Legal Counsel. Ver Legal Counsel Page: 1

Transcription

1 Legal Counsel SALARY RANGE: $70,000 to $90,000+ FLSA: Exempt LOCATION: Boston CONTACT: HR Department: BENEFITS: Excellent single/family health and dental PPO, 80% employer contribution & 401K. Website: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: With more than 25 years on the front lines of the battle for economic justice, the Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America (NACA) fights on behalf of working people against predatory lending practices, and ensures that its Members can build strong, stable neighborhoods through affordable homeownership in urban and rural areas nationwide. NACA is a high-profile organization with a tremendous track record of success assisting hundreds of thousands of homeowners and homebuyers with over two million members. NACA has set the national standard for assisting low to moderate income people to achieve the dream of affordable homeownership. In keeping with its deep roots in advocacy, NACA now looks to grow its Boston-based headquarters team and become an even greater force in future years, both at the state and national political levels. NACA is also expanding its local offices nationwide and adding additional ones to significantly increase the number of people and communities it serves with its extraordinary mortgage programs. POSITION SUMMARY: The Legal Counsel provides support for all of NACA s activities both on a national and local level. S/he reports to NACA s Chief Executive Officer. NACA pursues large scale initiatives focusing on fighting financial exploitation, discriminatory practices that primarily impact low and moderate income clients and communities. The Legal Counsel provides legal support for these national initiatives. The Legal Counsel also provides support for NACA s activities at a local level. Priorities are set by the needs of the organization and the subject matter is varied in subject matter and by state jurisdictions. The Legal Counsel manages NACA legal resources in a manner that maintains the flexibility to meet these changing demands and needs which can change on short notice. Legal Counsel also provides legal support to all NACA departments. Such work includes amongst other, litigation, grant compliance, licensing matters, real estate transaction related work, contract and lease review, handling of employee complaints, worker compensation and unemployment compensation matters and a variety of other legal matters. The Legal Counsel is responsible for ensuring that all the work is performed in a timely and highly professional manner. A. JOB RESPONSIBILITIES: The Legal Counsel undertakes the following duties on a day-to-day basis. General Duties: Makes legal decisions for the organization, seeking consultation with the Chief Executive Officer as he determines necessary. Provides legal support to and exercises delegated authority from the Chief Executive Officer, including managing contract and settlement negotiations, drafting letters to public officials Ver Legal Counsel Page: 1

2 addressing matters of importance to NACA and its membership and providing legal support to NACA s advocacy projects. Campaign & Action Support: Provide legal and other advice in support of NACA aggressive advocacy including direct actions. Research individuals and companies in support of NACA s campaigns and actions. Provide legal research and support for ballot initiatives. Affirmative Litigation: Plans and executes NACA s affirmative litigation strategy, seeking consultation with the Chief Executive Officer as he determines necessary. Aggressively pursues affirmative litigation where appropriate against the government, financial institutions and others to protect NACA s interests, the interests of its members and the public interest. Supervises private lawyers engaged in affirmative litigation. Participates himself in preparing briefs, deposing witnesses, reviewing documents and conducting hearings and trials in the most critical and aggressive affirmative litigation. Defensive Litigation: Plans and executes NACA s defensive litigation strategy, seeking consultation with the Chief Executive Officer as he determines necessary, including the implementation of Operations, Human Resource and other departmental policies to avoid prospective litigation. Aggressively defends NACA in any litigation filed against NACA. Supervises or causes to be supervised any private lawyers retained by NACA or insurers to defend NACA in any case. Cooperates with such private lawyers in reviewing and preparing legal theories and strategy, documents, discovery submissions, pleadings and briefs so that NACA is vigorously defended. Grant Compliance: Oversees compliance with grant reporting requirements. Participates in grant reviews and audits. Maintains good working relationships with grant compliance officials. Participates in any enforcement actions brought by licensing officials. Licensing: Reviews all significant communications between NACA legal staff and licensing officials in all the states in which NACA operates. Participates in any enforcement actions brought by licensing officials. Consults with assigned attorneys as needed on licensing issues. Contract Negotiation/Contract Monitoring Participates in major contract negotiations as needed. Reviews and consults as needed to review leases, insurance contracts and other agreements. Human Resource/Employment Provides support to the Human Resource Department concerning complex matters related to personnel policies, hiring, firing, progressive disciplinary actions, unemployment and worker compensation issues, wage and hour and other compensation practices. Ver Legal Counsel Page: 2

3 Undertakes or supervises sensitive employment related investigations, as needed. Special Projects Participates in and supervises various special projects. B. TYPICAL DEMANDS: The Legal Counsel is expected to devote sufficient time to his work to accomplish his duties. This will typically require 50+ hours per week and additional time during evenings and on weekends as necessary. C. COMPENSATION: The Legal Counsel is compensated on a salary basis between $70,000 and $90,000+ based on experience and skills. NECESSARY COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS: The following skills are necessary to be an effective Legal Counsel. Legal Writing and Oral Advocacy Skills: Legal Counsel must be able to present complicated legal arguments effectively in writing and in oral argument as well as an ability to synthesize and translate complicated information into clear, compelling language. Professionalism: Legal Counsel must act in a professional manner and with integrity at all times. Team Focused: Legal Counsel must demonstrate energy, enthusiasm and dedication to NACA s mission of neighborhood stabilization and economic justice. An effective Legal Counsel must also be able to work cooperatively with others by bringing new ideas and energy to the group and actively supporting team decisions once they are made. He must be viewed by others as approachable. Problem Solving Ability: Demonstrable focus, resilience, and the problem-solving skill to develop solutions under challenging circumstances. The judgment, maturity, and savvy to manage up and down effectively, working and delegating in order to meet aggressive deadlines and ambitious goals. He/she should have keen analytical skills, including the ability to think critically, make decisions, and justify recommendations based on data and analysis. Willingness to think entrepreneurially and creatively where necessary for success. Positive Leadership: Legal Counsel must lead and influence others by example taking pride in his job, remaining open to new ideas and demonstrating a can do attitude particularly when challenged by obstacles. He/she must perform duties in a manner that results in meaningful and positive outcomes by being flexible, soliciting feedback from his colleagues, offering constructive criticism and implementing plans for self-improvement. An effective Legal Counsel helps create a positive work environment while remaining alert to potential risks, concerns and violations. Strong Work Ethic: Legal Counsel must be detail-oriented and well organized, as well as able to prioritize, schedule and handle a fast-paced, challenging workload. He/she must also be able to work under pressure and keep multiple tasks moving toward completion with a relentless commitment to success. Advocacy: Legal Counsel provides legal support and guidance for NACA s advocacy as well as participate. QUALIFICATIONS: The Legal Counsel must have an established track record of litigation and legal advocacy that demonstrates a support of consumers and/or civil rights. A. EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS: Ver Legal Counsel Page: 3

4 J.D. from accredited school - Required. Advanced Degree - Preferred. Must be a member of the bar of Massachusetts. Additional bar admissions preferable. Training for union organizing, community advocacy and/or political campaigns Preferred. B. EXPERIENCE & SKILLS: Legal Experience: Legal Counsel must have a minimum of 5 years of legal experience including sophisticated litigation experience, experience with administrative proceedings, government enforcement actions, multi-party negotiations, licensing, contracts and employment matters. Advocacy Experience: Legal Counsel should have a record of participating in targeted campaigns to draw awareness to injustice, and build public support for an issue. Advocacy in civil rights, consumers, political campaigns, ballot initiatives and other advocacy is preferred. Other Experience: Legal Counsel should have experience or ability to address licensing, contract, real estate matters, and employment matters. Background in mortgage industry and/or non-profit helpful, but not required. NACA OVERVIEW: NACA, the Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America (naca.com), is one of the most exciting organizations in the country. NACA is a national non-profit homeownership, HUD-certified housing counseling and community advocacy organization. We are a high-profile organization whose affordable mortgage programs and community advocacy are frequently featured in the national, international and local media. NACA is the largest and most effective housing services organization in the country and is rapidly growing with 40+ offices nationwide, a counseling center in Charlotte. We are hiring many additional staff for existing and new offices nationwide, local organizers, and managers based in the Boston corporate office with opportunities for career development and advancement. NACA s seeks staff with a positive and open attitude, a willingness to work hard, pays attention to detail, and is flexible. The candidate must also have a determination to achieve NACA s mission of economic justice and a willingness to participate in NACA sponsored or supported campaigns and activities. Started in 1988, NACA has a strong track-record of successful advocacy against predatory and discriminatory lenders. NACA s success is a result of its aggressive, confrontational advocacy. We have taken on campaigns against some of the country s most powerful companies and individuals and won. NACA has revolutionized mortgage lending with its mortgage programs and advocacy. NACA continues its aggressive advocacy for working people and communities in the fight for economic justice and affordable homeownership for all. In addition to affordable homeownership, this includes precedent setting multi-state ballot initiatives on issues such as student debt, tax equity, voter access and other economic justice issues. NACA has established the national standard for homeownership programs. Purchase For homebuyers who will be owner-occupants, the Purchase Program makes the right to affordable homeownership a reality for homebuyers. By basing its mortgage underwriting criteria on homebuyers overall circumstances and not on traditional risk-based pricing or credit scores, NACA provides broad access to its Best in America mortgage a mortgage with no down payment, no closing costs, no fees, no requirement for perfect credit and is always at a below-market, fixed interest rate (go to naca.com for the current rate). Everyone gets the same incredible terms, including the below-market interest rate, regardless of their credit scores or other factors. NACA has $13 billion in mortgage commitments from the country s largest lenders for this incredible mortgage product. Virtually 100% of NACA-Qualified customers are approved and funded. Ver Legal Counsel Page: 4

5 Renovations For Purchase Program homebuyers whose property is in need of repairs. NACA s Home and Neighborhood Development ( HAND ) department assists them throughout the repair and renovation process. Homeowner Assistance For Purchase Program homeowners who experience financial difficulties, NACA s Membership Assistance Program ( MAP ) provides services including mortgage modifications, payment agreements and financial assistance to help avoid foreclosure. Home Save For homeowners with an unaffordable mortgage, NACA is the largest and most effective program in providing affordable solutions providing such solutions to over two-hundredthousand at-risk homeowners nationwide. NACA has been able to restructure unaffordable mortgages by permanently reducing interest rates to as low as two-percent and reducing outstanding principle balances to achieve affordable mortgage payments. NACA has legally binding agreements with all the major servicers and lenders requiring them to provide the best solutions for at-risk homeowners through NACA. For more information about NACA and its history and programs, visit APPLICATION PROCESS: Applicants must complete the application at and follow-up at jobs@naca.com. NACA is an equal opportunity employer. Minority and bilingual people, particularly those who speak and write in Spanish, are strongly encouraged to apply. To follow-up and for inquiries regarding this and other positions contact NACA's HR Department at jobs@naca.com or contact Marissa Pirazzi at mpirazzi@naca.come or call: This job description is solely for descriptive purposes and the responsibilities may change. It does not constitute a contract for employment, and all employment at NACA is at-will. Ver Legal Counsel Page: 5