Job Overview: Housing attorney will provide representation in unlawful detainer cases as well as negotiate settlement agreements on behalf of tenants. Written and verbal fluency in a language other than English, such as Spanish, Hmong or Punjabi, is highly desired but not required.
Duties and Responsibilities
The essential functions (i.e., fundamental job duties of the position) are as follows:
- Provides legal advice and represents tenants in unlawful detainer cases, including in court, mediation and settlement negotiations.
- Conducts legal research, prepares legal memoranda and case briefs.
- Conducts community presentations.
- Prepares motions and client correspondence.
- Stays informed of changes in landlord-tenant law including COVID-19 related litigation impacting the rights of tenants and landlords.
- Responds professionally to client emails and phone calls.
- Performs other related duties as assigned.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Education & Experience
- California state bar license required.
- Juris Doctor required. Graduation from an ABA accredited law school preferred.
- At least 1 year of work, externship or internship experience in a law firm, legal aid office preferred.
- Knowledge of landlord-tenant law.
Required Skills & Abilities
- Must have excellent written and verbal English language communication skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in languages other than English are strongly preferred.
- Must have excellent customer service skills.
- Must have excellent organizational skills and ability to effectively prioritize to meet deadlines.
- Must have professional demeanor.
- Must be experienced with remote video conferencing applications such as Zoom.
- Must be experienced with Adobe Acrobat Pro and Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, Outlook and Power Point (cloud-based platforms such as Office 365 strongly preferred).
- Must be comfortable using text communication.
- Must have California drivers’ license.
- Must be emotionally mature and able to take personal responsibility for projects with minimal supervision.
- Must have a can-do attitude, be flexible and be comfortable working in a fast-paced, start-up business culture.
Physical & Work Environment Requirements
- Work environment is primarily remote, home-based location. Work environment also includes attending client meetings in general office setting and court-room appearances.
- Prolonged periods of working on a computer.
- Must be able to communicate with co-workers and clients via telephone, text and email.
- Occasionally required to position self to reach items high or low on shelves, or to carry items up to approximately 25 lbs.
- Must be able to drive to or otherwise travel in the Fresno area and throughout the Central Valley region of California area to various meeting sites.
Note: Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.
Emerzian Shankar Legal Inc. is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on any protected class under California state or federal law. Applicants from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
