administrative/health law attorney

Jacksonville Area Legal Aid (JALA) seeks a Florida licensed attorney, who is self-motivated and dedicated, to improving access to legal services and improving the quality of referrals for residents of long-term care facilities and those in need of home and community-based services to legal services providers, particularly for those at risk for abuse, neglect, or exploitation. This is a full-time position located in our downtown Jacksonville office.

What you get when you come to JALA

JALA is the premier litigation legal aid firm in the Southeastern United States. We are mission-driven, and our team makes a difference in our community. As a JALA employee, you can expect immediate hands-on experience interviewing and counseling clients as well as litigating cases in Federal and State court. Staff are expected to take on challenging cases for our at-risk clients while being mentored and supported in taking on such cases. While there is a premium placed on initiative and self-motivation, you can expect to be supervised by lawyers who are recognized as subject matter experts in their field (JALA is the only law firm in Florida with three Florida Bar Consumer Protection Lawyers of the Year on staff, for example.) Our lawyers and paralegals regularly serve on local and statewide committees, and our lawyers have gone on to become hearing officers, magistrates, judges, and administrative law judges. In addition to the opportunity to litigate early, our lawyers and staff are trusted as professionals - we have adopted a hybrid work environment (although not all positions are able to work remotely.) Regardless of what others may prefer, we embrace diversity and inclusion as a way to ensure we are the most prepared to offer the best and highest level of representation for our clients, as this is what they deserve from us.

Salary/Benefits

Salary commensurate with experience. Benefits package include but are not limited to, medical, dental, vision, long-term disability insurance, group life insurance, remote/onsite work hybrid, and generous leave policy (e.g., 13 paid holidays plus 22 personal leave days in the first year, one-month sabbatical every four years).

$55,000 minimum DOE

$55,000 minimum DOE

• Embrace and support JALA’s mission, standards, policies and procedures, and confidentiality guidelines.
• Maintain a commitment and sensitivity to problems of economically disadvantaged and vulnerable populations. Perform intake interviews of applicants and assist in screening regarding eligibility for representation.
• Maintain a caseload commensurate with abilities in order to provide full and effective legal representation and advocacy.
• Maintain and grow knowledge in a specialized area of law, and competence in related areas of law, relevant to administrative and health law.
• Comply with all applicable regulations, policies, and grant requirements.
• Support, promote and participate in community education, outreach and develop good public relations with client community, state and local bar, and other community groups.
• Direct and monitor activities of paralegals, legal assistants, and/or volunteers.
• Ensure that all applicable client files, data, and reports are accurate and complete.
• Perform other duties and projects as needed to support JALA’s mission.

• Member in good standing of The Florida Bar.
• Civil trial practice experience in law school clinical setting and/or law firm.
• Knowledge about public benefits in general including Social Security, SSDI, SSI, Medicare, Medicaid, etc., is a plus.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing.
• Ability to effectively engage a diverse constituency of individuals and community stakeholders.
• Demonstrate resourcefulness and ability to take initiative in the development and completion of projects.
• Computer literate includes proficiency in Google and Microsoft applications.

The mission of Jacksonville Area Legal Aid is to provide high-quality legal assistance to low-income and special needs groups – to empower them to accomplish energetic and affirmative advocacy, all to alleviate the circumstances, incidents, and causes of poverty and discrimination.

Developed during the Great Depression and subsequent recession of 1937, the organization that has become Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Inc. (JALA) was born when a group of Jacksonville Bar attorneys banded together to provide legal services to those in need. Called different names over the years, including Duval County Legal Aid Association; it was officially named Jacksonville Area Legal Aid in 1973. The organization achieved 501(c)3 status in 1976. JALA now serves 17 counties of North Florida, including Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Nassau, St. Johns, Suwannee, Taylor, and Union.