About Washington Lawyers'​ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs

The Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs (WLC) works to create legal, economic, and social equity through litigation, client and public education, and public policy advocacy with a primary focus on racial justice. For the last 55 years, the Committee has been on the cutting edge of civil rights advocacy in the region bringing precedent setting litigation to address discrimination. Our work focuses on injustices in housing, employment, the criminal legal system, education, public accommodations, and the civil rights of immigrants. We partner with individuals and communities facing discrimination and with the legal community to achieve justice. The Committee’s staff is unionized with the National Organization of Legal Service Workers Local #2320, UAW. For more information on the Washington Lawyers’ Committee, please go to www.washlaw.org.

About the role

The Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs (the “Committee”) seeks an attorney to join the Committee’s Housing Justice Team to pursue and lead litigation and other legal services on behalf of District of Columbia tenants, many of whom are organizing, and to support the racial and economic justice objectives of D.C. tenants and tenant organizations.

Candidates must be within commuting distance to Downtown Washington, DC. Washington Lawyers’ Committee operates on a hybrid model:  all staff work in the office (Tuesday – Thursday), with a telework option (Monday, Friday).

Responsibilities

The attorney will provide legal services, primarily in the form of systemic litigation, to protect the rights of D.C. tenants. This will include litigation to combat discrimination on the basis of race, sex, disability, source of income, and other protected categories; address deplorable housing conditions and tenants’ right to organize; and pursue the racial and economic justice objectives of our clients. The position also includes building and maintaining collaborative engagement with community partners. The attorney will also participate in advocacy efforts as time permits.

The attorney will be responsible to:

• Provide a broad range of legal services including advice, counsel, advocacy, and litigation to individuals facing discrimination in their housing, tenants who are organizing, or to tenant organizations,
• Work in partnership with tenant led organizations, community-based organizations, legal and social services programs and others to identify the pressing issues most impacting our client communities as well as to promote organizing and the objectives of tenant organizations,
• Identify opportunities for systemic advocacy or litigation within the Committee’s practice areas, and
• Collaborate with other Committee staff on cross cutting issues.

Skills/Qualifications 

The ideal candidate will possess the following skills and qualifications:

• Passion for civil rights and racial equity advocacy, including working with marginalized communities,
• Experience representing low-income tenants,
• Experience working with community-based organizations and organizers,
• Demonstrated awareness and sensitivity to the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse cultures backgrounds, and orientations,
• Ability to contribute to the creation of a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture that encourages and celebrates differences,
• D.C. Bar membership (in good standing), or the ability to waive into the D.C. Bar, and
• Bilingual ability in Spanish language (professional fluency) preferred but not required.

Compensation

Washington Lawyers' Committee salary scale is an experienced-based pay scale. See pay range for this role.

How to Apply 

Please include with your application a cover letter detailing your interest, resume, at least three references, and a brief writing sample.

Please include your references and writing sample as appendices within your cover letter (one pdf document).