Benefits Advocacy Staff Attorney

Inner City Law Center is hiring talented, dynamic lawyers to help end homelessness in Los Angeles. We are a nonprofit poverty-law firm located in the Skid Row neighborhood of Los Angeles. Founded on the fundamental principle that every person should always be treated with dignity and respect, ICLC’s 60 Staff Attorneys fight for housing justice for low-income tenants, working-poor families, people experiencing homelessness, people living with HIV/AIDS, people with disabilities, and homeless veterans. For each of our clients, we ask, “What is the pathway to long-term stable housing?” Answering that question usually leads to legal representation that either directly addresses a housing challenge (e.g., defending an eviction or suing a slumlord) or that bolsters our client’s financial situation and enables them to better afford housing (e.g., connecting a client with VA or Social Security benefits).        Position Description: ICLC seeks to hire a Staff Attorney to help clients who are homeless or precariously housed to connect with SSI, SSD, and CAPI benefits. The attorney will join an exciting county-wide project that is developing best practices in benefits representation. They will both represent clients in administrative hearings and provide technical assistance to our partners at the LA County Department of Health Services and elsewhere.   The attorney will be responsible for providing all aspects of representation, including meeting regularly with clients, reviewing medical records, researching and writing briefs, and arguing at administrative hearings. The attorney will also have the opportunity to advocate for clients before SSA Appeals Council and Federal District Court. The attorney will also review our partners’ applications for benefits, answering questions and providing guidance on initial eligibility rules, disability standards, and application preparation. They will identify common problems with the initial disability benefit applications and provide feedback on ways to improve initial applications and increase approval rates. They will create educational materials and tools for our partners and will train them on best practices for benefits applications.   Compensation: Salary range is $78,000 - $88,500 and is commensurate with qualifications and experience. Excellent benefits.