Disaster Legal Services Attorney

Join Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County (NLSLA) and become part of an energetic team of advocates that provide a wide-range of legal services aimed to address issues that disproportionately impact the poor.  These services include litigation, providing training and technical assistance and community education. 

NLSLA is seeking a Disaster Legal Services Attorney to provide legal services to disaster survivors. The ideal candidate will be a skillful attorney who can excel in a fast-paced, dynamic anti-poverty law practice and is capable of fiercely advocating on behalf of NLSLA clients in multiple forums. The candidate must have a demonstrated passion and commitment to public interest law and prior experience serving low-income individuals and client groups, with a sensitivity to those in crisis. The ideal candidate must have two or more years of experience in public benefits, landlord-tenant, consumer, and/or employment law.  The candidate will also possess strong research and organizational skills; the ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing; and well developed analytical skills.  Of critical importance is that the candidate be self-motivated with the ability to work independently. Bilingual proficiency in Spanish is preferred.

 

Position:

Disaster Legal Services Attorney, Pacoima, CA

 

 

Availability:

Availability is Immediate.

 

 

 

Salary:

$60,000 per year.  NLSLA offers a choice of medical plans and a choice of dental plans, life and disability insurance, 125 plan, 403(b) savings plans, sick, vacation and 13 employer-paid holidays and bilingual supplemental.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Represent survivors of natural disasters in administrative hearings and court cases with a focus on FEMA, SBA, landlord-tenant, consumer, employment, and other disaster related legal issues.
• Conduct intakes.
• Engage in outreach to natural disaster survivors.
• Supervise pro bono volunteers at legal clinics and in disaster related cases.
• Develop consumer, case manager and pro bono online and in-person trainings on disaster legal issues.
• Develop readable consumer flyers and other materials for disaster survivors.
• Represent NLSLA at community events and meetings related to disaster preparedness and network with government, NGO, faith-based, and social services organizations relevant to disaster response.

 

Qualifications:

Licensed and eligible to practice law in California.

Experience in public benefits, landlord-tenant, mobile home, consumer, and/or employment law.

Desire to address systemic issues and develop general knowledge of poverty law.

Ability to collaborate with a broad base of partners. 

 

 

 

Program

Description:

 

NLSLA is one of Los Angeles County's leading public interest law offices and has been the primary legal aid program serving the cities of Burbank and Glendale and the San Fernando and Antelope Valleys for more than 55 years and the city of Pasadena and San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys since 2001. The NLSLA staff of 130, including 55 lawyers, provides legal assistance to low-income individuals, families and groups on issues that disproportionately affect the poor such as family law and domestic violence, housing, health care, education, public benefits, economic and job development, immigrant rights, consumer rights and environmental justice.   NLSLA is headquartered in Glendale, CA with branch offices in Pacoima, Boyle Heights and El Monte.

 

Through a combination of individual representation, high impact litigation and public policy advocacy, NLSLA combats the immediate and long-lasting effects of poverty and expands access to health, opportunity and justice in Los Angeles’ diverse neighborhoods.  Founded in response to the nation’s War on Poverty, each year NLSLA provides free assistance to more than 100,000 individuals and families through innovative projects that address the most critical needs of impoverished communities.