JOB TITLE: Housing Unit Staff Attorney – Full-time
LOCATION: Delaware statewide responsibilities – home office in Wilmington, Dover, or Georgetown
REPORTS TO: Managing Attorney, Housing Unit
SALARY: Commensurate with experience and CLASI’s collective bargaining agreement; excellent benefits. (Details on salary scale and benefits package can be found here.)
DATE OF POSTING: March 5, 2026
CONTEXT OF POSITION: The work of the Housing Unit focuses on: 1) providing representation to individual households facing eviction, housing instability, or unsafe conditions; 2) enforcing Fair Housing rights; and 3) working towards systemic change in Delaware.
CLASI’s Housing Unit is looking for candidates who believe that each individual in Delaware has the right to safe, affordable housing and who is willing to bring innovation and energy to assert this right for every client.
Under the supervision of the Managing Attorney, the Staff Attorney will be responsible for providing direct legal assistance to clients throughout the state of Delaware. The Staff Attorney is responsible for appearing in court, providing training for partners and the community, engaging in systemic and policy advocacy, and other duties as identified and necessary to meet the objectives of the program.
The applicant for this position must be able to interact effectively with and be sensitive to the special needs of CLASI clients, including older adults, individuals with physical and mental disabilities, people with low incomes, people with limited English proficiency and members of protected classes.
DUTIES:
1. Provide direct legal services to clients and advocate on behalf of clients in court/litigation, administrative hearings, and various other venues.
2. Supervise paralegal(s).
3. Engage in community education.
4. Assist in drafting and analyzing legislation, regulations and policies.
5. Engage in impact/systemic litigation/advocacy.
6. Travel as directed to see clients and participate in work-related activities, including, but not limited to, court, termination hearings, file reviews, trainings, outreach events, internal meetings, and presentations that occur at night or on weekends, as needed.
7. Become and remain well-informed regarding basic legal principles applicable to housing.
8. If fluent in another language, interpret/translate documents for CLASI staff, as needed.
9. Other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS:
1. Admission to the Delaware bar preferred. If not admitted, admission to bar of another state preferred. If not admitted in Delaware, must be eligible to take the next scheduled Delaware Bar Examination and meet admission requirements including character and fitness.
2. Legal aid/legal services experience strongly preferred. A demonstrated commitment to eviction defense, fair housing and related housing issues preferred.
3. Two-year commitment required.
4. Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
5. Ability to undertake legal analysis.
6. Ability to communicate effectively in Spanish, both orally and in writing, strongly preferred, but not required.
7. Commitment to working with marginalized populations and sensitivity to their needs.
8. Ability and willingness to make effective public presentations.
9. Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
10. Although the vast majority of eviction cases are currently held remotely, candidate must be able and willing to travel across counties as needed and be prepared to handle cases statewide.
11. Ability to travel across the state and work evenings and weekends occasionally for out-of-office training sessions, agency-related meetings, and community education presentations.
12. Strong computer skills, including ability to use Microsoft Word, Outlook, etc.
13. Ability to handle multiple projects and prioritize tasks to meet deadlines.
14. Ability to work both independently and in collaboration with others.
15. Ability to accept constructive criticism, willingness to engage in continuous training, supervision, and evaluation.
CLASI is an Equal Opportunity Employer and we comply with all laws governing fair hiring practices. We welcome applications from interested candidates of all backgrounds.
CLASI is unionized and members of the bargaining unit (attorneys and advocates) are represented by Delaware Legal Aid Workers, NOLSW/UAW Local 2320. This position will be in the bargaining unit. CLASI’s salary scale is available here. More information about CLASI can be found at www.declasi.org.
TO APPLY: Please email a resume, cover letter, and writing sample to Jennifer R. Pérez at Jperez@declasi.org.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER