Staff Attorney, Public Practice Group- Veterans Rights Project Legal Aid Chicago

Staff Attorney
Public Benefits Practice Group
- Veterans Rights Project
(External / Internal)

Legal Aid Chicago encourages applicants with relevant volunteer and work experience, who have experiences with our client communities or individuals who identify as a person of color, LGBTQIA+, immigrant, or otherwise having backgrounds and experiences that are underrepresented in the legal profession to apply.

For over 50 years, Legal Aid Chicago has provided free civil legal assistance to people living in poverty in metropolitan Chicago. Each year our attorneys, volunteers, and staff help resolve civil legal problems, including domestic violence, consumer fraud, and unfair evictions. Legal Aid Chicago was founded on the philosophy that all individuals are entitled to quality civil legal representation, regardless of their income.

We work to ensure that poverty is not an impediment to justice.

Legal Aid Chicago offers a hybrid work environment with staff expected to be in the office two days a week. Our office, located in downtown Chicago at 200 N. LaSalle Street, is ADA accessible and has convenient access to public transportation and local expressways. This position requires travel to court and to an occasional legal clinic or outreach event.

Position: Legal Aid Chicago seeks a full-time Staff Attorney in Public Benefits Practice Group to work within the Veterans’ Rights Project.

Responsibilities:

• Maintain a caseload of individual cases representing clients before the Department of Veterans Affairs, Social Security Administration, Illinois Department of Human Services and in state and federal courts
• Act as a subject matter expert within PBPG concerning Veterans Benefits and civil legal issues affecting veterans
• Interview eligible clients on issues handled within the practice group and provide advice and brief service in appropriate cases
• Participate in weekly team meetings to present new cases and reach team consensus on representation
• Participate in regular clinics at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center and other community-based locations
• Work with other practice group staff in interdisciplinary work
• Maintain knowledge in other areas of law handled by Legal Aid Chicago to ensure that clients’ legal needs are identified and met in those areas
• Participate in complex litigation or advocacy to address systemic issues
• Work collaboratively with Legal Aid Chicago staff, students and volunteers to provide comprehensive legal services
• Help organize and operate our intake system and veterans’ clinic and work with pro bono attorneys
• Collaborate on projects that could involve outreach to community groups, developing new strategies for serving our clients, or address systemic issues through litigation, negotiation or advocacy
• Participate in community outreach and support legal training and community education for clients and community partners that serve veterans
• Maintain case files and accurate timekeeping in electronic case management system
• Assist with grant reporting, as appropriate and applicable
• Handle other duties as determined by the Supervisory Attorneys and the Director.

Qualifications:

• Applicants must either be licensed to practice law in Illinois or be licensed in another state (and able to waive into the Illinois bar or be willing to sit for the next Illinois bar)
• Applicant must either be a VA accredited attorney or be eligible and willing to complete steps to become one
• Strong preference for applicants who have demonstrated interest or experience working with veterans.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, highly developed organizational skills, and great client counseling skills and genuinely enjoy interacting with clients
• The successful applicant will be collegial and demonstrate a commitment to and…