Austin/Travis County Eviction Project Director

Austin 

Posted 05/09/2024

Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA) seeks a full-time attorney Project Director to supervise and manage our Austin/Travis County Eviction Project. The Austin/Travis County Eviction Project advocates for safe, decent, affordable, and fair housing for all by advocating on behalf of tenants in Austin and Travis County. The Project Director will oversee the implementation and tracking of multiple grants geared toward supporting tenants in the Austin/Travis County area.  

The Project Director will also oversee the legal advocacy, the distribution of legal information, and manage the staff within the project under the supervision of TRLA’s Housing Group Coordinator and with support from attorneys and other staff within TRLA.  

Primary duties and responsibilities include:

  • Administers the project to ensure grant conditions are being followed and cooperates with the grants and accounting staff in complying with timely reporting requirements. 

  • Reports to the Housing Group Coordinator in accordance with requirements set out by the Group Coordinator. 

  • Oversees management of staff within the project. 

  • Development of a plan with TRLA’s Telephone Access to Justice Project to maintain hotline support for tenants seeking legal information and assistance regarding housing issues in the Austin/Travis County area. 

  • Supervises the legal work of the staff, including paralegals and attorneys, assigned to Austin/Travis County housing grants including regular spot checks of closed cases and quarterly case reviews. 

  • Schedules Duty Attorney assignments for project members to assure that for every day there is at least one attorney responsible for reviewing intake and making case disposition decisions. 

  • Reviews intake disposition decisions on a regular basis to assure that equitable treatment is extended to all clients and that disposition decisions are made in a manner that is consistent with TRLA policies and priorities. 

  • Reviews and approves Tier Approval Litigation Requests in Legal Server for specified cases be undertaken by the Project and approves such case closings. 

  • Approves litigation expenses of up to $500 per case. 

  • Reviews all significant cases on a regular basis to assure that the quality and timeliness of legal work by project members is maintained. 

  • Monitors and reviews changes in laws, and coordinates forums to review such changes. 

  • Identifies cases and clients in the Practice Area that do not readily access the intake system and assuring that all clients have equal access to program resources. 

  • Prepares routine forms and default legal advice, developing modules and procedures, and making recommendations for other improvements to the Client Tracking System that enhance the efficiency of program operations. 

  • Supervises the work of the staff assigned to the Project to ensure quality and appropriate workload balance. 

  • Enforces compliance with funding regulations and program policies. 

  • Maintains coordinated communications among project members to maintain program quality.  

  • Coordinates community legal education and outreach activities for the Project. 

  • Prepares default information with approval from the Housing Group Coordinator. 

  • Analyzes issues affecting clients. 

  • Responds initially to client grievances when a grievance arises over the quality of service of the Project. 

  • Has a public relations role with the City of Austin and Travis County, community, and client organizations, representing TRLA in appropriate matters. 

  • Takes all actions necessary or appropriate to bring project resources to bear on the legal problems of clients, in a manner that is consistent with program rules and policies. 

Qualifications and Preferences: 

  • Licensed to practice law in Texas. 

  • At least two years’ experience practicing Housing Law in Austin/Travis County. 

  • Preference for candidates with experience in project management, staff management, or other supervisory roles. 

  • Strong office management organizational skills, including implementation of systems to ensure the team complies with various requirements and meets case deadlines.  

  • Demonstrated commitment to social justice; preferred knowledge of the TRLA service delivery. 

  • Preference is given to persons who are bilingual in English and Spanish. 

Compensation and Benefits:     

Salary is commensurate with experience and includes an excellent fringe benefits package, including law school loan repayment, generous paid leave, healthcare insurance, a retirement plan, and training & travel stipends.   

TRLA IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER    

At TRLA, we are committed to offering fair and equal employment opportunities to all job applicants and employees. We strictly prohibit any form of discrimination and harassment of any type based on race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.