and the Civil Survival Project to present a CLE on helping folks clear up their old criminal convictions, which often serve as impediments to stable housing and jobs.  The CLE will be virtual on March 24@ 1-2pm.  Please feel forward to your membership and network.

Attending the CLE doesn’t obligate you to take any cases, but after attending the CLE, we hope that you will find that these cases aren’t super time consuming, and can be done as we look for things to fill our day as we work from home.  All of the “client contact” can occur through email/phone/snail mail and there generally isn’t any physical court appearance required in King County.  I’m a corporate attorney, and I’ve been able to handle these in several courts within King County without any court appearance. 

We are preparing for our High School Mock Trial season and need volunteer attorneys to donate their time and expertise in judging/scoring at our Washington State Mock Trial Tournament in March. We need 144 attorney volunteers to successfully run this tournament. As a volunteer attorney rater you will watch the trial via Zoom, fill out a scoresheet in our digital software, and offer brief and positive feedback to the participants at the end of the trial.  You do not need any experience to participate. 

The 2021 Washington State Mock Trial Tournament is being hosted virtually on March 18-21.

We need your help by volunteering and spreading the word to your network.

The tournament will be held virtually this year.  Each round lasts about 2-3 hours. 

Here are the trial times for the competition: We ask attorney raters to log in 30 mins. before the trial starts.

Thursday, March 18

Round 1: 5:30pm

Friday, March 19

Round 2: 530pm

Saturday, March 20

Round 3: 10am

Round 4: 2pm

If you are able to help us out, please fill out a short form, including your Bar Number, and register here or contact our program director, Emily Lake, directly at elake@seattleymca.org.

Also, we would love your help in spreading the word about this great opportunity by sharing with your colleagues and attorney friends.

Mock Trial is a competition where teens work with legal professionals in their community to develop an understanding of real life case law and the role of the court system in a democratic society. Our goal is to teach students how to be involved in their communities and be active, knowledgeable participants. Our program reaches all across the state, ultimately bringing teams to Thurston County for the State Championships. We ask members of the legal community to watch, judge, and score teams based on their courtroom performance. Our students have been studying the case, written by Judge Robert Lewis, for months, preparing their cases.

Thank you again for taking the time to support hands-on civic education.