We have several positions open!

Come work with us.  Scroll down to see postings for:

• Statewide Housing Justice Attorney

• Housing Justice Litigation Attorney

• Immigration Attorney

• Operations Manager

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Statewide Housing Justice Attorney

Kentucky Equal Justice Center seeks an attorney with experience in housing law and policy as our new Housing Justice Attorney. KEJC is a mid-sized poverty law advocacy nonprofit with a staff of twenty-two and a budget of $2.6 million. We believe every Kentuckian has the right to health care, housing, fair pay, food, education, and safety. KEJC’s staff works in Kentucky’s capital and in courtrooms and communities across Kentucky. Our program at Maxwell Street Legal Clinic in Lexington provides immigration law services.

 

Working at KEJC is challenging and exciting because there is always a lot to do and many ways we could help directly impacted Kentuckians, engage with coalition partners, and work towards a Kentucky in which everyone has enough. KEJC works internally and externally in teams and coalitions and therefore seeks a Housing Justice Attorney who will help establish and maintain a healthy culture of collaboration. We are searching for an energetic attorney who is passionate about social justice. We are willing to consider applicants from anywhere in Kentucky to help support the work of all four legal aid programs from Pikeville to Paducah.

 

About the Position

The Housing Justice Attorney will be responsible for leading KEJC’s response to the current eviction crisis and working across organizations, coalitions, and geographies to ensure that all Kentuckians facing eviction have access to rental assistance, legal assistance, and justice. The attorney will work closely with tenants’ unions currently active in Kentucky:  Louisville Tenants’ Union, Kentucky Tenants (Fayette & Rowan), Madison County Tenants’ Union, and the People’s Union in Ashland. 

 

The Housing Justice Attorney will join a multi-function advocacy team that includes our Outreach Coordinator, four Housing Justice Organizers doing outreach, the Eviction Prevention Coalition Lead, Eviction Prevention Attorneys in Fayette County, Senior Counsel, Communications Coordinator, Resource Organizer, and Director to build a housing justice program. The attorney will supervise the housing outreach work at KEJC and will work with KEJC’s communications, development, and legal staff.

 

The immediate goal: deliver rental assistance and housing security to all Kentuckians. The long-term goal: every Kentuckian experiences housing as a human right.  

 

Duties and Responsibilities

The primary work of the Housing Justice Attorney will be to:

 

• Deliver direct services to Kentuckians facing eviction but who are not eligible for direct representation by Legal Aid, either due to immigration or conflict status

• Support attorneys, legal aid organizations, and other community service providers who are also delivering those services

• Build systems internal to KEJC and with our organizational partners to allow Kentuckians to access legal assistance and rental assistance more easily and reliably

 

To achieve these goals, the Housing Justice Attorney will:

 

• Develop detailed knowledge of policy options and best practices for preventing evictions and delivering rental assistance to Kentuckians

• Monitor proposed changes in local, state, and federal law, regulations, and practices related to eviction and rental assistance programs

• Develop state, regional, and national peer and expert networks for advice, counsel, and development and evaluation of proposals and initiatives

• Prepare a variety of written materials including briefing papers on promising options, best practices, and current issues; and compelling public-facing communications on housing, evictions, and rental assistance

• Participate in meetings, conferences calls, and activities of local, state, and national public interest partners, including Kentucky Housing Corporation, National Low Income Housing Coalition, ThriveKY, and coalitions of organizers and directly impacted Kentuckians

• Help plan and conduct meetings of the statewide legal services Consumer and Housing Task Force

• Help develop and implement a communications plan designed to provide useful and timely information through multiple media to support delivery of rental assistance

• Assist Kentuckians in applying for rental assistance

• Identify and pursue impact litigation opportunities on key issues and manage a small caseload of individual matters

• Work with KEJC staff to identify additional funding opportunities to ensure the sustainability of KEJC’s housing justice work

​

Qualifications

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

 

• Active membership in the Kentucky bar

• A minimum of two years’ experience as an attorney with preference for candidates with 5+ years of experience including housing litigation and experience working across organizations to deliver housing stability services to Kentuckians

• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, including demonstrated public policy communications

• Comfort speaking in front of groups

• Excellent interpersonal skills

• Comfort working in a multicultural setting, with sensitivity to language and cultural issues

• Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills

• Facility with social media and web-based communications tools

• Ability to be a self-starter in developing and carrying out activities, to take initiative and work independently, as well as in a team

• Knowledge of low-income issues

• Commitment to racial justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion

​

Proficiency in a second language, especially Spanish, is a plus. Location in Louisville is a preference but we will consider applicants from anywhere in the Commonwealth.

​

Location

KEJC has offices in Lexington and Louisville, but we seek to hire the most outstanding candidate for this position. We consider geographic diversity within Kentucky both a strength and a challenge. We will explore it with candidates invited to interview for the positions.

 

Salary and Benefits

Salaries for attorneys or paralegals are based on experience and our salary scale. Examples:  $51,816 at 3 years and $63,180 at ten years.  Generous fringe benefits include health and retirement, dental, life, and disability coverage. KEJC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, but we provide health and retirement benefits through participation in state and county employee plans.

 

Grant Funded Position with Potential Renewal

This position is funded by a grant from Kentucky Housing Corporation until June 30, 2024, but new funding sources are being pursued by the entire development team at KEJC. Over time, sustainability will depend on locating new sources of support.

 

Starting Date  

As soon as possible.

​

Application Instructions

To apply, please use our app (https://bit.ly/work-at-kejc) to upload as a single .pdf document:

 

• a cover letter

• your resume

• three references with phone numbers and email addresses

• 2-3 examples of recent work that you feel is relevant to this position (optional)

 

Recent work materials might include legal briefs, policy papers, videos or slides of presentations you are proud of, one-pagers explaining an issue to laypeople, and op-eds or blog posts.  If these materials are available online, you may provide them by linking to them in the cover letter or in a separate document in the single .pdf upload.

 

If you need an accommodation or assistance to submit your application and materials, please email ben@kyequaljustice.org.

​

Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.

​

For more information

Contact Stefanie Ebbens Kingsley, Housing Justice Attorney, Kentucky Equal Justice Center, 201 West Short Street, Suite 310, Lexington, KY 40507. Email: stefanie@kyequaljustice.org.

 

Diversity Statement

KEJC welcomes your application. As an organization, we are committed to anti-racism and are working to build a racial justice framework into our programming and policy initiatives. We acknowledge our history as a predominately white organization and are committed to ending white supremacy. Doing so is essential to our objective of full equality for all people.

 

KEJC provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religious creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy, childbirth (or related medical conditions, including, but not limited to lactation), physical disability, mental and/or intellectual disability, age, military status or status as a Vietnam-era or special disabled veteran, marital status, registered domestic partner or civil union status, gender (including sex stereotyping and gender identity or expression), medical condition (including, but not limited to, cancer-related or HIV/AIDS-related), genetic information, or sexual orientation in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.

 

Women, people of color, transgender individuals and members of other underrepresented populations are strongly encouraged to apply. KEJC also supports and encourages people who were formerly convicted to be active in their community. Background checks results that indicate a conviction do not necessarily disqualify you from employment. KEJC reserves the right to request further information to fully assess an applicant’s candidacy in relation to the job duties associated with the position.

 

About Us

Kentucky Equal Justice Center was formed in 1976 to work with all of Kentucky’s civil legal services programs on statewide issues and projects. Today, we are a flexible and responsive public interest advocacy organization with a wide variety of community partners. We convene statewide legal aid task forces in multiple areas of poverty law and provide immigration law services through Maxwell Street Legal Clinic in Lexington.

 

Kentucky Equal Justice Center is an equal opportunity employer

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Housing Justice Litigation Attorney

Kentucky Equal Justice Center seeks an attorney with litigation experience who wants to make life fairer for Kentuckians who rent their homes in Lexington-Fayette County. KEJC believes every Kentuckian has the right to health care, housing, fair pay, food, education, and safety. 

 

The Housing Justice Litigator will be responsible for handling most of the eviction cases accepted through the new Lexington-Fayette County Housing Stability Program, which was launched to increase access to counsel for all tenants facing eviction. Much of this work will address one of the largest gaps in access to justice in the Commonwealth: the lack of legal counsel for undocumented Kentuckians who cannot afford an attorney and are not eligible for traditional legal services programs.

 

The Housing Justice Litigator will work with our Housing Justice Team to identify and pursue both individual cases and class actions with the potential to establish precedent that will help level the dramatic power imbalance between landlords and their renters.

 

This attorney and Housing Justice Team will work across sectors—including legal aid programs, the private bar, and governmental units—and across geographies to ensure that all Kentuckians facing eviction have access to rental assistance, legal assistance, and justice. 

 

KEJC works in Kentucky’s capital and in courtrooms and communities across Kentucky. This position’s funding prohibits “general advocacy” on policy matters. The primary work of the Housing Justice Attorney will be to:

 

• Deliver direct services to Kentuckians facing eviction, including representation of individuals that legal aid organizations cannot serve, assistance enrolling Kentuckians in rental assistance programs, and impact and/or class action litigation.

• Identify pattern and practice violators of URLTA/general landlord-tenant protections to address with affirmative litigation, independently or in conjunction with other legal aid program.

• Support other attorneys and community service providers who are also delivering those services, co-counseling cases with legal aid program staff and the Housing Justice attorneys.

• Build systems at KEJC and with our organizational partners) to allow Kentuckians to access legal assistance and rental assistance more easily and reliably, including:​​

  • Providing legal support to tenants unions and other organizers working in the housing ecosystem who may need legal support in public meetings, or with calls to action.

  • Working with other staff to build legal apps for use by attorneys or Kentuckians facing eviction

  • Organizing, maintaining, and publicizing an eviction litigation brief bank

 

The Housing Justice Litigation Attorney will join a multi-function advocacy team that includes our Housing Justice Attorney, Outreach Coordinator, Housing Outreach Organizers, and our Senior Counsel and Director to build the housing justice program at KEJC. The immediate goal: deliver rental assistance and housing stability and security to all Kentuckians. The long term goal: every Kentuckian experiences housing as a human right. 

​

Duties and Responsibilities

The Housing Justice Attorney will:

 

• Build, develop, and continually improve the role of KEJC Housing Litigators in the Housing Stability Services Access to Counsel initiative for tenants facing eviction in Fayette District Court

• Develop detailed knowledge of options and best practices for preventing evictions and delivering rental assistance to Kentuckians

• Help the Housing Justice team monitor proposed changes in local, state, and federal law, regulations, and practices related to eviction and rental assistance programs

• Help the Housing Justice team develop state, regional, and national peer and expert networks for advice, counsel, and development and evaluation of proposals and initiatives

• Prepare a variety of written materials including compelling public-facing communications on housing, evictions, and rental assistance

• Participate in meetings, conferences calls and activities of local, state, and national public interest partners, including Kentucky Housing Corporation, Kentucky’s four LSC-funded legal aid programs, directly-impacted Kentuckians,, the National Low Income Housing Coalition, and ThriveKY, with a focus on ensuring every Kentuckian who needs rental assistance gets it and every Kentuckian facing eviction experiences zero days of homelessness

• Help develop and implement a communications plan designed to provide useful and timely information through multiple media to support delivery of rental assistance

• Defend Kentuckians facing eviction in court

• Identify and pursue impact litigation opportunities on key issues and handle a caseload of individual matters

 

Qualifications

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Active membership in the Kentucky Bar or admission soon after hiring.

• Commitment to social justice and to equal access to the courts

• A minimum of two years’ experience as an attorney; KEJC has a preference for candidates whose experience includes housing litigation and experience working across organizations to deliver housing stability services, but candidates who have other relevant skills and experience should apply

• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, including demonstrated ability to craft engaging, comprehensible public-facing communications

• Comfort speaking in front of groups

• Excellent interpersonal skills

• Comfort working in a multicultural setting, with sensitivity to language and cultural differences

• Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills

• Facility with social media and web-based communications tools

• Ability to be a self-starter in developing and carrying out activities, to take initiative and work independently, as well as in a team

• Knowledge of low-income issues and poverty law

• Commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion

​

Proficiency in a second language, especially Spanish, is strongly preferred.

​

Location

KEJC has offices in Lexington and Louisville, but we seek to hire the most outstanding candidate for the position wherever they live in Kentucky. We consider geographic diversity within Kentucky both a strength and a challenge. We will explore it with candidates invited to interview.

 

Salary and Benefits

Salaries for attorneys are based on experience and our salary scale. Generous fringe benefits include health, retirement, dental, life, and disability coverage. KEJC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, but we provide health and retirement benefits through participation in state and county employee plans.

Grant Funded Position with Potential Renewal

This position is funded by a grant from Lexington-Fayette County Housing Stability Services through December 2024, with a strong likelihood of renewal for additional years. Over time, sustainability will depend on locating new sources of support.

 

Starting Date:  ASAP

​

Application Deadline: Apply now. Open until filled. We will interview promising candidates on a rolling basis.​

​

Application Instructions

To apply, please use our app https://bit.ly/work-at-kejcto upload as a single .pdf document:

• a cover letter

• your resume

• Writing sample (or excerpt not to exceed 5 pages)

• three references with their phone numbers and email addresses

If your writing sample or other work materials are available online, you may provide them by linking to them in the cover letter or in a separate document in the single .pdf upload.

 

If you need an accommodation or assistance to submit your application and materials, please email stefanie@kyequaljustice.org. Only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.

​

For more information

Contact Stefanie Ebbens Kingsley, Housing Justice Attorney, Kentucky Equal Justice Center, 201 West Short Street, Suite 310, Lexington, KY 40507. Email: stefanie@kyequaljustice.org.

​

Diversity Statement

KEJC welcomes your application. As an organization, we are deeply committed to anti-racism and are working to build a racial justice framework into our programming and policy initiatives. We acknowledge our history as a predominately white organization and are committed to ending white supremacy. Doing so is essential to our objective of full equality for all people.

​

KEJC provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religious creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, pregnancy, childbirth (or related medical conditions, including, but not limited to lactation), physical disability, mental and/or intellectual disability, age, military status or status as a Vietnam-era or special disabled veteran, marital status, registered domestic partner or civil union status, gender (including sex stereotyping and gender identity or expression), medical condition (including, but not limited to, cancer-related or HIV/AIDS-related), genetic information, or sexual orientation in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.

​

Women, people of color, transgender individuals and members of other underrepresented populations are strongly encouraged to apply. KEJC also supports and encourages people who were formerly convicted to be active in their community. Background checks results that indicate a conviction do not necessarily disqualify you from employment. KEJC reserves the right to request further information to fully assess an applicant’s candidacy in relation to the job duties associated with the position.

​

Immigration Attorney

Kentucky Equal Justice Center seeks an attorney with immigration law experience to
join its vibrant immigration law program at Maxwell Street Legal Clinic (MSLC) in Lexington.
The Immigration Staff Attorney will engage in:

• Immigration application assistance: a variety of immigration applications including citizenship, family petitions, and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The attorney will also take on U and T visa cases to assist victims of trafficking, domestic violence, and other crimes.

• Outreach and education: provision of clear, reliable information to practitioners, the public and immigrant community about immigration and immigration law

Duties and Responsibilities
The successful candidate will:

• Provide legal counsel and representation for clients in a variety of immigration matters

• Prepare cases for submission to the federal agency issuing immigration benefits

• Occasionally represent juveniles before family and probate court for matters ancillary to immigration legal work (when licensed to practice law in Kentucky)

• Conduct public education and outreach on immigration law and forms of relief available

• Collaborate with local community organizations and partners

• Competently manage cases, including use of our immigration law case management system

• Maintain accurate, complete, and confidential case files

• Keep up-to-date records needed for reporting

• Participate in grant compliance, reporting, and fundraising

 

Education and Experience
Juris Doctor with bar membership in Kentucky. We will consider candidates qualified to be
admitted by waiver or with potential to become licensed within six months of hire, including
May 2023 law graduates for this position.

​Additional Qualifications
The ideal candidate also will demonstrate:

• A high level of proficiency in English and Spanish (preferred), although experience with or ability to work with interpreters also considered.

• Knowledge of, and experience in, working with people who are foreign-born representing different cultures and economic backgrounds

• Ability to manage a client caseload for immigration legal benefits

• Ability to work well independently and in a small team of immigration attorneys, legal assistants, students, and volunteers

 

​Location
Maxwell Street Legal Clinic is located in Lexington, KY, near the University of Kentucky
campus.

​

Salary and Benefits: $43,200 to $73,999 per year. Benefits include 401k, medical, dental, and life.

​

Starting Date: ASAP

Application Instructions
Please email a cover letter, resume, short writing sample and a list of three references to Allison
Hight, Program Director,  Email:  ahight@kyequaljustice.org.  References should include email
address and phone number.

​

Operations Manager

Kentucky Equal Justice Center seeks an energetic administrative professional to aid us with essential back-office functions.  We are a mid-sized poverty law advocacy nonprofit with a stellar track record, a staff of 17, and a growing budget now exceeding $2 million.  The position includes an opportunity to develop, implement, and refine systems and processes that support staff time for advocacy and services.

 

Duties

The ideal candidate will be able with a high degree of independence to manage many or all of the following functions:

​

Payroll and Timekeeping

• Gather, organize, compile and file staff timesheets; keep track of leave hours

• Prepare full-time and part-time payroll for review and submission via ADP payroll software

• Ensure accurate and timely payment of health plan and retirement system contributions

• Help document, explain and improve payroll-related processes

​

Payables and Receivables

• Manage bill payment and documentation for timely submission, payment, and filing

• Streamline and coordinate employee expense reimbursement processes

• Prepare deposits and provide documentation to accounting firm

• Ensure documentation of credit card purchases

• Help identify and implement best practices and protocols for procurement and internal control

​

Other Administration and Management

• Track main office inventories and order office supplies when needed

• Assist director and accountant with preparation for our annual audit

• Maintain files for insurance policies and contracts

​

Human Resources

• Coordinate recruitment and hiring processes reflecting best practices

• Onboard and help orient new staff, including enrollment in benefits and payroll systems

• Develop knowledge of fringe benefits and personnel policies and respond to employee questions

• Coordinate annual Open Enrollment for health plan

• Offboard departing employees from benefits

• Participate in personnel policy development

• Identify and help implement best practices for staff development and retention

​

Office Administration and Systems

• Document, implement, and improve administrative processes and standard operating procedures, including paperless approaches

• Coordinate procurement of new equipment and office systems

• Develop expertise in tech systems with special focus on phone system

• Interface with technology contractors 

​

Grants Management, Timekeeping and Compliance

• Help produce budgets, budget reports, and outcomes data for grant reports

• Coordinate, support, and improve timekeeping functions for grant billing

• Coordinate timely submission of billing hours for payment

• Prepare monthly time allocation summaries for submission to accounting firm

​

Miscellaneous

• Assist the director with scheduling of board and staff meetings

• Help our Resource Organizer maintain and update donor and contact lists

• Assist with special projects

​

Qualifications, Skills and Competencies

The ideal candidate will bring to the job:

• A degree in accounting, business, public administration or similar field

• At least one year’s experience in nonprofit administration or bookkeeping

• Experience with grants management, allocation, and reporting

• Experience and facility with Microsoft Office, QuickBooks Online and Google Workplace

• Experience with timekeeping software

• Interest in and ability to develop administrative systems and protocols

• Experience with nonprofit administration and best practices

• A collaborative spirit, focused on freeing up advocates’ time for advocacy

• Support for our mission, including racial justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion

​

Location

KEJC’s central office is in downtown Lexington.  Work from home is permitted but some tasks may require presence at the office several hours a week.  Flexible hours. 

​

Supervision

The Operations Director will meet with the director at least once a week to plan and review tasks and projects and coordinate implementation.

​

Salary and Benefits

Salary based on experience and our Professional salary scale.  Illustrative examples:  $40,956 at three years, $51,620 at 10 years.  Generous fringe benefits include health and retirement, dental, life, and disability coverage.  KEJC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, but we provide health and retirement benefits through participation in state and county employee plans.

​

Starting Date

September 1, 2023, or as soon as possible. 

​

Application Deadline

August 4, 2023.  Open until filled.   We will interview promising candidates on a rolling basis.

​

How to Apply

Email a cover letter, resume, and list of three references to:

​

Richard J. Seckel, Director

Kentucky Equal Justice Center

richseckel@kyequaljustice.org

​

References should include email address and phone number.  Submission of writing samples or other relevant work samples optional but encouraged. 

​

For more information 

Contact Richard Seckel, Director, Kentucky Equal Justice Center, 201 West Short Street, Suite 310, Lexington, KY, 40507.  Email:  richseckel@kyequaljustice.org.  Phone:  859-233-3057. 

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