What are the responsibilities and job description for the Staff Attorney - Housing Unit position at National Legal Aid & Defender Association?
Position Description
GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES
Each Staff Attorney is a part of a team of lawyers, social workers and legal assistants who represent city employees and their families in connection with civil legal matters covered by the MELS programs. This position is covered by a collective bargaining contract.
EXAMPLE OF TYPICAL TASKS
Staff Attorneys assigned to specialized areas are expected to become proficient in those areas. Under the direction of Supervising Attorneys, all Staff Attorneys have direct responsibility for all legal components of cases assigned to them from the initial intake to the conclusion of the matter. In instances where paraprofessional assistance is appropriate, the Staff Attorney is expected to delegate to the paraprofessional certain tasks and to assure that they are properly completed.
Staff Attorneys are expected to adhere to prescribed systems of substantive case handling and office procedures and to keep strict records of all activities, including accurate time records. Each Staff Attorney meets regularly with the team’s Supervising Attorneys to review the progress of each case assigned to that Staff Attorney and to review in depth the overall handling of each case at its conclusion.
While addressing clients’ legal interests as outlined above, Staff Attorneys must also be aware that each client represents more than an abstract legal problem to be analyzed and solved. Legal problems are often closely linked to personal, family or work problems that must be addressed in order to provide effective, lasting assistance to clients. MELS attorneys must, therefore, be sensitive to clients’ non- legal matters and collaborate with staff social workers in service to the clients.
GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES
Each Staff Attorney is a part of a team of lawyers, social workers and legal assistants who represent city employees and their families in connection with civil legal matters covered by the MELS programs. This position is covered by a collective bargaining contract.
EXAMPLE OF TYPICAL TASKS
Staff Attorneys assigned to specialized areas are expected to become proficient in those areas. Under the direction of Supervising Attorneys, all Staff Attorneys have direct responsibility for all legal components of cases assigned to them from the initial intake to the conclusion of the matter. In instances where paraprofessional assistance is appropriate, the Staff Attorney is expected to delegate to the paraprofessional certain tasks and to assure that they are properly completed.
Staff Attorneys are expected to adhere to prescribed systems of substantive case handling and office procedures and to keep strict records of all activities, including accurate time records. Each Staff Attorney meets regularly with the team’s Supervising Attorneys to review the progress of each case assigned to that Staff Attorney and to review in depth the overall handling of each case at its conclusion.
While addressing clients’ legal interests as outlined above, Staff Attorneys must also be aware that each client represents more than an abstract legal problem to be analyzed and solved. Legal problems are often closely linked to personal, family or work problems that must be addressed in order to provide effective, lasting assistance to clients. MELS attorneys must, therefore, be sensitive to clients’ non- legal matters and collaborate with staff social workers in service to the clients.