Staff Attorney

About the role

The Staff Attorney position is a hybrid role, combining remote and in-office work at the Philadelphia site of the Health, Education, and Legal Assistance Project: A Medical -Legal Partnership at Delaware Law School (HELP: MLP).

Responsibilities

• Provide direct legal services to clients, including litigation of landlord/tenant, public benefits, and other matters.
• Develop and deliver trainings to public health and community partners.
• Develop educational materials for public health partners and clients, including fact sheets, checklists, and handouts.
• Manage and organize client information using forms and an electronic legal case management system.
• Perform legal research and writing.
• Engage in systemic advocacy efforts to advance policy goals and improve community-wide health.
• Participate in local, state, and national coalitions and workgroups.
• Support the development of grant applications, reports, newsletters, articles, and other written publications.
• Local travel as needed to see clients and participate in work-related activities.
• Become and remain well-informed regarding basic legal principles applicable to area(s) of practice, attending training conferences as needed or requested by supervising attorney(s).

Qualifications

• Required: Admission to the Pennsylvania Bar. Eligible to take the next scheduled bar examination and pass it.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to apply modern technology to performance of legal work and tasks, including keeping updated case notes in an electronic case management database.
• Contribute to the development of grant applications, reports, newsletters, articles, and other written publications.
• Must be willing to travel within the Philadelphia area as needed.
• Commitment to improving the lives of families with low incomes.
• Willingness and ability to perform duties in an interdisciplinary setting with public health partners.
• Flexibility, including willingness to work in any of HELP: MLP’s areas of practice as priorities may change based on clients’ needs or funding.

Preferred

• Verbal and written fluency in Spanish.
• At least 3 years of legal services in one of the following areas: public benefits, housing law, or family law.
• Lived experience similar to clients served, including lived experience of poverty and other forms of social adversity and challenges.
• Familiarity and/or experience of Philadelphia legal networks.
• Familiarity with the social services and community resources available in Philadelphia and how to access them.