Veterans Staff Attorney

United Against Human Trafficking; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Vision insurance

Dental insurance

401(k) with employer match

Paid time off

Parental leave

Student loan repayment assistance

Job summary

Houston Volunteer Lawyers seeks a full-time staff attorney for its Veterans programs. The attorney will triage applicants, identify legal needs, provide advice or counsel to clients, and mentor volunteer attorneys.

A high degree of professionalism, autonomy, and self-motivation is required, with a hybrid schedule including Tuesdays at the downtown office and Friday afternoons at the VA Hospital near the Medical Center.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school.
• Active Texas State Bar license in good standing.
• Strong legal research and writing skills.
• Excellent time management and prioritization.
• Ability to work autonomously and mentor volunteers.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal consultations to veterans seeking assistance.
• Triaging applicants and identifying legal needs for volunteer representation.
• Counsel clients and, where appropriate, represent veterans directly.
• Mentor and coordinate pro bono attorneys working on HVL cases.
• Collaborate with judges and community partners to serve veterans seeking free legal services.
• Develop subject-matter expertise to support HVL's intake and screening.
• Maintain timely documentation and assist with grant reporting.
• Work a hybrid schedule, including Tuesdays at the downtown office and Friday afternoons at VA Hospital.

Education

Juris Doctor

Texas Bar License

Legal research

Legal writing

Time management

Professional communication

Autonomy

Job description

Houston Volunteer Lawyers (HVL) leverages the use of pro bono legal services to deliver client-centered free civil legal services to the greater Houston community. This includes criminal expunctions, family law, estate planning, landlord/tenant disputes, probate, consumer issues, public benefits, ID restoration, and veteran-specific legal issues such as discharge upgrades and benefits appeals. HVL also provides a variety of support to self-represented litigants who are navigating the legal system without legal representation.

HVL seeks a full-time staff attorney for its Veterans programs. Primary responsibilities include to triage applicants seeking assistance, identify legal needs and viability, provide advice and counsel to clients, and mentor volunteer attorneys working on pro bono cases. The attorney may also provide direct representation to a limited number of veterans. The individual in this position requires a high degree of professionalism, autonomy, and self-motivation. HVL has adopted a hybrid work model where staff may work from home part of the week. For this position, the candidate will work Tuesdays at HVL’s downtown office and most Friday afternoons at the VA Hospital near the Medical Center.

• Provide legal consultations to individuals facing various civil legal issues.
• Deciding whether applicant’s legal needs are appropriate for volunteer representation through HVL.
• Analyze, investigate, and prepare client matters for referral to volunteer attorneys.
• Recruit and provide substantive mentoring to pro bono attorneys who are representing HVL clients, including potentially troubleshooting complex legal matters.
• Collaborate with other service organizations, judges, and community partners to creatively reach and serve individuals in need of free legal services.
• Develop subject-matter expertise in legal areas relevant to our clients to support HVL’s institutional knowledge on screening potential clients and supporting volunteer attorneys.
• Maintain timely documentation of all case-related activities, assist with grant reporting activities, and other tasks as assigned by HVL.
• Juris Doctor and State Bar licensure in Texas, in good standing.
• Excellent time management & prioritization skills.
• Strong legal analysis skills, writing skills, and communication skills.
• Comfort with working with veterans, including those who may be hospitalized and/or in declining health and those in recovery for substance abuse issues.
• Ability to engage empathetically with individuals facing barriers accessing legal services.
• Adept at networking to inspire and collaborate with pro bono attorneys and community partners.
• Ability to manage a caseload in accordance with internal policies and procedures.

This position is a flexible full-time position. Salary is commensurate with experience, starting at $65,000 for newly licensed attorneys. Attorneys with more than five years of relevant experience start at $80,000.

Benefits include fully paid health, vision and dental insurance; disability and life insurance options; a 401k defined contribution retirement plan with employer match available; paid State of Texas Bar dues and Houston Bar Association dues, professional development training, monthly parking paid, and reimbursed work-related expenses including work-related mileage. Staff are eligible for 80 hour of PTO per year. After one year with HVL, staff will also receive additional vacation hours and are eligible for 6 weeks paid parental leave. Staff attorneys may be eligible to apply for a Student Loan Repayment Assistance program through the Texas Access of Justice Foundation. HVL employment is eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. HVL has a hybrid schedule and seeks to benefit from the talent and expertise of those needing flexible work hours and accommodations. Staff may work up to 3 days from home with supervisor approval.

Houston Volunteer Lawyers is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. HVL does not discriminate against any person based on actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, ability, gender, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, or other characteristics protected by law. Applicants committed to justice and equality from all backgrounds, experiences, abilities, and identities, and in particular those from underrepresented communities are encouraged to apply.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: From $65,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Houston, TX 77002