Staff Attorney Housing Law

Job Title: Full-Time Attorney

Bay Area Legal Services is seeking a full-time attorney to join our New Port Richey office.

Key Responsibilities:

• Facilitate or directly provide qualified legal services to low-income clients to meet their civil legal needs.
• Develop relationships with clients to evaluate and assist with their established legal needs, provide counsel, help them understand their legal options, and represent them in court, negotiations, and other legal proceedings.
• Manage or advise clients on legal transactions.
• Conduct research, prepare legal documents, and perform other duties to ensure that clients receive high-quality legal services and best outcomes.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Interview applicants and determine if eligibility requirements for established legal services are satisfied.
• Document all client case information and related time spent in the case management system accurately and timely.
• Ensure compliance with Legal Services Corporation (LSC) or other grantor requirements.

Client Interaction:

• Communicate with clients to learn about their legal needs and concerns, counsel, advise, and refer them to appropriate public agencies or other community resources for additional services needed.
• Explain legal options and bring possible outcomes or risks to their attention.

Legal Work:

• Prepare legal documents, such as contracts, dispositions, briefs, oral arguments, and pleadings, accurately and in a timely manner.
• Research relevant legal materials to aid decision-making, gather and analyze evidence, identify implications for cases from legal precedents or other legal information.
• Negotiate settlement of cases with opposing attorneys or parties.
• Attend team meetings and collaborate with other attorneys on case questions.

Supervision and Training:

• Supervise legal assistants and activities of other legal personnel (legal interns, paralegals, etc.).
• Assist other poverty program components as needed and offer advice in public relations, participates in appropriate community activities.
• Stay informed about current legislation, especially assigned legal specialties.
• Attend Continuing Legal Education (CLE) courses and/or other trainings to maintain knowledge in areas of expertise or gain new knowledge.

Requirements:

• 3 years of experience as an attorney in Housing, Consumer, or Elder Law.
• Sympathetic and compassionate understanding of the social, economic, and legal issues faced by low-income individuals and the elderly with limited access to such services.
• Previous experience in a non-profit legal services or public interest firm.
• Bilingual Spanish/English a plus.

Benefits:

• Reimbursement for travel expenses (mileage for work events, etc.).
• Bay Area offers a comprehensive benefit package including a 4% match for the 403(b) retirement plan with immediate vesting as well as Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Disability coverage, and more.
• Generous time off and work-life balance with 13 paid holidays and three (3) weeks' vacation for the 1st year of employment.
• Bay Area attorneys may be eligible for some loan forgiveness programs through the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) and Funding Florida Legal Aid (FFLA).

Equal Opportunity Employer:

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.