Elder Law Attorney
South Coastal Counties Legal Services, Inc. (SCCLS), a growing non-profit legal aid program providing free civil legal assistance to eligible low-income residents of Southeastern MA, Cape Cod, and the Islands, seeks to hire attorneys for its Elder Law practice in Bristol County. The attorneys primarily will serve older residents in Bristol County with a wide variety of civil matters including public benefits, housing, unemployment, consumer and health care related matters. In addition to grant reporting, some funder relations, and case work, the attorney will engage in outreach to Councils on Aging and community legal education. The attorney will manage a substantial caseload of individual cases, along with special projects, and engage in impact advocacy.
SCCLS and its subsidiary, the Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts (JCSM), with a staff of nearly 80 and 4 offices in Brockton, Fall River, New Bedford and Hyannis, is the principal provider of free, civil legal aid to low-income residents of Southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod, and the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. SCCLS’ core mission is to achieve justice for eligible clients through community-based advocacy. The organization prioritizes legal services in: housing, public benefits, elder law, domestic relations, employment, education, immigration, and consumer matters. The organization seeks attorneys committed to providing high quality legal representation with an understanding of economic and racial justice and centering community.
Compensation and Benefits:
SCCLS offers competitive compensation based on comparable public interest salaries and will be commensurate with experience. Multi-lingual annual increment to base salary may be added for demonstrated language skills. SCCLS offers a benefits package which includes medical and dental for employees and dependents; life insurance; long/short term disability; PFMLA benefits; 403(b) retirement plan; and generous leave.
SCCLS is an Equal Opportunity Employer and we welcome applicants from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences. We strive to foster a healthy, inclusive environment where all staff, clients, and community members are valued, empowered and recognized, especially individuals who come from marginalized communities that are often under resourced, underserved, and underrepresented.
Overview of SCCLS and its subsidiary, the Justice Center of Southeast Massachusetts
SCCLS is a private, non-profit law firm which provides free legal help in a wide array of civil matters to low income residents of Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Nantucket and Plymouth counties and parts of Norfolk County.
The organization has a staff of 75 that provide legal assistance in more than 4500 matters each year. Administrative offices are in Fall River. Law offices are located in Fall River, New Bedford, Hyannis, and Brockton.
SCCLS is expanding. Its 2022 revenues are expected to exceed $10 million. Its largest funder, the Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation (MLAC), provides approximately 60% of funding for the organization. Other funders include federal Legal Services Corporation, the Massachusetts Bar Foundation, the Corporation for National and Community Service (AmeriCorps), Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance, MA Department of Public Health, four Area Agencies on Aging, United Way, CDBG funds, private foundations.
SCCLS is the go-to organization for civil legal aid in the southeast region because of its work with low-income residents and community organizations over the past 50 years. SCCLS’ core mission is to achieve justice for eligible clients through community-based advocacy.
SCCLS and the Justice Center also operate a statewide AmeriCorps program which places 36 college or law graduates in legal aid programs throughout the Commonwealth to support the services provided to low income families and elders, and participates in the state wide justice community through service on numerous task forces organized around substantive issues, as well as service delivery issues.
Qualifications:
- Admitted in MA or eligible for admission; prior legal experience in one or more of SCCLS’ core practice areas and/or litigation experience preferred;
- Demonstrated experience representing vulnerable or marginalized populations required; commitment to working with clients who may have experienced poverty, trauma or discrimination required;
- Ability to work independently and as a team member; goal and detail oriented with ability to prioritize; possess vision and sense of urgency in addressing client needs; strong interpersonal skills;
- Commitment to race equity, anti-racism and economic justice in the workplace and in providing legal services; prior racial justice and/or systemic focused experience highly desirable;
- Ability to engage effectively in person and remotely with people from diverse cultures, with diverse opinions and values, including with staff, volunteers, students, community members and funders;
- Fluency in a second language which reflects our client communities (Spanish, Portuguese, Cape Verdean Creole, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, Khmer) desirable;
- Admitted in MA or eligible for admission; prior legal experience in one or more of SCCLS’ core practice areas and/or litigation experience preferred;
- Demonstrated experience representing vulnerable or marginalized populations required; commitment to working with clients who may have experienced poverty, trauma or discrimination required;
- Ability to work independently and as a team member; goal and detail oriented with ability to prioritize; possess vision and sense of urgency in addressing client needs; strong interpersonal skills;
- Commitment to race equity, anti-racism and economic justice in the workplace and in providing legal services; prior racial justice and/or systemic focused experience highly desirable;
- Ability to engage effectively in person and remotely with people from diverse cultures, with diverse opinions and values, including with staff, volunteers, students, community members and funders;
- Fluency in a second language which reflects our client communities (Spanish, Portuguese, Cape Verdean Creole, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, Khmer) desirable;
Apply:
Submit letter of interest, resume and legal writing sample by email to: LThelin@sccls.org with Subject Line: Elder Law Attorneys. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.