Senior Staff Attorney - Housing Law

National Legal Aid & Defender Association; Bradenton (FL); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k)

401(k) matching

Dental insurance

Employee assistance program

Flexible schedule

Health insurance

Life insurance

Paid time off

Professional development assistance

Retirement plan

Vision insurance

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Braden

Work Location: Hybrid remote in BradIN

Job summary

Gulfcoast Legal Services in Bradenton, FL, seeks a Senior Staff Attorney to join our Housing Law team. The role offers hybrid remote work after a 30-day start and may be filled as full-time or part-time.

The attorney will mentor staff, handle complex cases, and advocate for survivors of abuse and trauma within public interest law. Applicants should have strong litigation and advisory skills, and be committed to high-quality legal services for low-income clients in a flexible, mission-driven

Qualifications

• Ability to work with survivors of abuse and trauma.
• Strong communication skills, both oral and written.
• Ability to work independently with attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Mentor and resource for new legal staff.
• Provide input on complex cases to support less experienced staff.
• Interview and counsel clients in the office and outreach sites.
• Research factual and legal problems and develop case strategies.
• Represent clients in litigation and administrative advocacy.
• Provide counseling, advice and referrals, and pursue solutions including mediation and litigation.
• Identify developing advocacy strategies addressing systemic problems for low-income clients.
• Assist in client outreach and community education.
• Review legislative proposals for potential impact on clients.
• Participate in trainings, task forces, and office meetings.

Job description

Position Description

Job description: Gulfcoast Legal Services, a nonprofit civil legal aid provider, is seeking one Senior Staff Attorney to join our Housing Law team at our Bradenton office.

The schedule is flexible, and may be filled by a candidate looking to work either part-time or full-time. Occasional travel may be necessary. Hybrid remote work opportunities may be available after 30-days.

This is a professional position with expertise in one or more facets of the law. In addition to providing a full range of high quality legal services to individual clients and to client groups, the senior staff attorney assists staff attorneys and/or paralegals with complex legal work. Applicants should be comfortable working with survivors of abuse and trauma.

Primary Responsibilities

• Serves as a mentor and resource for new legal staff.
• Provides input on complex cases to support less experienced staff.
• Interviews and counsels clients in the office, at outreach sites, and elsewhere, if necessary.
• Researches factual and legal problems and is responsible for the development and implementation of case strategies.
• Represents clients in litigation, administrative advocacy and other advocacy forums including: state or federal court proceedings or before administrative agencies or before legislative bodies, as necessary.
• Provides counselling, advice and other brief services and referrals, negotiates and pursues all avenues of solutions, including mediation and litigation, with opposing parties.
• Keeps abreast of new areas of law, especially as they affect the poor, with emphasis on identifying developing and implementing advocacy strategies to address systemic legal problems confronting low-income clients as well as new substantive and procedural skills.
• Assists and participates in client outreach and in community education.
• Reviews relevant legislative proposals, giving attention to the potential legal impact upon legal services clients and other poor people.
• Identifies systemic problems affecting low-income clients and advocates for solutions through negotiation and litigation in both the community and/or state and federal courts.
• Establishes and protects significant rights of clients through impact litigation.
• Locates and assists eligible community groups.
• Assists, as a resource, private attorneys who have volunteered services to the program's clients.
• Participates in trainings, task force, workgroup and office meetings to develop own skills and expertise and to share information with other staff.
• Performs related assignments as required.

Demonstrated Abilities

• Ability to work on various community projects with different partnering agencies.
• Ability to work independently and with attention to detail on all case matters.

Experience With Trauma Informed Care Or Training Preferred.

• Ability to deal professionally, courteously, and efficiently with clients in crisis.
• Ability to maintain client confidentiality and work independently providing representation to clients in the areas of public interest law.

Basic Standards Of Performance

• Satisfactory attendance and punctuality.
• Compliance with all Gulfcoast Legal Services policies and procedures.
• Familiarity with and adherence to the organization’s mission.
• Satisfactory completion of duties and responsibilities of the position as required by management and supervisors
• Performs related work as required and fills in for positions above and below in the event of staffing shortages.

Special Knowledge And Skills

• Knowledge of basic office procedures, including Legal Server data entry, reporting, and use of basic office equipment and software.

Strong Communication Skills, Both Oral And Written Required.

• Ability to deal professionally, courteously and efficiently with people and clients in crisis.
• Ability to work independently and be detail-oriented.
• Ability to work well with colleagues and provide mentorship.
• Ability to maintain client confidentiality.
• Knowledge of and or experience in related field of law.
• Willingness to learn new reporting processes, procedures, document collection, and Legal Server coding required on variety of grant awards.
• Ability to organize, plan, prioritize, meet deadlines, and work under pressure.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work on various projects with different priorities.
• Ability to work overtime when required.
• Ability to lift and/or carry office supplies, equipment, files, etc. up to 10 pounds.
• Valid Florida driver’s license and ability to circulate outreach materials in the community and to local, community partner agencies.

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Benefits

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance
• Work Location: Hybrid remote in Bradenton, FL 34205