Housing Attorney
BECKLEY, WV
(Exempt Employee)
Purpose of Job
To provide high quality legal advice, representation, professional advocacy, and other appropriate legal services for low-income clients. As the Housing Attorney in this office, you will be a member of the Legal Help for Renter’s Project, LAWV’s partnership with the WV Housing Development Fund. The goal of this initiative is to provide legal assistance to eligible tenants with their holistic legal needs. This position will provide legal assistance involving barriers to tenants including eviction defense, habitability, safety at home, and economic stability. This unit will work together to create novel approaches to address tenant issues across West Virginia. The unit will be guided by a Project Supervisor and work in concert with paralegals serving the statewide project.
Scope of Responsibility
Work performed in the office setting, in the courts, in administrative law proceedings, and in the community.
Essential Job Functions
- Provide legal representation consistent with professional and LAWV organizational standards for the delivery of civil legal services to the poor.
- Prepare legal documents, advise clients, gather evidence necessary to formulate defenses or to initiate legal action. Conduct research, interview clients, and witnesses, investigate, and handle other details in preparation for trial. Prepare legal briefs, develop strategy, prepare arguments, and prepare testimony in connection with cases. Represent clients in court and before quasi-judicial or administrative agencies. Interpret laws, rulings, and regulations.
- Maintain accurate and complete files or records.
- New attorneys shall receive mentorship, training, and case reviews over the course of their first year.
- Attend and participate in substantive task forces focused on issues impacting our clients, like DHHR Benefits, Family Law, and Housing.
- Occasional night and weekend work hours; some local and out-of-town travel. Attorneys must be able to get to Court or Administrative hearings.
- Help LAWV engage the legal community and members of the Bar to provide free legal help to Legal Aid clients through pro bono work.
Job Requirements
- Must have demonstrable commitment to understanding and addressing issues of low-income constituents.
- Must have J.D. and be admitted to practice in West Virginia and in good standing or must be eligible for admission to the West Virginia Bar under West Virginia Supreme Court Rule 9 if admitted to practice in another state or must be eligible to take the next regularly scheduled West Virginia Bar Exam.
- Must have skills to use office technologies, including learning LAWV case management software.
- Must be able to balance administrative and client advocacy responsibilities.
Other Duties
- Attorneys will work with their supervisor to develop goals within program priorities and funding; and will work with their supervisor to identify individual training needs.
- Attorneys will timely prepare reports and complete forms and records necessary for client services or administrative tasks related to their job.
Salary and Benefits
The Attorney position is a salaried position with an annual starting salary range of $52,000 – $61,400. LAWV offers a generous benefits package, a 37.5-hour workweek, paid vacation leave and sick leave and health plan, as well as dental, vision and life benefits. Staff also have the option to participate in a 403(b)-retirement plan and dependent and health flex savings accounts (FSA). LAWV is an eligible nonprofit employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.
Beckley, WV is a small town nestled in the Appalachian Mountains of southern West Virginia. Because of its location, Beckley is rich in natural beauty; sweeping mountain views and cool, rushing mountain streams are all around the area. But visitors to Beckley will find more than just scenery in the area. Lovers of mountain hiking, biking, kayaking and other outdoor activities will find ample opportunities for outdoor fun. The wonders of the New River Gorge (with some of the best whitewater rapids in the world and the newest National Park in the US) are a reasonable drive away, along with the fabulous Greenbrier resort, the Greenbrier Valley itself, Glade Springs, Little Beaver State Park, and much more.
If you are passionate about serving others and want to do rewarding work, please send your cover letter and resume to jobs@lawv.net. Applications will be considered until the position is filled.
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