Staff Attorney (Economic Security Unit)

Neighborhood Legal Services Program of the District of Columbia (NLSP) seeks a staff attorney to join our Economic Security Unit (ESU) beginning November 1, 2020.   NLSP is a private, non-profit law firm that provides high quality civil legal services to low-income residents of the District of Columbia. NLSP has a long tradition of fighting for justice for the poor, combining direct representation with efforts to achieve broad-based change. Its three offices are located in the poorest neighborhoods of the District, to maximize its visibility, accessibility, and connections to the communities it serves.   Formed in 2018, NLSP’s Economic Security Unit is comprised of the intersectional work of several practice areas that all contribute to gaining, maintaining, and protecting our clients’ vital income sources. For the working poor, individuals living in poverty, and those on the brink of homelessness, any lapse in fixed-income, employment, or public benefits has an immediate effect on the individual’s ability to survive. Attorneys in ESU seek to increase the financial autonomy of our clients and create pathways out of poverty by eliminating barriers to employment, protecting low-income consumers, and gaining and maintaining access to public benefits.      DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES   The Staff Attorney will be a member of NLSP’s 5-person ESU team and will provide services to clients in all of our Unit’s practice areas. This work may include: • Providing high quality civil legal services to address barriers to employment, violations of consumer rights, and access to public benefits (including SNAP, TANF, SSI, SSDI, IDA, and veterans’ benefits). • Advocating for clients in both administrative and judicial fora such as Social Security Administration, the Office of Administrative Hearings, the Office of Human Rights, DC Superior Court (civil and small claims divisions), the Department of Education, and federal court.  • Conducting community outreach and developing legal information workshops available to the public regarding any of ESU’s substantive practice areas. • Maintaining and/or developing new community partnerships in order to reach and serve more low-income D.C. residents.  • Supporting pro bono attorneys and other outside counsel handling matters on behalf of our clients.  • Participating in NLSP’s recruitment, training, and retention efforts to build our base of pro bono attorneys serving our clients.   SALARY AND BENEFITS   • Salary commensurate with experience, starting at $50,000 • Generous benefits package • Paid vacation, sick, and personal leave; 8 weeks of paid parental leave