EATJ Legal Support Center Supervising Attorney

State of North Carolina•Wake County, NC

19d

About The Position

The North Carolina Equal Access to Justice Legal Support Center Supervising Attorney is responsible for the daily operations of the Wake County Legal Support Center (WCLSC) and Legal Hand (LH), including direct supervision of staff. The role does not provide legal advice or representation. Instead, the Supervising Attorney equips staff and volunteers to connect community members with legal information, resources, and referrals, and represents both programs to stakeholders. The position identifies unmet legal needs among self-represented litigants and Legal Hand visitors, develops strategies and resources to address those needs, evaluates program outcomes, and reports data to inform strategy and support funders and stakeholders. It also builds partnerships with community organizations, legal services providers, bar associations, judges, magistrates, court clerks, and courthouse staff. The role manages the program budget, supports grant applications and reporting, and performs other duties as directed by the Director of Strategic Engagement and Partnerships at the NC Equal Access to Justice Commission.

Requirements

Juris Doctor degree from an ABA-accredited law school.
Active license to practice law in North Carolina.
At least 2–3 years of direct supervisory experience managing staff, including hiring, performance management, and day-to-day oversight.
Knowledge of civil legal aid, access-to-justice issues, and challenges faced by self-represented litigants.
Knowledge of North Carolina court structure, procedures, and civil filing processes, including eFiling.
Knowledge of legal information resources and forms, and the distinction between legal information and legal advice.
Knowledge of nonprofit and public-sector program management, budgeting, and grant administration.
Knowledge of community-based legal service models and referral networks.
Skills in supervising, training, and developing staff and volunteers.
Skills in program planning, evaluation, outcomes tracking, data collection, and reporting.
Skills in budget management and grant writing or reporting.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including presenting to funders, stakeholders, and the public.
Ability to build and maintain partnerships with courts, community organizations, legal services providers, and bar associations.
Ability to use databases, case or content management systems, and standard office software.
Ability to oversee daily operations of two programs and provide backup coverage as needed.
Ability to distinguish between legal information and legal advice and train others to do the same.
Ability to work collaboratively with judges, court staff, clerks, and community partners.
Ability to analyze program data and prepare reports that inform strategy and satisfy funders.
Ability to manage multiple priorities, adapt to changing needs, and communicate respectfully with diverse populations.
Ability to work independently and take direction from the Director of Strategic Engagement and Partnerships.
Must provide a résumé and cover letter.

Nice To Haves

Experience coordinating and supervising volunteer projects.
Demonstrated commitment to social justice and experience working with people of diverse lived experiences, including differences in income, language, race or ethnicity, and urban or rural background, to facilitate access to justice.
Ability to proactively problem-solve and improve processes related to operations, technology, and personnel.
Knowledge of issues related to poverty law and the indigent population in North Carolina, and comfort with computer technology.
Ability to work some evening and weekend hours as needed.

Responsibilities

Directly supervise WCLSC staff and the LH Center Manager.
Oversee daily operations for WCLSC and the LH Call-In Center, providing backup and support as needed.
Equip staff and volunteers to connect community members with legal information, resources, and referrals.
Identify unmet legal needs of self-represented litigants and Legal Hand visitors and develop strategies to address them.
Oversee, evaluate, and develop legal information, resources, and referrals across both programs, including information packets, Guide and File access, and courthouse eFiling assistance.
Oversee legal information resources in the Legal Hand Helper database.
Track program outcomes and report data to evaluate impact, inform strategy, and support funders and stakeholders.
Share best practices and lessons learned between WCLSC and Legal Hand.
Work with the Director of Strategic Engagement and Partnerships to build and maintain relationships with community partners, legal services organizations, and bar associations to expand services and referrals.
Work with judges, magistrates, the Clerk of Superior Court’s office, and courthouse staff to coordinate resources and services for self-represented litigants.
Manage the program budget.
Support grant applications and reporting.
Perform other duties as directed by the Director of Strategic Engagement and Partnerships at the NC Equal Access to Justice Commission.