Staff Attorney for Center for Social Justice at Western New England University in Springfield, Massachusetts

Job Description:

PURPOSE OF THIS POSITION: 

To oversee the Law School Center for Social Justice’s legal work and, in particular, the administration of pro bono programming, including the Center’s Consumer Debt Initiative (CDI), the CORI Sealing and Expungement project, and the Gender Affirming project (GAIP) . This work will include the development and management of the CDI Lawyer for the Day program, ongoing client casework and litigation, supervision and recruitment of pro bono volunteers, as well as the development of client-facing programming, such as upstream debt reduction interventions and financial literacy empowerment for the public.  It will involve collaboration with others across Western New England University, community organizations, and external partners, data and outcomes collection and analysis, and reporting obligations.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS:

The Staff Attorney will manage the Center’s legal and client casework activities, including developing and overseeing the Center’s CDI program and others in line with the mission of the Center.  The Staff Attorney will collaborate closely with the Center Director and law school faculty, staff, and administrators to advance this work.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: 

1. Coordinate and manage the Center’s legal and pro bono programs.  
2. Serve as the primary person in charge of client casework and pro bono/litigation management.
3. Supervise and recruit volunteers (including students, faculty, staff, and others) for Center projects/initiatives.
4. Supervise and evaluate externs, interns, and fellows.
5. Develop trainings, training materials, and guides for Center volunteers, participants, and the public.
6. Collect, maintain, and analyze data from all Center legal programs; assist with reporting on grants and other projects.
7. Assist in the development of new initiatives, grant applications, and Center collaborations.
8. Support the Director as needed in fulfilling the Center’s strategic plan objectives and operations.

QUALIFICATION STANDARDS: 

Experience representing clients in civil or criminal matters.  A J.D. from an A.B.A. accredited law school and admission to at least one state bar is preferred. Experience with data collection, grant reporting, and client management systems is desirable.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILL AND ABILITIES: 

1. A demonstrated commitment to social justice and ability to work with individuals and groups of diverse backgrounds.
2. Experience building networks and coalitions; ability to collaborate well with others.
3. Familiarity with pro bono programs as a volunteer and/or administrator.
4. Knowledge of civil and criminal laws and procedures.  Knowledge of consumer law and debt collection litigation/defense is a plus.
5. A demonstrated ability to meet goals and meet deadlines.
6. Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
7. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (written and oral).
8. Ability to work independently and organize time.
9. Knowledge of basic Microsoft Office Suite, email, online surveys, scheduling tools, and data management systems; familiarity with computers.
10. Experience or comfort with supervising and supporting volunteers and conducting trainings/presentations.
11. Spanish language fluency is plus.

ERGONOMIC REQUIREMENTS: 

Moderate travel within Massachusetts, occasional travel out of state for conferences

Excellent benefits including tuition remission for employee, spouse, and dependent children.

Western New England University (WNE) is a private, nationally ranked, comprehensive institution with a focus on preparing work-ready and world-ready graduates. Founded in 1919 in Springfield, Massachusetts as a division of Northeastern College, WNE’s 215-acre suburban campus serves more than 3,700 students, including over 2,500 full-time undergraduates. More than 47,000 alumni have earned degrees through its 90+ undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs at Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business, Engineering, and Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and School of Law. Students come from 39 U.S. states and territories and 23 countries. Of 45,104 living alumni, 30% remain within the region, residing in the four Western Massachusetts counties and northern Connecticut.

WNE is classified among nationally ranked universities in US News and World Report, and among the Top 100 Undergraduate Engineering programs, and in the Doctoral/Professional Universities category in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

Western New England University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  We welcome candidates whose background may contribute to the further diversification of our community.

To apply to this position please click here.

Salary/Compensation: $100,000 - $106,000 per year

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