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About Us: A Public Interest Law Firm is a 501 (c)(3) organization that provides pro bono legal assistance to homeless, at-risk, disabled, mentally ill, and low income current and former service members to eradicate barriers to housing, health care, education and employment and to foster self-sufficiency.This position can be temporarily virtual and require trips to court and other places from time to time. Position will focus primarily on Orange County.Position Description: A Public Interest Law Firm seeks a talented full-time Staff Attorney with 0-10 years experience to provide free legal services to prevent veteran homelessness for clients who income qualify as indigent. Candidate will be expanding A Public Interest Law Firm's current efforts to prevent veteran homelessness primarily in Orange County but may have opportunities to serve those in Los Angeles, San Bernardino or Riverside Counties. Candidate will provide some of the following types of service: family law, eviction defense or other tenant defense assistance, counseling, advice and consultation, training, renter education, representation, and legal services to improve habitability, increasing affordable housing, ensuring receipt of eligible income or benefits to improve housing stability, and homelessness prevention, other general legal services. Candidate may attend legal clinics at various locations, work with both emerging and long-term housing partners, and contribute to building pro bono network so that indigent veterans can access justice and achieve housing stability. Candidate will also assist low-income, and homeless veterans gain access to critical income-support benefits and healthcare by submitting veteran benefits claims and appeals, discharge upgrades and attending legal clinics at various locations. Candidate will also spend time working on a partial combination of family law, expungements, landlord-tenant work including unlawful detainers, estate planning, bankruptcy, civil litigation, and more. The Staff Attorney will also lead trainings and provide technical assistance to volunteers and review completed applications for eligibility, legal work, and/or placement with a pro bono attorney and more as opportunities arise.
Qualifications: Active membership in the California State Bar;
Examples of Duties:
- Demonstrated knowledge of applicable law and community legal needs;
- Excellent written and verbal communication and organizational skills;
- Ability to work cooperatively with staff effectively at all levels of the organization;
- Good people skills and the ability to maintain positive relations with a diverse population;
- Ability to interact with a wide range of clients utilizing client-centered lawyering and trauma-informed frameworks;
- Ability to assume responsibility quickly and work independently and as part of a team;
- Ability to use good judgment, multitask, and meet deadlines;
- Experience in developing and leading trainings preferred;
- Experience working with veterans, people with disabilities, and people who are low-income and/or homeless preferred;
- Strong teaching and public speaking skills preferred;
- Previous experience in a legal services program preferred;
- Housing experience a plus;
- VA Accreditation a plus;
- Experience in representing mentally ill, low-income people, special populations, or military in civil litigation or administrative proceedings a strong plus;
- Knowledge of VA or government benefits, including SSI/SSDI, a strong plus; andMilitary service, related military background, or military familiarity of modern issues a plus.
Examples of Duties:
- Maintain an active caseload and provide quality legal services to mentally ill, low-income, disabled and homeless former and active service members;
- Interview former and active service members to determine what the legal issue is and if they are eligible for A Public Interest Law Firm's services
- Common areas of law primarily include family law, unlawful detainer/eviction defense but may also engage in discharge upgrades, VA benefits, and more;
- Partake in case review meetings to ensure that legal services provided are consistent with A Public Interest Law Firm's priorities, policies and procedures, and that they maximize office resources to provide the highest quality client service;
- Work with Managing Attorney to meet the overall goals of the organization;Work with and assist volunteers, including law students and pro bono attorneys, with tasks;
- Liaison with the client veteran community and represent A Public Interest Law Firm at networking events (occasional nights and weekends required);
- Staff, coordinate and supervise legal clinics and trainings on a variety of legal issues that affect veterans;
- Other duties as assigned.
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