Supervising Attorney

Wake County Legal Support Center; Raleigh (NC); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

State benefits

Job summary

Wake County Legal Support Center (WCLSC) and Legal Hand (LH) are programs under the NC Equal Access to Justice Commission. This Supervising Attorney role oversees daily operations, supervises staff, and coordinates services for self-represented litigants in Wake County and statewide.

The position is primarily in-person at the Wake County Courthouse with some remote work, requiring some evening and weekend hours.

Qualifications

• J.D. from ABA-accredited law school and North Carolina bar license.
• 2–3 years direct supervisory experience managing staff (not just volunteers).
• Ability to work some evening and weekend hours as needed.

Responsibilities

• Directly supervise WCLSC staff and the LH Center Manager.
• Oversee daily operations for WCLSC and the LH Call-In Center, providing back-up and support as needed.
• Equip staff and volunteers to connect community members with legal information, resources, and referrals.
• Identify unmet legal needs of self-represented litigants and Legal Hand visitors and develop strategies to address them.
• Oversee, evaluate, and develop legal information, resources, and referrals across both programs.
• Track program outcomes and report data to support funders and stakeholders.
• Share best practices between WCLSC and Legal Hand.
• Build and maintain relationships with community partners, legal services, and bar associations.
• Coordinate resources with judges, courts, and courthouse staff.
• Manage program budget and support grant applications and reporting.

Education

J.D. from ABA-accredited law school and NC bar license

Job description

The Wake County Legal Support Center (WCLSC) and Legal Hand (LH) are complementary programs of the North Carolina Equal Access to Justice Commission (NCEATJC), each dedicated to expanding access to justice for individuals navigating civil legal matters without an attorney. Both programs provide free legal information, assistance, and referrals to help community members address issues in areas such as employment, housing, family law, immigration, domestic violence, and public benefits. WCLSC serves Wake County residents in person from a resource hub located within the Wake County courthouse, supporting pro se litigants in civil matters. LH extends this work statewide, offering remote assistance to residents throughout North Carolina through its Call-In Center.

Neither program is staffed by attorneys, and neither provides legal advice. WCLSC's four on-site team members are non-attorney staff, and LH is staffed by a center manager and supported by trained community volunteers who are likewise not lawyers. Both programs equip individuals with accurate information, practical resources, and appropriate referrals so that they can make informed decisions about their own legal matters. The programs operate in close coordination.

The NCEAJC seeks an entrepreneurially minded Supervising Attorney to be responsible for the daily operations of WCLSC and LH, including direct supervision of all staff. Prior experience supervising staff is required. While the Supervising Attorney will not provide legal advice or representation, they will play a central role in representing both programs to stakeholders and equipping staff and volunteers to connect the community with legal information, resources, and referrals.

The Wake County Legal Support Center (WCLSC) and Legal Hand (LH) are complementary programs of the North Carolina Equal Access to Justice Commission (NCEATJC), each dedicated to expanding access to justice for individuals navigating civil legal matters without an attorney. Both programs provide free legal information, assistance, and referrals to help community members address issues in areas such as employment, housing, family law, immigration, domestic violence, and public benefits. WCLSC serves Wake County residents in person from a resource hub located within the Wake County courthouse, supporting pro se litigants in civil matters. LH extends this work statewide, offering remote assistance to residents throughout North Carolina through its Call-In Center.

Neither program is staffed by attorneys, and neither provides legal advice. WCLSC's four on-site team members are non-attorney staff, and LH is staffed by a center manager and supported by trained community volunteers who are likewise not lawyers. Both programs equip individuals with accurate information, practical resources, and appropriate referrals so that they can make informed decisions about their own legal matters. The programs operate in close coordination.

The NCEAJC seeks an entrepreneurially minded Supervising Attorney to be responsible for the daily operations of WCLSC and LH, including direct supervision of all staff. Prior experience supervising staff is required. While the Supervising Attorney will not provide legal advice or representation, they will play a central role in representing both programs to stakeholders and equipping staff and volunteers to connect the community with legal information, resources, and referrals.

Key Responsibilities

Supervision and Operations

• Directly supervise WCLSC staff and the LH Center Manager.
• Oversee daily operations for WCLSC and the LH Call-In Center, providing backup and support as needed.
• Equip staff and volunteers to connect community members with legal information, resources, and referrals.

Program Strategy and Development

• Identify unmet legal needs of self-represented litigants and Legal Hand visitors and develop strategies to address them.
• Oversee, evaluate, and develop legal information, resources, and referrals across both programs, including:
  • Information packets, Guide and File access, and eFiling assistance at the Wake County courthouse
  • Legal information resources in the Legal Hand Helper database
• Track program outcomes and report on data to evaluate impact, inform strategy, and support funders and stakeholders.
• Share best practices and lessons learned between WCLSC and Legal Hand.

Partnerships

• Work with Director of Strategic Engagement and Partnerships to build and maintain relationships with community partners, legal services organizations, and bar associations to expand services and referral options for program visitors.
• Work with judges, magistrates, the Clerk of Superior Court’s office and courthouse staff to coordinate resources and services for self-represented litigants.

Administration and Funding

• Manage the program budget.
• Support grant applications and reporting.
• Perform other duties as directed by the Director of Strategic Engagement and Partnerships at the NC Equal Access to Justice Commission.

Qualifications

Required:

• J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school with an active North Carolina bar license.
• At least 2–3 years of direct supervisory experience managing staff (not solely volunteers), including responsibility for hiring, performance management, and day-to-day oversight.
• Ability to work some evening and weekend hours as needed.

Strongly Preferred:

• Experience coordinating and supervising volunteer projects.
• A demonstrated commitment to social justice and experience working with people of diverse lived experiences (income, language, race/ethnicity, urban/rural) to facilitate access to justice.
• Ability to proactively problem-solve and improve processes related to operations, technology, and personnel.
• Knowledge of issues related to poverty law and the indigent population in North Carolina, and comfort with computer technology.

Position Type and Location

This is primarily an in-person position at the WCLSC located in the Wake County Courthouse, with some opportunity for remote work. WCLSC and LH generally operate Monday through Friday; some evening or weekend hours will be required as part of a regular work week.

Compensation

Salary range of $90,000–$100,000, commensurate with experience, with North Carolina state benefits.

The Wake County Legal Support Center is a program of the NC Equal Access to Justice Commission. NCEATJC

is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected characteristic. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete an employment eligibility verification form upon hire. Only applicants under consideration will be contacted.