BASTA Director of Legal Services

About BASTA

BASTA (Building and Strengthening Tenant Action) is a project housed in Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA) dedicated to helping Austin renters work alongside their neighbors to improve conditions in their homes and communities. In response to longstanding community frustration over substandard housing and landlord impunity, BASTA engages underrepresented tenants through outreach and education into a housing justice movement that seeks to dismantle the systems that prevent tenants from living in dignified and healthy homes.  

BASTA works to build tenant power by supporting organized groups of renters -tenants associations- and by educating the larger renter community about evictions and other tenant issues. Our tenants association work supports tenants organizations at multifamily properties throughout Austin to advance campaigns to win dignity, respect, better living conditions, and community benefits. Our community education work includes interactive presentations, the development of digital and print materials, and connecting individual tenants facing eviction to resource and rights information. BASTA envisions a future where the collective action of Austin renters has brought healthy and affordable housing to all. 

Position Description:

BASTA’s Director of Legal Services will be a pivotal member of our leadership team responsible for a wide range of legal activities related to tenants rights, community benefits agreements, and housing issues. The Director of BASTA Legal Services will supervise two BASTA paralegals and, with the support of the Project Director, will build out the BASTA Legal Services team, including identifying potential funding for and recruiting additional community lawyers. The Director of BASTA Legal Services Director will work closely with the Project Director, the BASTA Research and Policy Director, BASTA paralegals, and TRLA housing attorneys to support the tenants association, community education, and policy efforts. 

This role requires a dynamic individual with strong legal expertise who locates their legal advocacy in the context of advancing campaigns led by directly-impacted tenants and who sees lawyering as one tactic in the housing justice movement.  The ideal candidate is a creative thinker who is not afraid of the messiness that comes with community lawyering; understands the importance of training and partnering with other attorneys and paralegals to strengthen Austin’s community lawyering infrastructure; has the patience and curiosity to tease out client stories and questions to ensure mutual understanding; and likes to roll up their sleeves to develop the mastery necessary to make seemingly complex information accessible.

Responsibilities:

• Provide legal representation to individual tenants in various housing-related matters, including but not limited to eviction defense, habitability issues, community rule issues, and ledger disputes. Such representation includes counsel and advice, negotiation, and litigation;

• Conduct client intake interviews, assess legal needs, and develop tailored legal strategies;

• Represent tenants associations affirmatively, including negotiating and drafting community benefits agreements;

• Oversee BASTA legal intake line;

• Supervise BASTA paralegal work; convene team meetings; and provide guidance, support, and professional development opportunities to paralegals (and attorneys in the future);

• Identify fellowship and funding opportunities to grow the BASTA legal team with the support of the Project Director and Development and Communications Manager..

• Develop and maintain relationships with TRLA housing attorneys and other public interest attorneys in Austin to build capacity to co-counsel and represent BASTA tenants;

• Provide legal guidance and support to BASTA staff and tenants associations to inform and advance campaigns;

• Serve as a resource for team members seeking legal expertise;

• Work with field staff and Research and Policy Director to develop educational materials and resources about affordable housing tenants’ legal rights and responsibilities;

• Conduct interactive know your rights presentations at tenants associations as needed in conjunction with field staff;

• Collaborate with the Research and Policy Director on tenant-related policy advocacy;  

• Develop community benefits agreement template, based on existing materials, and work with Research and Policy Director to familiarize staff and tenants with community benefit agreements;

• Ensure that legal team case data and deliverables are regularly updated and assist with grant reporting;

• Ensure separation of legal team and outreach work to avoid conflicts of interest and litigation pitfalls, optimize organizer flexibility in advocating at properties, and ensure compliance with organizational restrictions;

• In conjunction with the Project Director, maintain and develop BASTA’s legal team infrastructure, including referral processes and compliances requirements;

• All other duties assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Juris Doctor (JD) and active license to practice law in Texas;
• A minimum of 4 years of active practice, with a focus on tenants rights and housing law preferred;
• Experience in community lawyering, legal services or public interest law;
• Commitment to social, economic, racial and language justice;
• Knowledge of local and state housing laws and regulations;
• Strong legal research, writing and advocacy skills;
• Excellent communication skills;
• Strong interpersonal and consensus-building skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of people, including team members, clients, opposing counsel, and property managers and owners;
• Ability to problem solve and think strategically;
• Ability to effectively multi-task, work well with others under pressure, and creatively adapt as needed;
• Strong organizational skills;
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team;
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends; and
• Vehicle and driver’s license.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience managing staff, interns or volunteers.
• Proficiency in languages often spoken or used by tenants in Austin (ie., Spanish, Arabic, Vietnamese, Pashto, Burmese, ASL);
• Experience with working in multilingual spaces;
• Proficiency with Google Docs, Sheets and Slides or Microsoft equivalents;
• Experience designing accessible and engaging print materials with knowledge of Canva a plus; and
• Familiarity with LegalServer, Slack, Miro, Hustle, and Toggl.