Staff Attorney -Rural Justice Grant

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Regular Full Time Professional Abilene, TX, US

2 days ago Requisition

Salary Range: $73,815.00 To $ Annually

POSITION:
Staff Attorney (Full-Time) Hybrid

CLOSING DATE:
Position Immediately Available and Closed When Filled

ABOUT:
Legal Aid of North West Texas (LANWT) is a non-profit public interest law firm that provides high-quality, free civil legal services to low-income individuals and families in 114 counties across North and West Texas. Our mission is to ensure equal access to justice and improve the lives of low-income communities by providing high-quality legal representation, strategic litigation, valuable legal advice and meaningful collaborations, outreach, and community education.

JOB OVERVIEW: LANWT seeks a dynamic, self-motivated attorney with vision, initiative, and a strong commitment to public interest law to join our team as a staff attorney. In addition to providing daily representation in civil legal matters, the successful candidate will demonstrate a commitment to identifying and taking advantage of opportunities for strategic advocacy and to engaging in outreach to and collaboration with low-income individuals, including community groups that are made up of or serve the indigent.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Staff attorneys are responsible for delivering high-quality civil legal services to low-income clients. Core responsibilities include:

• Provide high-quality legal representation to low-income clients.
• Interview clients and witnesses with cultural competence and trauma-informed practices.
• Conduct legal research, gather evidence, and advise clients of their legal rights and options.
• Draft pleadings, motions, briefs, and other legal documents.
• Represent clients in court and before administrative or quasi-judicial agencies.
• Manage a caseload involving significant litigation and justice-related advocacy.
• Interpret laws, rulings, and regulations for clients and community partners.
• Design, develop, and participate in community legal education and outreach initiatives.
• Build and maintain meaningful relationships with community organizations, particularly those serving low-income and underserved populations.
• Collaborate with community partners to advance LANWT's mission of ensuring equal access to justice and improving the lives of low-income communities.
• Participate in local, regional, and statewide networks, including those serving vulnerable populations.
• Participate in strategic advocacy efforts that advance LANWT's mission of ensuring equal access to justice and improving the lives of low-income communities.
• Refer clients to appropriate services and resources within these networks.
• Attend evening and weekend legal clinics as needed.
• Supervise and coordinate the work of legal assistants, clerical staff, volunteers, or law students as assigned.
• Maintain a working knowledge of, and ensure compliance with, Legal Services Corporation (LSC) regulations, LANWT policies and procedures, and grant and funding requirements.
• Adhere to all applicable professional and ethical standards, including the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, the Texas Lawyer's Creed, and the ABA Standards for the Provision of Civil Legal Aid.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the managing attorney, deputy director, or CEO.

Staff attorneys may work in one or more civil practice areas based on office needs and experience. Specific duties by practice area include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Represent tenants facing eviction, including trial and appeal of forcible detainer actions.
• Advise clients on habitability, repair-and-deduct remedies, and unsafe housing conditions.
• Represent clients in subsidized housing and Section 8 voucher termination hearings.
• Assist clients with fair housing discrimination claims and reasonable accommodation requests.
• Negotiate with landlords, property managers, and public housing authorities on behalf of clients.

• Represent survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in protective order proceedings.
• Handle divorce, conservatorship, visitation, and child support matters.
• Assist clients with paternity establishment and enforcement actions.
• Represent grandparents and relative caregivers seeking conservatorship of children.
• Coordinate with domestic violence shelters and advocates to…