About the Community Economic Defense Project (CEDP)

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered unprecedented eviction risk for U.S. renters, and we formed the Community Economic Defense Project (CEDP) in April 2020 as a direct response. Over the past few years, our community organizing project evolved into a large housing stability organization that operates a continuum of eviction and displacement prevention care. Our mission is to Keep Coloradans Housed.  We do this by helping to prevent mass evictions and homelessness. 

Born out of the COVID-19 pandemic, which triggered unprecedented eviction risk for U.S. renters. Nationwide, the law firm and housing stability fund that make up CEDP will continue to operate and deepen their ties to Colorado renters facing eviction. 

CEDP offers a “continuum care” approach to eviction prevention that centers the legal and financial needs of housing-insecure families and uses a variety of tools to keep them housed. The project brings together housing lawyers, economists, data analysts, policy-experts, organizers, and technologists to provide four services: 

• Rental Assistance: through the Colorado Stability Fund, we leverage public funds to pay back and future rent, reinstate leases, and avert evictions through rental debt settlements.

• Legal Services: For complicated cases with additional legal issues or difficult landlords, CEDP offers

eviction defense services, paired with rental assistance dollars, to encourage settlement or stabilize

tenancies and represent tenants in court when negotiation does not work.

• Rehousing and Case Management: Where legal services do not work, we provide rehousing support

services through ERA funding and agency referrals.

• Policy: More broadly, we go case to cause. We work with our clients to tell their stories and

amplify their voices into policy change. For example, In the 2020-2021 legislative session, for example, we drafted and, in coalition with other stakeholders and community organizations, passed the renters’ rights legislation that caps late fees, penalizes abusive landlords, and gives Coloradans access to the warranty of habitability without paying a bond.

As COVID moves from pandemic to endemic, CEDP is working to stabilize families who have been left behind and deepen the housing stability infrastructure we built in 2021 and 2022. 

As our team continues to scale our services at risk of eviction, we are also beginning to build a comprehensive economic, legal, and policy response to mortgage foreclosure across Colorado. Similar to CEDP’s work on rental housing, this effort will seek to provide homeowners at risk of foreclosure with a continuum of care that includes navigation and advisory services, targeted payments, legal support, and the ability to participate in advocacy. 

More about the Foreclosure Defense Attorney

Our practice is seeking an attorney to help manage foreclosure and other housing-related cases and to represent or advise homeowners in these proceedings. The attorney will be responsible for representing clients in court, maintaining accurate case files, working with our paralegals and staff to meet all court requirements for each case and serving as a reliable advocate for our growing list of clients. A foreclosure defense attorney at CEDP will have a client-focused attitude and experience as a practicing attorney - Housing experience preferred but not required. The successful candidate will also have at least three years of litigation experience and proven success managing complex cases, along with a desire to work in a collaborative environment centered on social justice and equity. Any attorney hired for this role should be flexible, willing and able to adjust to the needs of the organization, including to support in eviction defense cases depending on team and organizational need. The successful candidate will also be willing to live in Colorado and to obtain admission to the Colorado bar.

In This Role You Will:

• Communicate with clients in a timely, respectful, and empathetic manner

• Help determine appropriate cases and strategies to effect long-term change

• Prepare all documents required to file cases

•  Maintain a regular schedule of hearings, court appearances and conferences based on case requirements

• Review case-related documents and determine the best course of action for each client in each case

•  Have or develop excellent knowledge of Colorado foreclosure law

• Be willing to adapt to changing job requirements, including the ability to fill in on eviction defense cases

• Willingness to work independently on all aspects of your caseload as well as the ability to effectively partner with others, utilize a paralegal’s assistance, and collaborate with Intake Specialists

Requirements:

• JD required, admission to the Colorado bar will also be a requirement

• Demonstrated passion for social and racial justice

•  3+ years' experience in housing law and litigation or related law and litigation experience

• Strong desire to center client and community needs

• Excellent interpersonal communication skills

• Ability to travel within Denver Metro area and surrounding suburbs 

• Ability to successfully work primarily remotely (home office set up provided by the organization with access to a co-working space in Denver)

• Strong organizational abilities

• Knowledge of MS Office suite, CLIO, Google Suite desired

Equal Opportunity

The Community Economic Defense Project is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Benefits & Compensation

• Starting salary of $90K per year

• Benefits include health, vision, dental, unlimited paid vacation, short-term and long-term disability, and 401K.

• As in-person work is sometimes required, all employees at CEDProject.org are expected to maintain current vaccination status in keeping with CDC recommendations.

To Apply

Please click on the "apply" button on this page and submit your application online.  If you are interested in more than one attorney position, apply for the position you are most interested in and note your interest in the other role(s) in your cover letter.