Description:
General Summary and Objective:The Village Legal and Community Project's Staff Attorney provides pro bono civil legal representation to community members in various areas of the law. This representation includes housing, landlord/tenant, consumer debt, discharge upgrades, sealing and expunging and family law matters.
Major Duties:
- Provide brief advice and counsel, limited representation, or full representation as warranted by the issues presented.
- Maintain a caseload of individual cases representing clients in state courts and administrative hearings; This includes aspects of litigation including client interviewing, investigation, discovery, pleadings, briefs, and representation at hearings at the trial level.
- Maintain regular walk in/appointment schedule.
- Make the appropriate referrals to other legal resources when necessary.
- Engage in community outreach addressing issues affecting our communities.
- Maintain case files and timekeeping in electronic case management system.
- Help organize and operate our intake system.
- Report on outcomes and meet the requirements of funders
Skills and Expertise:
- Applicants must be licensed to practice law in the state of Illinois.
- Experience working directly with people with disabilities, people who have experienced trauma, and people with limited income highly desired.
- Provide legal services including legal research and factual investigation, counsel and advice, brief services and document preparation, dispute resolution and representation of clients in administrative and judicial proceedings.
- Must be a self-starter and willing to work in a collaborative work environment with a growing organization.
- Must possess strong interpersonal skills as well as excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Excellent oral/written communication, research skills, and computer competency.
- Organizational and case management proficiency.
- Must be open to learning new areas of the law.
- Must have access to reliable transportation as staff attorney will work onsite at our community partners.
