Staff Attorney - Disaster Relief Team (Full-Time)

Bay Area Legal Services, Inc.; Ruskin (FL); Hybrid; USD 61,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

403b retirement match

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Disability coverage

Paid holidays

Vacation days

37.5 hour work week

Job summary

Bay Area Legal Services, Inc. is seeking a full-time Staff Attorney for its Ruskin, Florida disaster relief team.

The role involves delivering targeted legal services to disaster-impacted individuals and families across a multi-county area, with outreach and presentations in the community. The position is hybrid (3 days in office, 2 days remote) and requires a JD, Florida Bar in good standing, and at least one year of licensed practice.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate (JD) and Florida Bar in good standing.
• Minimum 1 year of experience as a licensed practicing attorney.
• Ability to collaborate and contribute effectively within a team environment.
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, meet deadlines, and maintain confidentiality for sensitive information.
• Detail-oriented and well-organized, with ability to establish priorities and track projects.
• Commitment to providing high-quality legal services to individuals with limited access to legal services.
• Comfort with community engagement, including staffing clinics, giving presentations, and acting as a program ambassador in public settings.

Responsibilities

• Staff statewide disaster relief hotline, including client intake and providing appropriate legal services based on client need and eligibility.
• Interview applicants and determine eligibility for established legal services.
• Counsel and advise clients, referring applicants to appropriate legal aid partners or community resources.
• Prepare legal instruments, pleadings, trial briefs, oral arguments, and abstracts of legal research.
• Participate in hearings before courts and administrative tribunals on behalf of clients.
• Participate in community engagement through outreach events and presentations on disaster legal services.
• Supervised by Team Leader but operate substantially on an independent basis.
• Coordinate with Team Leader to ensure grant compliance and deliverables.
• Perform related work and other duties as assigned.

Skills

Collaboration

Teamwork

Confidentiality

Time management

Detail-oriented

Education

Juris Doctorate (JD)

Job description

Staff Attorney - Disaster Relief Team (Full-Time)

Are you interested in making a difference in your community?Are you passionate about helping others who are in need across different groups? Do you value work life balance? If you answer yes to these questions, Bay Area Legal Services may be the workplace for you!

Are you interested in making a difference in your community?Are you passionate about helping others who are in need across different groups? Do you value work life balance? If you answer yes to these questions, Bay Area Legal Services may be the workplace for you!

Bay Area Legal Services is seeking to fill a full-time Staff Attorney position in its Ruskin office.

This is professional position. This position will involve the delivery of targetedlegal services,from briefservices to extended,to individuals and families impacted by disasters in a designated 13-county service region within Florida. In addition to direct client legal services, this position will involve a sizeable component of community engagement through staffing outreach events and giving presentations to community audiences and partner organizations. This position will requirecollaborationwithteammemberstoensuretimelyfulfillmentofgrantdeliverables. Applicants should expect to travel for activities as necessary. Because disaster applicant influxmay vary significantly, focus may at times shift to other job duties as the need arises.

Office Location

Ruskin
201 14th Avenue SE
Suite I
Ruskin, FL 33570

This position is hybrid, 3 days in office and 2 days remote.

Illustrative Duties:

• Staffing statewide disaster relief hotline, including conducting client intake and providing appropriate legal service based on client need and eligibility.
• Interviewingapplicantsanddeterminingifestablishedlegalserviceseligibility requirements are satisfied.
• Counselingand advisingclients,referringapplicantstoappropriatelegalaid partnersor other community resources for other services needed.
• Preparinglegalinstruments,pleadings,trialbriefs,oralarguments,and abstractsof legal research related to the case. Conducting necessary correspondence relating to services rendered.
• Participatinginhearingsbeforevariouscourtsand administrativetribunalsonbehalfof clients.
• Participatinginrequiredcommunityengagementthroughattendingfocusedoutreach events and delivering presentations on disaster legal services.
• Supervised by Team Leader and other senior staff but operating substantially on an independent basis.
• Coordinate with Team Leader to ensure compliance with grant requirements and deliverables.
• Performingrelatedworkandotherduties asrequiredandassignedbytheTeamLeader.

Minimum Qualifications:

• JurisDoctorate(JD),FloridaBarlicensedandingoodstandingwiththeBar.
• Minimum1yearexperienceasalicensedpracticingattorney.
• Demonstratedabilitytocollaborate,workwell,andeffectivelycontributewithinateam environment.
• Demonstratedabilitytoworkindependently,takeinitiative,meetdeadlines,and maintain confidentiality for sensitive information.
• Detail-orientedandwell-organized,withabilitytoestablishprioritiesandtrackprojects.
• Demonstratedcommitmenttotheprovisionofhigh-qualitylegalservicestoindividuals with limited access to legal services.
• Comfort with community engagement, including staffing clinics, giving presentations, and acting as a program ambassador in public settings.

Desirable Qualifications:

• Experienceingenerallegalpracticeincludingservinglow-incomeclientsorasalaw intern with a legal services program.
• Anabilitytoworkcloselywithothersandawillingnesstoacceptsupervision.
• Sympatheticunderstandingofthesocial,economic,aswellaslegalproblemsof individuals with limited access to legal services.
• KnowledgeofSpanishor other language proficiency.
• Experiencewithdisaster relief legalservices,includingfamiliaritywithdisaster-related legal issues and community outreach focused on disaster survivors.
• Minimum salary $67,900.00/yr. (increases based on relevant experience).
• Bay Area offers a comprehensive benefit package including a 4% match for the 403b retirement plan with immediate vesting as well as Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Disability coverage and more.
• Bay Area also offers generous time off and work life balance with 13 paid holidays and three (3) weeks’ vacation for the 1st year of employment and a 37.5 hour work week.
• Bay Area attorneys may be eligible for some loan forgiveness programs through the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) and the Florida Bar Foundation (FBF).

This position requires successful completion of a level II background screening based on the required duties and responsibilities. https://info.flclearinghouse.com

Bay Area Legal Services is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to age, race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, nationality, sex, or veteran.

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