Staff Attorney (Opioid Use Disorder Legal Support Project)

$61000 - $83000 / year

Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA) seeks a staff attorney to provide civil legal services with our Opioid Use Disorder Legal Support Project in El Paso. The Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) Legal Support Project will work as a team in a new grant-funded project for outreach, collaboration, and legal service delivery to individuals affected by OUD in TRLA’s 68-county service area. Through collaboration with community organizations throughout our service area, the attorney will work directly on the ground with providers who serve people affected by OUD.

This project is funded through August 2024, and this position may be limited to that timeframe.

Primary duties and responsibilities of this position include:

·       Work with a team to develop models for legal service delivery using TRLA resources and exploring new organizational partnerships;

·       Work with program leadership to provide services to meet grant requirements;

·       Build relationships with organizations focused on treating people with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD);

·       Traveling and visiting in-person with providers and staff through specific regions of TRLA’s service area to deliver services (includes Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, the Rio Grande Valley, or El Paso primarily);

·       Cooperates with the Grants Management team and accounting staff in complying with timely reporting requirements;

·       Enforces compliance with funding regulations and program policies;

·       On occasion, work on location at a partner organization’s location, resource hub, or mobile unit;

·       Identify, coordinate, and execute community legal education and outreach activities for the project;

·       Analyze case trends and issues affecting clients;

·       Reviews intake disposition decisions on a regular basis to assure that equitable treatment is extended to all clients and that disposition decisions are made in a manner that is consistent with TRLA policies and priorities;

·       Identifies cases and clients in the Practice Area that do not readily access the intake system and ensure that all clients have equal access to program resources;

·       Prepares routine forms and default legal advice, developing modules and procedures, and making recommendations for other improvements to enhance the efficiency of program operations.

Preferred qualifications:

·       Must be licensed to practice law in Texas, able to waive into the Texas bar, or willing to take the next available bar exam. (Exceptions include attorneys working for our migrant farmworker program, or primarily in immigration may be licensed in another state.)

·       Willingness and ability to travel;

·       Flexibility and comfort with operating in environments such as drug treatment centers, homeless resource centers, and other direct services organizations;

·       Knowledge or experience with issues faced by people with addictions, particularly people with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD);

·       Knowledge or experience with legal issues impacting people with OUD;

·       Experience in community outreach and organizing partnerships with direct service providers;

·       Ability to engage compassionately and non-judgmentally with people struggling with OUD;

·       Familiarity with the Peer Support model or willingness to learn;

·       Familiarity with re-entry services;

·       Bilingual in English and Spanish.

Compensation and Benefits:  

Salary is commensurate with experience and includes an excellent fringe benefits package, including law school loan repayment, generous paid leave, healthcare insurance, a retirement plan, and training & travel stipends.

 Application process:  

1. Step One – Submit a completed online application.  

2. Step Two – Selected applicants will be contacted for an interview (videoconference, telephone, or in-person).   

3. Step Three – Depending on the circumstances, selected applicants will be invited to visit some specific TRLA offices and meet with staff, and tour the local community. TRLA will provide travel, accommodations, and meals throughout the visit.   

4. Step Four – Selected applicants will be offered a position.   

TRLA IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER 

At TRLA, we are committed to offering fair and equal employment opportunities to all job applicants and employees. We strictly prohibit any form of discrimination and harassment of any type based on race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.