Migrant Farmworker Project Attorney
Legal Aid of Western Missouri (LAWMO) is a not-for-profit corporation created in 1964 to provide legal assistance in civil matters to low-income persons. Legal Aid of Western Missouri offers a professional and friendly work environment with integrity as our guiding principle. We are an equal opportunity employer with recruitment efforts focused on ensuring a diverse workforce. As with all job openings at Legal Aid, second language proficiency in a language commonly spoken by Legal Aid’s clients or potential clients, including but not limited to Spanish, will be viewed favorably in our hiring decision for this job. The ability to speak Spanish is a requirement for this job. The Migrant Farmworkers Project Unit serves migrant and seasonal farmworkers (MSFWs) and their dependents throughout the state.
The Migrant Farmworkers Project seeks a full time staff attorney with a commitment to social justice, a flexible team player with a willingness to practice diverse areas of the law as it relates to this population. Cases typically involve access and issues with: state and federal public benefits, access to healthcare, wage claim disputes, addressing unsafe and substandard working conditions, as well as immigration relief. The Unit’s office is housed in our Central Office located in Kansas City, Missouri, but staff and volunteers make regular visits to rural areas where farmworkers live and work. Evening, weekends and out of town overnight travel are expected during peak harvest months. The Unit is currently staffed by one full time Project Director; general casework is supervised by the Managing Attorney of the Warrensburg office and immigration cases are supervised by the Immigration Law Unit. Unit staff also works cooperatively with advocates in community-based organizations and other providers of legal services.
Salary: $41,365 +DOE. This position includes a $1,000 sign-on bonus for Spanish language fluency.
Benefits: Medical and dental insurance, voluntary vision insurance, voluntary life insurance, long and short-term disability insurances, 401(k)/match and retirement plans, paid vacation, sick, personal and holiday pay, flexible spending account and parking and travel reimbursement, malpractice insurance, work-life balance, flexible work schedule, paid training, professional development.
• Full Professional Proficiency in Spanish (written and oral) is required.
• Experience working with farmworkers, and with employment and family based immigration law preferred. Family based immigration cases include: naturalization, family petitions and forms of humanitarian relief such as VAWA, U and T cases.
• Must be a member of the Missouri Bar.
• Must have a valid driver license and reliable transportation as travel to client communities and outreach events is required (mileage will be reimbursed). Day, evening and overnight travel to service areas in Missouri is required.
• Flexibility, willingness to learn areas of law, critical thinking, intrapersonal communication and attention to detail are vital skills for this position.
• Ability to prioritize responsibilities and have fun in a high energy, fast paced work environment.
• Aptitude for and willingness to be a team player.
Please visit http://www.lawmo.org/employment to submit your application, resume, writing sample and cover letter. LAWMO is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Those applicants requiring accommodation to the interview/application process should contact the Human Resources Department at HR@lawmo.org.