About the Community Economic Defense Project (CEDP)
The COVID-19 pandemic triggered unprecedented eviction risk for U.S. renters, and we formed the previously-named COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project (CEDP) in April 2020 as a direct response. Over the past few years, our community organizing project evolved into a large housing stability organization that operates a continuum of eviction and displacement prevention care. Our mission is to Keep Coloradans Housed. We do this by helping to prevent mass evictions and homelessness.
Born out of the COVID-19 pandemic, the law firm and housing stability fund that make up CEDP will continue to operate and deepen their services for Colorado renters facing eviction. Specifically, CEDP offers a “continuum care” approach to eviction prevention that centers the legal and financial needs of housing-insecure families and uses a variety of tools to keep them housed. Serving 1,000 households per month, we bring together housing lawyers, economists, data analysts, policy-experts, organizers, and technologists to provide four services:
• Rental Assistance: through the Colorado Stability Fund, we leverage public funds to pay back and future rent, reinstate leases, and avert evictions through rental debt settlements.
• Legal Services: For complicated cases with additional legal issues or difficult landlords, CEDP offers eviction defense services, paired with rental assistance dollars, to encourage settlement or stabilize tenancies and represent tenants in court when negotiation does not work.
• Rehousing and Case Management: Where legal services do not work, we provide rehousing support services through ERA funding and agency referrals.
• Policy: More broadly, we go case to cause. We work with our clients to tell their stories and amplify their voices into policy change. For example, In the 2020-2021 legislative session, for example, we drafted and, in coalition with other stakeholders and community organizations, passed the renters’ rights legislation that caps late fees, penalizes abusive landlords, and gives Coloradans access to the warranty of habitability without paying a bond.
Our model has been cited as a best practice by White House, HUD, the Urban Institute, and in the media.
As COVID moves from pandemic to endemic, CEDP is working to stabilize families who have been left behind and fight community wealth stripping through a broader Community Economic Defense model. As our team continues to scale our services at risk of eviction, we are also beginning to build a comprehensive economic, legal, and policy response to mortgage foreclosure, debt, and predatory towing across Colorado. Similar to CEDP’s work on rental housing, these efforts will offer a continuum of care that includes navigation and advisory services, targeted payments, legal support, and the ability to participate in advocacy.
As our team continues to scale our services at risk of eviction, we are also beginning to build a comprehensive economic, legal, and policy response to foreclosure across Colorado. Similar to CEDP’s work on rental housing, this effort will seek to provide homeowners at risk of foreclosure with a continuum of care that includes navigation and advisory services, targeted payments, legal support, and the ability to participate in advocacy.
More about the Senior Attorney & Clinic Supervisor Role:
We are seeking an experienced, Senior Attorney to oversee CED Law’s courthouse clinics and manage our eviction defense clinic program.
A successful candidate will have experience as a Senior Attorney with CED Law’s eviction clinics in Arapahoe, Adams, and Denver counties and a desire to maintain and build new relationships to expand the program. The best-fit candidate for this role will have three or more years of experience in litigation, managing and developing projects, and administrative oversight.
To further ensure success, candidates are expected to work comfortably under pressure with tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment. The Senior Attorney & Clinic Supervisor must exercise sound judgment and have strong written and verbal skills as well as the ability to collaborate with peers and managers to adapt and improve new processes. Spanish language skills are desired but not required. We offer a competitive salary and benefits which are detailed below.
In This Role You Will: Develop a long-term vision for CED Law’s clinic program by maintaining our current program and working to expand it.
- Oversee and coordinate CED Law’s various courthouse eviction defense clinics, including training attorneys on clinic processes, staffing the clinics every week, and ensuring that clinic supplies are stocked and technology is working.
- Attend CED Law’s eviction defense clinics 2-3 times per week and work directly with clients at the clinics on a limited representation basis.
- Coordinate assignment of full representation cases from clinic to the appropriate staff or senior housing attorneys with the assistance of Eviction Directors.
- Serve as the point person for attorneys when on site at the clinic. While this role does not include direct supervision of attorneys, the Clinic Program Attorney will oversee CED Law’s clinic program and work with supervisors on training and implementation of the program.
- Serve as the point of contact for current external clinic relationships, including courthouse personnel and partner organizations.
- Lead clinic administrative work, including developing and maintaining policies, intake forms, and representation agreements, and assisting with inputting clinic cases into CED Law’s case management system, with the support and assistance of supervisors and paralegals.
- Set overall goals, priorities, and growth trajectories for CED Law’s clinic program.
- Develop and maintain relationships and partnerships with external groups to grow the program.
Requirements:
- Colorado Bar admission and JD
- Experience as a Senior Attorney at CED Law
- Ability to travel to and work at CED Law’s various courthouse clinics in Arapahoe, Adams, and Denver counties, requiring in-person work 2-3 times per week and potentially more as the program grows.
- Familiarity and expertise with CED Law’s current clinic programs and structure.
- Minimum three years of experience as a practicing attorney with an emphasis in litigation and housing/eviction defense work.
- Excellent client-relations skills and ability to handle client problems and complaints respectfully and professionally.
- Proven ability to manage administrative work and follow administrative procedures and policies closely with attention to detail.
- Excellent organizational skills
- A supportive, client-focused attitude
- Experience and passion for overseeing and developing projects
- A creative, self-driven attitude and ability to build on an existing program
- A strong desire to work in a collaborative environment centered on social and racial justice and equity
- Ability to work collaboratively with people of diverse personal and professional backgrounds
- Openness and adaptability to new environments
- A process-oriented mindset
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving organization
- Excellent interpersonal communication skills
- Knowledge of MS Office suite, specifically Excel, CLIO or other case management systems, and payment processing systems.
- Familiarity and knowledge of Google Suite desired
To Apply:
Interested candidates should apply by clicking the button to apply linked on this page.
Equal Opportunity
CEDP is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
Benefits & Compensation
- Salary starts at $92,500 per year. Current CEDP employees would enter the role at their current organizational year within the grade.
- Benefits include health, vision, dental, unlimited paid vacation, short-term and long-term disability, and 401K.
- As in-person work is sometimes required, all employees at CEDProject.org are expected to maintain current vaccination status in keeping with CDC recommendations.