This job was posted by https://illinoisjoblink.illinois.gov : For more information, please see: https://illinoisjoblink.illinois.gov/jobs/11935422

Legal Aid Chicago encourages applicants with relevant volunteer and work experience, who have experiences with our client communities or individuals who identify as a person of color, LGBTQIA+, immigrant, or otherwise having backgrounds and experiences that are underrepresented in the legal profession to apply.

For over 50 years, Legal Aid Chicago has provided free civil legal assistance to people living in poverty in metropolitan Chicago. Each year our attorneys, volunteers, and staff help resolve civil legal problems, including domestic violence, consumer fraud, and unfair evictions. Legal Aid Chicago was founded on the philosophy that all individuals are entitled to quality civil legal representation, regardless of their income. We work to ensure that poverty is not an impediment to justice by dismantling the legal barriers that perpetuate inequality. Legal Aid Chicago staff live our mission through our core values of equity, excellence, inclusion, kindness, and respect.

Position: Legal Aid Chicago seeks a full-time Staff Attorney in the Public Benefits Practice Group to work within the Veterans Rights Project. The Veterans Rights Project is dedicated to ensuring that low-income service members, veterans, and their families receive advocacy, legal representation and educational services regarding the enforcement of their legal rights and benefits, with the Department of Veterans Affairs as well as in a variety of other civil legal areas, including Consumer, Housing, Family, and Public Benefits law.

Responsibilities:

• Maintain a caseload of individual cases representing clients before the Department of Veterans Affairs, Social Security Administration, Illinois Department of Human Services and in state and federal courts
• Act as a subject matter expert within the practice group concerning Veterans Benefits and civil legal issues affecting veterans
• Interview eligible clients on issues handled within the practice group and provide advice and brief service in appropriate cases
• Participate in weekly team meetings to present new cases and reach team consensus on representation
• Work with other practice group staff in interdisciplinary work
• Maintain knowledge in other areas of law handled by Legal Aid Chicago to ensure that clients legal needs are identified and met in those areas
• Participate in complex litigation or advocacy to address systemic issues
• Work collaboratively with Legal Aid Chicago staff, students and volunteers to provide comprehensive legal services
• Help organize and operate our intake system and veterans clinic and work with pro bono attorneys
• Collaborate on projects that could involve outreach to community groups, developing new strategies for serving our clients, or address systemic issues through litigation, negotiation or advocacy
• Participate in community outreach and support legal training and community education for clients and community partners that serve veterans
• Maintain case files and timekeeping in electronic case management system
• Assist with grant reporting, as appropriate and applicable
• Handle other duties as determined by the Supervisory Attorneys and the Director.

Salary and Benefits:

This position is part of the National Organization of Legal Services Workers, UAW Local 2320. The Collective Bargaining Agreement sets employment terms and compensation is determined by the CBA salary scale, based on paid experience.

The Staff Attorney position begins at \$68,072 and increases for every relevant year of experience.

Legal Aid Chicago offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Bilingual Staff Attorneys are eligible for an addition l stipend
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, effective the first day of employment
• Time Off: 15 vacation days and 18 sick days accrued within the first year of employment
• 19 paid holidays, including four (4) floating holidays
• Twelve weeks of Paid Parental Leave at 100% of the salary after six months of employment
• 403(b) retirement plan with an employer contribution after one year of employment
• \$50,000 Basic Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment insurance, at no cost
• Access to Employee Assistance Program resources, at no cost
• Chicago Bar Association Membership, at no cost
• Monthly internet reimbursement
• Legal Aid Chicago is a 501(3) non-profit and is an eligible employer for the federal public service loan forgiveness program