Staff Attorney (Columbia)
Legal Aid Society has an immediate opening for a Family, Health and Benefits Law attorney in its Columbia office. Attorney will provide legal representation to eligible clients in civil cases, focusing on clients experiencing health and benefits and family law issues. Case work would include advocacy for victims of domestic violence, including representation in order of protection and divorce cases, advocacy for eligibility for health care services and eligibility for public benefits. Lead Pro Bono efforts in the office. As a part of a holistic approach, representation may include varying areas of law as needed, administrative advocacy, litigation in state and federal courts, and community education for clients in accordance with program guidelines and priorities and the Code of Professional Responsibility. The Columbia office serves Giles, Hickman, Lawrence, Marshall, Maury, Lewis, Perry and Wayne counties. Legal Aid Society has thirty-seven attorneys in eight offices in Middle and East Tennessee. Its attorneys provide low-income people expert legal assistance at all levels of state and federal court. Its staff includes national authorities in the fields of domestic violence, housing, consumer law, federal income taxation, health advocacy, nonprofit group representation, social security and special education. For more information about LAS, visit www.las.org.
Salary: DOE. Excellent benefits and loan forgiveness.
Qualifications: Applicants must be a law school graduate and be admitted to practice in Tennessee or willing to take first available bar examination. Attorney must have a demonstrated interest in public interest law, health and benefits law, and family law. Applicants should have a commitment to high quality representation and a desire to handle cases that benefit individual clients as well as those impacting their communities. Must have ability to communicate effectively in oral and written form; experienced in public speaking and training others on the law; be organized; and work with a team and independently. Experience working under and reporting on grants and proficiency with Microsoft Office software and Legal Files database preferred. Fluency in written and spoken Spanish language a plus.
Applications must include a cover letter, resume, writing sample and three references (with phone numbers). No phone calls, please. Send by mail or e-mail (in Word or PDF format) to: Director of Human Resources Re: Columbia FL/H&B Attorney Position Legal Aid Society 575 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Suite 201 Oak Ridge, TN 37830 e-mail: HR@las.org Apply as soon as possible. Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics.