Veterans' Legal Services Attorney

Montana Legal Services Association•Helena, MT

2d•$68,000 - $74,000

About The Position

The Veterans’ Legal Services Attorney works with veterans’ service providers, including VA medical centers, to identify health-harming legal needs and provide legal services that positively affect clients’ health. The attorney represents eligible clients in civil legal matters such as housing, family law, public benefits, consumer debt, and civil rights. Services range from legal advice and limited-scope assistance to full representation. The attorney is based in one of MLSA’s three offices and conducts regular outreach and remote office hours to serve clients and work with veterans’ service provider staff. The position also supports and coordinates a medical-legal partnership, provides training, conducts legal research, prepares documents, and contributes to MLSA’s statewide initiatives and impact work.

Requirements

Law degree.
Willingness to assume a varied caseload.
Ability to communicate effectively and motivate others.
Ability to collaborate with diverse groups of people with varying perspectives, experience, and expertise.
Ability and willingness to learn and integrate new technologies and methodologies to perform responsibilities efficiently.
Willingness to establish and maintain effective relationships with clients, the public, judges, court personnel, medical personnel, veterans’ service providers, and the bar.
Ability and willingness to work cooperatively and collegially within a decentralized statewide law firm.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Excellent attention to detail.
Ability to work independently in a deadline-oriented environment.
A can-do attitude and willingness to help where needed.
Strong commitment to ensuring equal access to justice.
Proficiency with technology, including word processing, spreadsheets, internet-based programs, and computer-based legal research.
Ability to travel overnight within Montana.
Ability to travel out of state for conferences, training, or other meetings as required.

Nice To Haves

At least 3 years of experience practicing law.
Current license to practice law in Montana.
Understanding of the civil equal-justice legal needs of low-income people, including the unique needs of populations that face barriers to access to justice systems, and effective approaches to addressing those needs.
Experience working collaboratively and empathetically with diverse colleagues, firm partners, and clients with varying cultural backgrounds, perspectives, experience, and expertise.
Knowledge of substantive legal areas affecting low-income people.
VA accreditation or willingness to become a VA-accredited representative.

Responsibilities

Conduct training, hold regular office hours, and provide legal services to address the needs of patients and clients referred by veterans’ service providers.
Provide orientation and training for veterans’ service providers, including guidance on appropriate referrals.
Interview, advise, and represent eligible clients in civil matters.
Develop and maintain specialized knowledge of patients’ health-harming legal needs.
Consult with veterans’ service provider personnel about patients’ health-harming legal needs.
Provide services ranging from brief counsel and advice to extended representation on core legal issues affecting patients or clients of veterans’ service providers.
Coordinate and support the medical-legal partnership, including organizing regular meetings and assisting with evaluation and data collection.
Compose correspondence, pleadings, and other documents.
Research the law and prepare memoranda.
Work with other MLSA staff to recruit, train, and support pro bono attorneys when appropriate.
Participate in MLSA statewide initiatives and impact work, and implement grant and contract requirements through casework.
Perform other duties as assigned by the Supervising Attorney, Deputy Director, Director of Advocacy, or MLSA Executive Director.