Wyatt Tarrent & Combs Fellow
Purpose of Job: Legal Aid Society seeks a newly licensed attorney to serve as Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs Fellow for a two-year term ending on July 31, 2017. The Wyatt Tarrant & Combs Fellowship ("Fellow") is an opportunity for a new attorney to gain court experience by representing low-income clients, particularly clients faced with family law issues arising from domestic violence.
The Fellow will receive intensive training on civil litigation skills and on the substantive legal issues which clients living in poverty often face. The Fellow will be assigned a caseload and will be responsible for representing clients in all phases of litigation. At the conclusion of the term, the Fellow will have developed strong trial practice skills, skills in client interviewing, counseling and negotiation, and related oral and written advocacy skills. The Fellow will find these skills immeasurably helpful in future career positions, either in the private or public sector.
This position is a two-year position and is funded by a generous gift from Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs and expires on July 31, 2017. Work Environment: Work performed in the office setting, in the courts, in administrative agencies and in the community.
Essential Job Functions: 1. Provide legal representation through the policies and practices consistent with professional standards for the delivery of civil legal services to the poor and consistent with any requirement of Legal Services Corporation and all other funding sources or program policies. 2. Maintain accurate and complete files or records. Prepare reports and timely complete forms and records necessary for client services or administrative tasks related to job. 3. Interact with clients, staff, and service providers professionally and appropriately. Establish and maintain rapport with clients to obtain accurate information and to establish trust. Work with other staff on client services or other program tasks in a collegial and cooperative nature. Develop and nurture good relations with service providers who make referrals or otherwise coordinate with the program. 4. Work with supervisor to develop plan for advocacy work within program priorities and funding to define balance between impact work and service work, as well as community education and other outreach. 5. Work with supervisor to identify individual training needs and develop strategies with supervisor to address those needs. 6. Attend and actively participate in statewide planning meetings, trainings and task forces, as well as office meetings. 7. Occasional night and weekend work hours; some local and out of town travel. 8. Work with the Executive Director in promoting the Fellowship to the community and providing reports as may be requested.
Qualifications: 1. Must have demonstrable commitment to understanding and addressing issues of low-income constituents. 2. Must have a J.D. and be registered for the July 2015 Kentucky Bar Exam with results expected in late September; or must have a J.D. and be newly admitted to practice in Kentucky and in good standing; or must be eligible for admission to the Kentucky Bar under Kentucky Supreme Court Rule 2.112 if newly admitted to practice in another state. 3. Must have skills to use office technologies, including case management software. 4. Must be able to balance administrative and client advocacy responsibilities. 5. Must be able to operate a motor vehicle. Must hold a valid driver’s license and be able to be insured. 6. Second Language a plus.
Physical Requirements: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, controls or equipment; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The physical demands described above are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Other: The statements contained in this job description reflect general details necessary to describe the principal functions of this job, the level of knowledge and skill typically required, and the scope of responsibility. It should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned, including work in other functional areas to cover absences or relief, to equalize peak work periods or to otherwise balance the workload.
Send resume, cover letter, and three references to Meagen Peden Agnew, Director of Administration, Legal Aid Society, 416 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., Suite 300, Louisville, KY 40202, or magnew@laslou.org.