Staff Attorney – Disaster Legal Services​/Generalist

Staff Attorney – Disaster Legal Services / Generalist Northern New Mexico – Santa Fe, Las Vegas, or Taos

New Mexico Legal Aid (NMLA) provides civil legal services to low-income New Mexicans to promote family and economic stability, helping clients access food, shelter, security, and preserve their unique cultural heritages. NMLA provides services throughout New Mexico through offices and programs serving communities across the state.

NMLA seeks a Staff Attorney to join its Northern New Mexico team. This position will have a primary assignment to NMLA's Disaster Legal Services (DLS) Program, while also maintaining a generalist civil legal services practice serving low-income residents of Northern New Mexico.

The Staff Attorney may be based in NMLA's Santa Fe, Las Vegas, or Taos office and will work collaboratively with DLS staff, Northern Offices staff, community partners, and other NMLA practice areas.

Disaster Legal Services

The Staff Attorney will support NMLA's delivery of legal services to individuals and communities impacted by federally declared disasters in New Mexico. Disaster legal work may involve a range of civil legal issues arising during disaster response and long-term recovery.

The attorney's disaster-related practice may include matters involving:

• FEMA and other disaster-assistance applications, appeals, and eligibility issues;
• Housing and landlord-tenant matters arising from displacement or disaster impacts;
• Property ownership, title, boundary, and related real-property issues;
• Probate and small-estate matters affecting disaster recovery;
• Consumer protection, contractor disputes, predatory practices, scams, and fraud;
• Insurance and disaster-related financial issues;
• Public benefits and other legal issues affecting disaster survivors; and
• Other civil legal matters resulting from or complicated by disasters.

The DLS Staff Attorney will provide legal advice, brief services, and full representation, including preparation of legal documents and representation in administrative proceedings, negotiations, hearings, and litigation as appropriate. The attorney will also play an active role in community outreach, legal education, clinics, development of self-help resources, community-partner training, and building effective referral networks for disaster survivors.

The Staff Attorney will:

• Maintain and manage an active caseload of disaster-related civil legal matters;
• Interview clients, identify disaster-related legal issues, and develop appropriate case strategies;
• Provide advice, brief services, and direct representation to disaster survivors;
• Conduct legal research, factual investigation, document preparation, negotiations, administrative advocacy, and litigation as needed;
• Assist clients with FEMA and other disaster recovery processes when legal assistance is appropriate;
• Participate in community outreach, legal clinics, presentations, and educational events in disaster-impacted communities;
• Work collaboratively with Community Justice Workers and other DLS staff to identify emerging legal needs and connect affected communities with NMLA services;
• Develop and provide legal education and issue-spotting training for community organizations, disaster case managers, service providers, and other partners;
• Assist with the development and distribution of self-help, pro se, and community legal education materials;
• Establish and maintain relationships with courts, governmental agencies, nonprofit organizations, disaster recovery organizations, and other community partners;
• Participate in DLS program initiatives and special projects supporting disaster preparedness, response, and long-term recovery; and
• Maintain accurate and timely case records and other documentation necessary to support program and grant…