Community Justice Worker – Disaster Relief Project

Community Justice Worker - Disaster Relief Project

Northern, New Mexico

New Mexico Legal Aid (NMLA) provides civil legal services to low-income New Mexicans for a variety of legal issues including domestic violence/family law, consumer protection, housing, and benefits. NMLA has locations throughout the state including Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Gallup, Roswell, Silver City, Clovis, Hobbs, Las Vegas, Taos, and Santa Ana.

For this position, the community justice worker will support the delivery of legal services to low-income New Mexicans in the federally declared disaster areas of Northern New Mexico impacted by the wildfires, flooding, mudflows, and straight-line winds that the state faced in 2022.

For this position, the Community Justice Worker will support the delivery of legal services to communities affected by the federally declared disaster in northern New Mexico.

Responsibilities: Community Justice Worker is primarily responsible for providing community outreach and engagement, community education and direct program services as defined below in a manner conforming to the Legal Services Corporation ("LSC") regulations and restrictions and New Mexico Legal Aid, Inc. ("NMLA") policies and procedures.

Duties: A Community Justice Worker may be responsible for the following tasks under the supervision of the Program Manager or their designee:

• Participate, as a representative of NMLA, in community forums and meetings, to build community partnerships and learn about legal and social issues that community members identify as being priorities. This may include, as needed and within reason, events held during evenings and/or weekends.
• Organize and conduct community outreach and education events, including "know your rights" workshops and training for eligible persons and community partners.
• Participate in projects gathering data about community needs and priorities, through surveys, listening sessions or other means.
• Participate in trainings relevant to community lawyering and apply these concepts to work on behalf of New Mexico Legal Aid.
• Update and maintain non-legal and legal resource lists and contact lists for community partners and for colleagues.
• Conduct initial client interviews and holistic advocacy screenings (including home visits where necessary), perform intakes when appropriate, and assist attorneys and clients in maintaining contact with each other.
• If multi-lingual, interpret for clients and staff as necessary. If familiar with the culture of clients, help convey legal advice from attorneys in culturally appropriate, accessible ways.
• Under attorney supervision, perform oral and written advocacy on behalf of clients in settings where non-lawyers are permitted to do so and assist clients in filling out and copying pro se forms and in drafting and copying simple demand letters for clients' signature.
• When appropriate and permitted, accompany self-represented clients to court to provide moral support.
• Help connect clients with resources such as budgeting services, food resources, health services, etc., that may be contributing to legal problems.
• Assume and assist in other jobs or administrative tasks, as requested, to assure smooth program functioning to meet program obligations.
• Perform other related duties as request by the program manager or his/her designee.
  
  

QUALIFICATIONS: Familiarity with cultures and conditions of the communities served. Demonstrate the ability to read, write and communicate effectively with clients, administrative and governmental agencies, and other program staff. Demonstrate knowledge of and/or ability to learn assigned substantive specialty areas. Ability to speak one or more non-English languages commonly spoken in the community is preferred, but not required. Proficient in the use of computer software including MS Word, Excel and internet-based communications. Must have reliable transportation and the ability to perform work-related errands outside the office. For employment with our Disaster Relief Project, we are looking for the following:

• Experience conducting outreach.
• Experience working with communities in northern New Mexico.
• Must be willing and able to travel.
• Must be able to effectively use computer technology and remote communications systems, including shared on-line workspaces and web meeting and video conferencing software, to effectively collaborate and co-counsel with staff located in multiple offices.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks, manage a caseload and build collaborative relationships within the staff and the community.
• Proficiency in Spanish is a plus.
  
  

The Community Justice Worker will be responsible for conducting outreach regarding legal issues that affect disaster victims such as:

• FEMA appeals
• Bankruptcy
• Public Housing
• Domestic violence
• Predatory scams
• Fraud
  
  

Key Responsibilities

• Conducting an outreach campaign to increase awareness of the availability of free legal services and education.
• Collaborating with community organizations to distribute educational materials.
• Assisting program staff with conducting on-site clinics.
• Assisting with the training of community partners' staff on spotting legal issues.
• Working with local courts and program staff to create and distribute self-represented litigant materials related to:
• Property law.
• Small estate probates.
• Alternative documentation for disaster claims.
  
  

This position will be based out of one of NMLA's Northern New Mexico offices.

Applicants will be subject to a background search. Please do not let this deter you from applying. NMLA is committed to a strong workforce and recognizes that people with marks on their record may qualify.

NMLA Employees Enjoy

• Being unionized
• A great work environment
• Great benefits including generous leave.
• Competitive salary
  
  

NMLA offers a very collaborative environment. NMLA handles a wide range of creative, challenging and complex work. We are looking for highly motivated candidates who are passionate about and strongly committed to helping NMLA better serve our client communities.

The position is part of a collective bargaining agreement. Salary range is $49,077.55 - $70,232.52 depending on years of experience set by a union scale, (click here to view the salary scale). NMLA provides comprehensive benefits, holiday and leave packages. For information about NMLA's generous benefits, and what it is like to work at NMLA click here

Applicants must submit a current resume and a cover letter in order to be considered. Your cover letter should include the ways in which you satisfy the skills and qualifications specified above and explain your interest in this position and the mission of NMLA. Your application will not be considered unless we receive both of these documents. To apply click here. As an alternative, you can email the applicant packet to jobs@nmlegalaid.org.

Salary: DOE, NMLA is an EEO Employer. Application Deadline: March 24, 2025