Attorney – Neighborhood Stabilization

Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio•Columbus, OH

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio (LASCO)’s mission is to provide civil legal aid and advocacy to overcome unfairness and injustice, reduce poverty, and increase opportunity. LASCO has a long-standing history of being committed to searching out the patterns, causes of, and solutions to the repetitive and fundamental legal problems facing low-income Ohioans and pursuing the legal recourse needed to address those problems. Since 1966, our organizations have helped thousands of Ohio’s poor obtain and keep housing, secure public benefits, worked with families to gain and maintain economic stability, and helped domestic violence survivors to live free of fear and abuse and to obtain the resources needed to sustain themselves and their children. LASCO is actively seeking a dedicated, professional Attorney to provide legal counsel and advice as well as direct representation as a member of our Neighborhood Stabilization Team. The Neighborhood Stabilization Team focuses on helping Franklin County neighborhoods with high poverty rates, often with a history of disinvestment and neglect. The Team strives to build relationships with these communities and address issues and legal needs of the populations in those communities as they come to light. It is a position that will require a high degree of outreach and creative problem solving, as well as a willingness to collaborate with partner organizations and other members of the Team. Historically, this Team has worked to improve housing conditions at apartment complexes, assisted fledgling businesses, and educated city personnel on the need for systemic changes. The ideal candidate is dedicated to improving the lives of low-income individuals in our communities, is motivated, professional, customer service focused, enjoys creatively helping clients triumph over adversity, works well within a collaborative, team-driven, and goal-based environment, can communicate verbally and in writing with a wide range of people, creates processes to increase work efficiencies, takes pride in excellent attention to detail, promotes a culture of high performance and continuous improvement, is interested in developing a wide range of legal skills and experiences, and engages in continuous learning.

Requirements

Strong legal advocacy skills
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment
High ability to exercise sound judgment and discretion
High ability to facilitate collaboration as well as build and sustain productive relationships with diverse individuals, groups and organizations
Excellent communication skills, both orally and written, with diverse audiences
A commitment to access for all people with a wide variety of lived experiences both internally and externally
Strong work ethic
Proficiency in Microsoft applications, knowledge of current technologies and commitment to remain up to date with industry best practices
English language proficiency is essential
Juris Doctor from an accredited law school and admitted to the Bar of the State of Ohio (or if not currently admitted, expected to obtain admission within 12 months from date of hire)

Nice To Haves

Spanish/English bilingual skills
Additional languages
Prior experience handling housing law
Prior experience working with a Legal Aid program

Responsibilities

Handle all functions related to legal advocacy ranging from intake to the representation of clients before local, state, appellate and federal courts, and all relevant agencies, with a focus on social security casework.
Develop systems for handling a wide range of issues low-income clients face when dealing with Neighborhood Stabilization.
Maintain a caseload that includes both direct service and impact work.
Participate in one of our substantive teams focused on learning one area of the law more in depth and on addressing systemic issues.
Participate in outreach activities, clinics and other community events.
Collaborate with other legal services attorneys on statewide advocacy.
Promote community relations and build community relationships by engaging with the public and partner service providers.
Have the opportunity to participate in excellent on-going professional development including CLE-approved trainings on substantive poverty law and advocacy skills among others.
Be a part of a community of collaborative and mission driven professionals.