Staff Attorney

Position: Staff Attorney

OBJECTIVE: The Staff Attorney will provide culturally and linguistically appropriate legal services to survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; co-create policies and procedures for the legal program; and evaluate program implementation and delivery. 

Classification: Full-time, Exempt

Salary: $65,000 – $85,000 (contingent on experience)

Reports to: Executive Director

Hours/Availability: 40hrs/week Hybrid

Location: Des Moines, IA

ABOUT L.U.N.A.

Latinas Unidas por un Nuevo Amanecer (L.U.N.A.) is a culturally specific nonprofit organization that provides services to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking across Iowa. Founded by Latina survivors in 1999, L.U.N.A. was created to address the lack of culturally responsive services available to the community.

The organization provides advocacy, crisis intervention, support groups, emergency financial assistance, legal services, referrals, and a 24-hour crisis hotline. L.U.N.A. also conducts community outreach and education to increase awareness and access to resources.

POSITION OVERVIEW 

The Staff Attorney will: 1) be a part of the L.U.N.A. legal team that establishes policies and procedures to create a new legal program for survivors; 2) provide linguistically and culturally appropriate legal services to survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, including but not limited to civil protective orders, divorce, and child custody; and 3) evaluate the effectiveness of program implementation and delivery with the L.U.N.A. legal team.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Legal Services

• Work jointly with the L.U.N.A. legal team to establish policies and procedures for its in-house legal

services program.

• Work collaboratively with L.U.N.A. advocates and Legal Services Program Coordinator to offer victim-

centered and trauma informed legal assistance and representation to victims and survivors of domestic

violence, sexual assault, stalking, and dating violence in civil protective orders and family law cases.

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date case files and other required reports and documentation required by

grant funders.

• Utilize L.U.N.A.’s legal database and timekeeping systems and comply with all applicable regulatory

requirements and reporting needs.

• Educate and empower victims and survivors to exercise their legal rights in civil protective orders and

family law matters.

• Ensure all activities align with the compliance and reporting standards of applicable L.U.N.A. funders,

provided these are consistent with V.A.W.A. and attorney ethical and professional responsibilities.

• Develop collaborative working relationships with a statewide network of attorneys working with victims

of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

• Complete and maintain domestic violence and sexual assault certification from the Iowa Coalition

Against Domestic Violence (ICADV) within one year of hiring.

Other Activities:

• Participate in individual supervision meetings, training sessions, national and state conferences, and

webinars as approved by funder.

• Other duties and projects as determined by L.U.N.A.’s Executive Director.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Experience comes in many forms. We welcome people from all walks of life, lived experiences, and backgrounds.

Required:

• Iowa State Bar Association membership in good standing, the ability to acquire admission by motion, or

registration for and passage of the next Iowa bar exam is required.

• Willingness and ability to travel as needed to serve survivors throughout the state of Iowa.

Preferred:

•  Excellent oral and written communication skills, analytical, negotiation, and problem solving skills.

•  Excellent time management and organizational skills including the ability to multi-task, prioritize

workload, work under pressure, and meet deadlines.

•  Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to engage with racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically

diverse communities.

•  Ability to engage and work collaboratively with diverse partners and client communities.

•  Fluent in Spanish with excellent written & verbal communication skills preferred. 

•  Lived experience and/or experience working with the Latino community.

•  Demonstrated ability to provide culturally specific services and build connections with immigrant

victims/survivors

•  Experience representing clients in family law.

•  3 years of legal experience in legal aid/civil litigation or comparable practice.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

All applicants must undergo criminal background, fingerprint check, Sex Abuse Registry check and driving record check to be eligible for hiring.