Managing Attorney - Consumer Rights Unit

Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS) is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Accessible Employer and strives to ensure that our staff members reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.

Job Description

Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS) seeks a Managing Attorney to lead the important work of the Consumer Rights Unit (CRU). The CRU represents low-income consumers in a variety of areas to ensure that they are not taken advantage of and that their rights are protected.  The Unit’s work includes foreclosure prevention, including tax and reverse mortgage foreclosures, debt collection defense, cases involving scams, fraud, economic abuse and unfair and deceptive business practices, student loans, wage garnishment, and bankruptcy.  The Unit handles individual cases and does affirmative impact litigation to challenge unfair consumer practices.  The Unit operates a Lawyer for the Day Debt Collection Program in the Small Claims Court sessions of the Roxbury, Chelsea, E. Boston and Charlestown courts.  Individuals who are being sued on old credit card debt are provided same day representation at their small claims hearings.  The CRU has saved people millions of dollars over the years because debt collectors cannot prove that they actually own the debt they are seeking to collect on.  The CRU sees its work as part of the larger effort to combat income and wealth inequality for people of color and focuses its efforts on improving the economic situations of clients.  The CRU has handled cases in virtually every court – Superior, District, Housing, Bankruptcy, U.S. District, Land and Probate.  In addition to litigation, the CRU is engaged in legislative and administrative advocacy on the local, state and national level and conducts community education and outreach programs.   

GBLS seeks a manager with strong leadership skills and the demonstrated ability to effectively supervise a dynamic and innovative unit.  The manager must have the ability to mentor, supervise and co-counsel effectively and in a collaborative manner that provides opportunities for growth and professional development. The Managing Attorney will be responsible for coordinating and managing the substantive legal work of staff lawyers and paralegals; ensuring the day-to-day operation of the unit; providing leadership in developing and implementing the unit’s work in providing legal assistance to individual clients and developing law reform initiatives; overseeing staff supervision including evaluations of staff and the handling of other personnel issues; developing, managing and reporting on grants; collaborating with other substantive law units and participating in the GBLS management group on program wide policy issues.

Qualifications

• Admission to or comity with the Massachusetts bar
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in a legal aid organization or other advocacy organization.
• Demonstrated commitment to poverty law and to providing culturally competent and accessible services to diverse client groups.
• Prior supervisory or administrative experience.
• Ability to mentor, supervise and co-counsel effectively and in a collaborative manner that provides opportunities for growth and professional development.

• Familiarity with consumer issues is preferred.
• Experience representing clients in court is preferred.
• Experience in complex affirmative litigation a preferred.
• Experience in systemic legislative and administrative advocacy or appellate work is preferred.
• Experience working with diverse community groups and community outreach is preferred.

Salary is based on years of legal experience, with a starting annual salary from $95,000. GBLS offers a generous benefits package and a student loan repayment assistance plan for eligible attorneys.

Application Instructions

Interested candidates should submit a resume with a cover letter describing qualifications for the job including legal work and/or experience in related area to the Human Resources Team via email at jobs@gbls.org. Please refer to Job Code: CRU-MANAGER when applying for this position. Deadline for application is March 31, 2023, or until the position is filled.

GBLS values diversity and encourages applicants from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.