Staff Attorney (Hybrid)

Description:

Our Organization
Pegasus Legal Services for Children is a state-wide nonprofit legal aid organization based in Albuquerque, NM. Our mission is to promote and defend the rights of children and youth to safe and stable homes, quality education and healthcare, and a voice in decisions that affect their lives. We serve people aged 25 or younger with their civil legal needs and caregivers taking care of other people's children who are in need of kinship guardianship. We advocate for children's rights and partner with other organizations for system reform.

Pegasus strives to work within an anti-racism, anti-oppression, and anti-colonial framework, and recognizes that systemic privilege and oppression have strongly shaped staffing patterns in the nonprofit sector. We encourage applications from racialized people, Indigenous people, migrants, people with marginalized sexual or gender identities, and people living with disabilities.

Role & Responsibilities
Pegasus seeks a Staff Attorney to provide advice, counsel, and direct legal representation to children and youth. The Staff Attorney will report directly to the Supervising Attorney.

Objectives of this role include:

• Provide high-quality, trauma-informed legal services from advice to full representation that aligns with Pegasus's values, vision, and mission.
• Collaborative involvement in projects that promote trauma-informed, anti-racist, & intersectional systems strategies.
• Participate in community outreach events based on the community needs.

Responsibilities include:

• Manage a full caseload of diverse cases, including kinship guardianship, emancipation, young parent (custody and child support), and adoption, among others. We are flexible and open to our staff's professional interests and desired projects. If there is an area in which our staff would like to work or learn more, we always welcome those conversations.
• Maintain practical knowledge and application of each of the services that Pegasus provides.
• Complete roles and responsibilities associated with case representation.
• Work independently and collaboratively to ensure high-quality youth and community-driven advocacy.
• Communicate effectively with other members of the legal team.
• Assist with call-back services to provide brief legal advice.
• Travel to and from Court for hearings in Bernalillo County and nearby counties.
• Coordinate and lead biweekly case reviews with paralegals.
• Present at conferences, community events, and to partner organizations.

Skills & Qualifications
Required Skills and Qualifications:

• Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited law school
• Admission to practice law in good standing in New Mexico, or eligible for reciprocity or willing to seek admission to the New Mexico bar
• Demonstrated interest in building meaningful relationships with youth, young adults, and communities impacted by the systems Pegasus works in
• Strong legal advocacy and analytical skills
• Demonstrated strength in clear and persuasive writing, and oral presentation
• Familiarity with and understanding of systemic oppression, including institutional racism, and demonstrated commitment to mitigating the harms of institutional racism and other forms of oppression
• Innovative problem solver and strategic thinker with a growth mindset
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to work effectively and collaboratively

Preferred skill and qualifications:

• Bilingual in English & Spanish
• Experience providing legal aid or nonprofit representation to individual clients
• Established relationships with and accountability to the impacted communities Pegasus serves
• One year of legal experience, with some experience in Civil/Family law either during or after law school.

Pay & Benefits
This is a full-time position.

The salary is $70,000. Multilingual applicants who are proficient in languages that are used in our community can expect a salary of $77,000.

Pegasus prioritizes staff well-being through our policies and culture. To this effect, we offer:

• A 4 day, 32-hour work week year-round (the office is closed on Fridays).
• Unlimited leave with a two-week suggested minimum, with an additional week off during the December holidays when our offices close.
• Twelve weeks of 100% paid parental leave after three-months of employment.
• 100% employer-paid employee health, dental, vision, long term disability, and life insurance.
• Employer-paid professional development and continuing education opportunities annually.
• A retirement plan with a 3% match that immediately vests (no waiting period).
• Monthly phone stipend of $40/month for full-time employees and a $500 home office supply budget per year.
• Hybrid work options with technology provided (hybrid work available after 1-month training period).
• Optional externally-facilitated support groups every 6 weeks to discuss how to prevent and mitigate the impacts of trauma exposure in our work.

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