Right to Counsel Coordinator

EDC JOB DESCRIPTION 

JOB PURPOSE 

Eviction Defense Collaborative (EDC) prioritizes fighting for tenants’ rights, preventing homelessness and working toward a better future. The Right to Counsel Coordinator (RTCC) position is an integral function to support and guide tenants seeking pro per legal assistance and/or litigation assistance as a part of the Tenant Right to Counsel (TRC) Program. The RTCC is a vital first point of in-person contact for tenants requiring an individual who truly enjoys working with people, has the skills and capacity to respond in an empathetic and respectful way to tenants who are often in crisis, and can work effectively in a collegial and fast paced environment. 

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES 

Right to Counsel and Advocacy Duties (85%): 

• Supply in-person reception, assessing clients’ eligibility, directing clients to proper internal or external referrals including following proper intake procedures and policies for EDC’s various practice areas;
• Guide client/s in completing intakes and facilitate consultation to further assess course of action needed for the tenant;
• Draft legal documentation and responsive pleadings such as answers, court fee waivers, declarations, etc. to assist tenants in defending themselves against impending evictions;
• For TRC eligible clients, follow referral protocols to identify the appropriate Tenant Right to Counsel LSO. This includes applying the referral algorithm, informing the assigned LSO’s office of the referral to initiate the conflict check process, providing the client with the referral information;
• Research, identify, and circulate resource referral information and information packets for services beyond those provided by EDC that respond to client inquiries and needs;
• Maintains an expected minimum of 20 cases per month in accordance with the programs needs.

Administrative Duties (15%): 

• Attend weekly program meetings, monthly agency staff meetings, and relevant supervision/check-in meetings.
• Enter all data on time and accurately to support the program evaluation and outcomes tracking. 
• Maintain up-to-date client files, documents and notes to remain in compliance with EDC RTC procedures.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across the organization and with respective departments. 
• Supply a variety of clerical and administrative support to the administrative team as further described:
  • Office signage
  • Communicate about office closures to community (i.e., clients and community partners 
  • Aid with coordinating outreach and education on EDC’s services and access to Right to Counsel
• Perform other duties as assigned in furtherance of EDC’s mission.

QUALIFICATIONS 

First and foremost, the applicant must profoundly share EDC’s mission and vision of social justice and be able to manage stressful situations with empathy and calmness. Below are additional qualifications.  

• Demonstrated commitment to social justice and possesses comprehensive cultural competency when working with individuals of diverse backgrounds.
• Several years of case-management or legal assistance experience is preferred.
• Able to work independently and in a team-oriented environment.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and computer literate (including Microsoft Office Suite, Salesforce and other computer systems).

REQUIRED SKILLS 

• Be well-organized, highly motivated, and creative.
• Have experience working in a client-facing and direct service environment.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Able to work on several projects simultaneously and handle a high volume of activity.
• Ability to work under deadlines (excellent time management skills).
• Fluency, and ability to help clients in a secondary language preferred.
• Punctuality.

CLASSIFICATION 

This is a nonexempt, full-time position. 

UNION 

EDC staff are represented by the National Organization of Legal Services Workers (NOLSW, UAW Local 2320, AFL-CIO). This position is a union position and is subject to the terms of the collective bargaining agreement.  

WORKING CONDITIONS 

The position requires working with individuals during moments of extreme stress and instability. The position also requires the provision of culturally sensitive and empathetic services. Some evening and weekend work may be required.  

EDC follows the SF Department of Public Health's guidelines as well as the CDC's guidelines for workplace safety as well as federal and state OSHA requirements.  

This role is a hybrid role based on the needs of the position in the department at any given time. The employee is expected to be in the office three (3) days a week (or available while working remotely) during normal business hours and to communicate with their supervisor regarding whereabouts when elsewhere for meetings or other obligations. Additionally, the employee is expected to be reachable by email, phone and video conference as needed during normal business hours, Monday – Friday 9:00am – 5:00pm. Some evening and weekend work may be required. Equipment for remote work, such as a laptop, will be provided per the needs of the program or department this position reports to. 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  

● Prolonged sitting/standing.  

● Extensive typing/data entry.  

● Close visual acuity to prepare and analyze data, text, and figures.  

● Prolonged computer use. 

EDC IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER 

Eviction Defense Collaborative (EDC), is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer.  EDC  provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, ethnicity, language, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, genetics, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. 

DIRECT REPORTS 

The Right to Counsel Coordinator will not supervise any employee. 

COMPENSATION 

The base salary for this position is $65,000 ($31.25 per hour). An additional $1,000 will be added for each relevant year of experience, up to 10 years of experience. The starting salary for this position is capped at $75,000 ($36.06 per hour). 

This role is eligible for the Multilingual Stipend. EDC offers the Multilingual Stipend of $125 per month ($1,500 per year) above the base rate, for specific roles that regularly use oral or written communication with clients or related parties, in Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin or Tagalog, in the performance of their regular job duties. To qualify for this stipend, the employee must be fluent in one of the specified languages and pass an oral and/or written test approved by the Labor-Management Committee.