Energy Unit Managing Attorney

Community Legal Services, Inc. • Philadelphia, PA

7d • $96,000 - $120,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Community Legal Services (CLS) is a non-profit public interest agency dedicated to providing free civil legal services to low-income Philadelphia residents. As the largest provider of free civil legal services in the Philadelphia area, CLS is renowned for its commitment to ensuring access to justice. The organization offers high-quality legal representation, engages in systemic policy advocacy, and conducts community education and outreach. The Energy Unit, comprising seven staff members across two offices, focuses on ensuring access to affordable water, heat, and electricity for low-income Philadelphians. The unit utilizes a comprehensive approach including client representation, strategic litigation, administrative and legislative advocacy, and media outreach. They also serve as Philadelphia's Public Advocate for certain utility issues and are increasingly involved in climate and environmental justice movements, promoting health, safety, and housing stability.

The Managing Attorney of the Energy Unit will lead the unit's advocacy efforts and legal services, overseeing intake, individual case representation, systemic policy work, litigation, communications, and community education. This role also involves providing leadership support, supervision, and mentorship to unit members. The position requires significant engagement with various stakeholders in Philadelphia, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, utility agencies, advocacy groups, and the communities served.

Requirements

• Licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania or ability to become licensed.
• Experience working with low-income and/or hard-to-reach people from a variety of backgrounds while demonstrating cultural humility.
• Commitment to working with diverse populations, advocating for racial and economic justice, and public interest.
• Excellent research, writing, and advocacy skills.
• Willingness to learn and use new software, technology, case management systems, etc.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).

Nice To Haves

• Seven or more years of experience as a practicing attorney
• Experience as a supervisor or team manager
• Experience with energy/utility law or advocacy.
• Experience in a legal services or non-profit environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Energy Unit’s advocacy and provision of legal services, overseeing intake, individual case representation, systemic policy work and litigation, communications, and community education and outreach.
• Provide leadership support, supervision, and mentorship for Energy Unit members.
• Use a wide array of legal tools, including policy and legislative advocacy, community education, and litigation to support multifaceted impact advocacy campaigns and racial justice advocacy.
• Engage with legal services leaders, programs, and the overall advocacy community to advance a policy advocacy agenda at the local, state, regional, and national levels.
• Collaborate with other CLS units around areas of substantive overlap (e.g., Housing, language access, income supports, etc.).
• Provide advice and representation to a small caseload of individual clients.
• Engage in and co-counsel policy work (administrative and legislative), appellate work, complex and major litigation, and other special projects with Unit members.
• Work with the Director of Supervision and Professional Development and with supervisors within the Unit to strengthen supervision skills and to ensure opportunities for professional development for all Unit members.
• Directly supervise staff, including hiring, mentoring, completing performance evaluations, and supporting supervisees’ substantive legal work.
• Work collaboratively with Unit members and upper management to jointly develop, implement, and supervise litigation and/or advocacy strategies to address systemic legal problems.
• Build, strengthen, and maintain relationships with directly impacted community members and stakeholders, agency heads and elected officials.
• Work in coalition with other legal, non-profit, and community-based advocacy organizations to collectively advance the Unit’s and CLS’s advocacy objectives.

Benefits

• 100% employer paid medical insurance for employees and family
• Coverage for gender affirming care
• Life insurance
• Short/long-term disability benefits
• 403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution
• Generous leave package
• Modest moving allowance may be available if the candidate lives more than 50 miles from the CLS Center City Office.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: No Education Listed