Bilingual Legal Screener

Bilingual Legal Screener

Asheville, Hendersonville

Pisgah Legal Services (PLS) is a community-based non-profit legal aid agency governed by a local Board of Directors.  Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina (WNC), Pisgah Legal Services provides free civil legal assistance to low-income people in WNC. The organization currently has offices in Asheville, Brevard, Burnsville, Hendersonville, Highlands-Cashiers, Marshall, Newland, and Rutherfordton.  With over 100 dedicated staff, including over 30 attorneys plus program staff, and an active group of 300 volunteer attorneys, the program provides free services to nearly 20,000 people per year to meet their basic needs, primarily in the poverty law areas of housing, public benefits, domestic violence prevention, health care, immigration, and consumer law.

PLS seeks a full-time Bilingual Legal Screener for all PLS Programs as needed. Applicants should be passionate about promoting justice and overcoming barriers facing low-income people, be a creative and zealous team-player, and be committed to achieving lasting results for clients and low-income communities. The position may be based out of either the PLS Asheville or Hendersonville office and will be determined upon hiring. 

Responsibilities 

• Commitment to PLS’ mission, values, and vision.
• Screen clients for eligibility for services.
• Ability to handle a fast-paced and high demand for legal services, often with deadlines. 
• Ability to handle shifting duties and updates to program policies and procedures based on current demand for service. 
• Conduct client interviews with a client centered and trauma-informed approach.
• Adhere to program priorities and case handling policies, procedures, and standards of practice, as well as the highest professional and ethical standards.
• English/Spanish communication, including interpreting and translating as needed.
• Work with volunteers and PLS Development Team, as needed. 
• Travel within the PLS service area and to meetings or conferences in other parts of NC if needed.
• Work schedule will include 3 weekdays from 8:30 am-5 pm and 2 weekdays from 10:30 am-7:00 pm to increase early-evening screening capacity.

Qualifications

• Passion for and commitment to PLS’ mission, values, and vision.
• Skill and experience with telephone-based crisis intervention and de-escalation training. 
• Demonstrated skills at socio-economic and cultural sensitivity and the ability to work with someone who is angry, upset, or ill.
• Understanding of trauma-informed approach and working with people experiencing crisis. 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with attention to detail.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work well with teams and independently.
• Basic computer skills with proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel.
• Fluency in English and Spanish (verbal & written) required. Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and Spanish is critical.  Ability to interpret and translate from English-to-Spanish and from Spanish-to-English. Ability to read and interpret legal documents.

Salary/ Benefits

Salary ranges from $34,515 – $52,252 depending on experience.  

Our salary scale is predetermined based on the years of relative professional work experience that qualify for this position to ensure equity in pay.  Pisgah Legal Services is a Living Wage Certified Employer in 18 WNC counties:  Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Clay, Cherokee, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, McDowell, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania and Yancey.

Employees are eligible for medical, dental, vision and life insurance coverage the 1st of the month following the start date.  Pisgah Legal Services (PLS) pays 100% of the Employee and 50% of the Dependent Cost for BCBS Medical and Dental coverage.  PLS pays 50% of the Employee Coverage Cost for BCBS Vision coverage.   PLS pays 100% of Long-Term & Short-Term Disability Coverage, Life Insurance Coverage of 5x base salary + an additional $15,000 Life & AD&D Coverage.  401k Retirement Plan after 6 months of employment.  Additional Fringe Benefits includes Paid Parental Leave, 12.5 Company Holidays, 22 Paid Leave Days, Paid Sabbatical Leave for Attorneys, Employee Assistance Program for entire household and a great working environment with work life balance!

To Apply

Submit your online application with resume and cover letter through our Career Center located at https://www.pisgahlegal.org/jobs.

PLS invites all applicants to include in their cover letter a statement about how your unique background and/or experiences might contribute to the diversity, cultural vitality, and perspective of our staff and legal services practice. 

Pisgah Legal Services is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are encouraged to discuss ADA accommodations with our Human Resources department.

COVID-19 Safety Information:

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Pisgah Legal Services has worked tirelessly to promote evidence-based practices across our entire organization. With this in mind, as of January 4th, all Pisgah employees will be required to provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccine.   Employees who are unvaccinated or have an approved exemption will be required to provide verified weekly COVID-19 test results.  We currently have COVID-19 safety precautions in place such as working remotely as our business allows, requiring face masks while meeting with clients or co-workers, providing outdoor meeting areas to meet with clients while wearing masks, limiting onsite visits by meeting virtually or by phone with clients.  Pisgah Legal Services also conducts temperature checks at our location upon arrival.