Attorney

Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio; Chillicothe (OH); On-site; USD 75,000 - 77,000; Full time

Job summary

Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio (LASCO) in Chillicothe, Ohio seeks dedicated Staff or Senior Attorney to provide comprehensive civil legal services. You will manage intake, represent clients in courts, and collaborate on community-led impact work across housing, benefits, tax, and other areas.

Requirements include a JD from an accredited law school and Ohio Bar admission (or expected within 12 months).

Qualifications

• Strong legal advocacy skills.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment.
• Excellent oral and written communication for diverse audiences.
• English proficiency is essential; Spanish/English bilingual skills are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Handle intake and direct representation in housing, public benefits, tax, domestic, consumer, education, employment and re-entry matters.
• Maintain a caseload with direct service and impact work.
• Collaborate with teams on statewide advocacy and systemic issues.
• Participate in outreach activities, clinics and community events.
• Engage with partner service providers to build community relations.
• Pursue ongoing professional development through CLE trainings.

Skills

Legal advocacy

Analytical skills

Prioritization

Communication skills

English proficiency

Bilingual (Spanish)

MS Office

Education

Juris Doctor (ACLS)

Ohio Bar admission (or within 12 months)

Job description

Description

Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio (LASCO)’s mission is to provide civil legal aid and advocacy to overcome unfairness and injustice, reduce poverty, and increase opportunity. LASCO has a long-standing history of being committed to searching out the patterns, causes of, and solutions to the repetitive and fundamental legal problems facing low-income Ohioans and pursuing the legal recourse needed to address those problems. Since 1966, our organizations have helped thousands of Ohio’s poor obtain and keep housing, secure public benefits, worked with families to gain and maintain economic stability, and helped domestic violence survivors to live free of fear and abuse and to obtain the resources needed to sustain themselves and their children.

LASCO is actively seeking dedicated, professional Staff or Senior Attorney in our Chillicothe, Ohio office to provide comprehensive legal services for civil issues in pursuit of LASCO mission and priorities. The Chillicothe office is one of the eight offices in the service area, allowing the person in this role to be a part of a community consisting of collaborative and mission-driven attorneys doing impact work in their respective communities. Attorneys balance systemic advocacy with practical day-to-day legal representation.

Chillicothe, Ohio’s first capital, is proud of its exciting history, important archeological sites, and beautiful Appalachian settings. This community has previously been named one of the “Best Small Towns to Visit” by Smithsonian Magazine. As part of our ongoing efforts to provide and support a transformative legal experience, we affirm our commitment to fostering a welcoming, respectful, diverse, and inclusive workforce and community.

In this role, you will be responsible for providing legal counsel and advice as well as direct representation in the areas of housing, public benefits, tax, domestic, consumer, education, employment and re-entry and collaborating with partner organizations in providing legal assistance to our communities through special projects and grants.

Are You Someone Who:

• Is dedicated to improving the lives of low-income individuals in our communities?
• Enjoys helping clients triumph over adversity?
• Is motivated, professional and thrives within a collaborative, team-driven environment?
• Believes successful resolution can be reached beyond traditional litigation?
• Is interested in developing a wide range of legal skills and experiences?

You Will:

• Handle all functions related to legal advocacy ranging from intake to the representation of clients before local, state, appellate and federal courts, and all relevant agencies
• Maintain a caseload that includes both direct service and impact work
• Participate in one of our substantive teams focused on learning one area of the law more in depth and on addressing systemic issues
• Participate in outreach activities, clinics and other community events
• Collaborate with other legal services attorneys on statewide advocacy
• Promote community relations and build community relationships by engaging with the public and partner service providers
• Have the opportunity to participate in excellent on-going professional development including CLE-approved trainings on substantive poverty law and advocacy skills among others
• Be a part of a community of collaborative and mission driven professionals

Requirements

You Have:

• Strong legal advocacy skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment
• High ability to exercise sound judgment and discretion
• High ability to facilitate collaboration as well as build and sustain productive relationships with diverse individuals, groups and organizations
• Excellent communication skills, both orally and written, with diverse audiences
• A commitment to access for all people with a wide variety of lived experiences both internally and externally
• Strong work ethic
• Proficiency in Microsoft applications, knowledge of current technologies and commitment to remain up to date with industry best practices
• English language proficiency is essential and Spanish/English bilingual skills are a plus. Additional languages – even better
• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school and admitted to the Bar of the State of Ohio (or if not currently admitted, expected to obtain admission within 12 months from date of hire) preferred
• Prior Legal Aid or related work experience a plus, but not required

Other Details:

• It is the policy of LASCO not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, disability, age, ancestry, and military status or any other characteristic protected by law.
• This position reports to the Managing Attorney and is based in Chillicothe, Ohio. This role will require some travel throughout the following service areas: Fairfield, Pickaway, Hocking, Fayette, Ross, Pike, and Jackson counties.
• Salary begins at $75,000 DOE (Senior Attorney begins at $77,000 DOE).
• LASCO offers an excellent comprehensive benefits package, currently including an employer funded HRA (up to $12,000), employer-paid employee dental and vision insurance, a language skills differential ($2,500-$3,500 annually), paid vacation, sick and holiday time, LRAP (up to $6,000), and ongoing training and development opportunities.