Although he is still a relatively new lawyer, Spencer Haydary has already made a big impact on our profession and our community through his dedication to fighting for tenants facing threats to their housing and stability as a Staff Attorney at the Law Center for Better Housing (LCBH).
Spencer’s commitment to public interest work began early in his career, as he cemented his passion for housing justice when he taught special education in the Chicago Public Schools as part of Teach For America. He cherished the impact he had on his students, many of whom were homeless. This experience led him to pursue a public interest legal career, confident he could make a real difference for marginalized people in need as an advocate.
Spencer is about to begin his third year working at LCBH, where he sees the impact of his work on a daily basis. He has helped hundreds of tenants facing eviction to negotiate fair settlements that enable them to maintain housing stability by obtaining rental assistance, waiving back rent, and sealing the court records. Spencer is a zealous and dogged advocate for all of LCBH’s clients, and he routinely develops new and creative arguments to enforce tenant rights.
Spencer also prioritizes sharing his legal knowledge with the community at large. He regularly participates in community legal education and outreach events, especially within the LGBTQ community. During Spencer’s presidency of the Lambda Law Alliance at the University of Virginia Law School, he worked diligently to lead and advise students who wanted to use their legal skills to support the LGBTQ community.
Spencer feels called to do this work and is clear that he will continue to do some form of it, with great skill, energy, resilience, and love, for the rest of his professional career. By lessening the burden of his student debt, the Anderson Fellowship will allow Spencer to continue his impactful advocacy in representing low-income tenants throughout Cook County at the Law Center for Better Housing.