Description
The Legal Aid Society of Columbus (LASC) is part of the Ohio State Legal Services Association (OSLSA), a three-part legal aid program headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. OSLSA’s mission is to provide civil legal aid and advocacy to combat unfairness and injustice and to help people rise out of poverty.
LASC is actively seeking a dedicated, professional Supervising Attorney to provide support to our Housing and Tenant Advocacy Project (TAP) Practice Group. In collaboration with the Senior Managing Attorney, you will be responsible for directly supervising staff, reviewing and closing cases, collecting, maintaining and reporting data, ensuring grant requirements are met, ensuring that impact and other projects are completed and continuing to manage your own case and impact work.
Are You Someone Who:
- Is dedicated to improving the lives of low-income individuals in our communities?
- Enjoys helping clients triumph over adversity?
- Is motivated, professional and thrives within a collaborative, team-driven environment?
- Believes successful resolution can be reached beyond traditional litigation?
- Is interested in developing a wide range of legal skills and experiences?
- Promotes a culture of high performance and continuous improvement that values learning and quality?
- Has a wide range of experiences?
- Is able to effectively balance being responsive to emerging issues raised by attorneys and driving to meet organizational priorities?
You Will:
- Supervise and support the staff including attorneys with a wide range of skills and experiences including training, feedback and evaluation, and reviewing/closing cases among others
- Collaborate closely with the Managing Attorney on broad organizational goals, impact plans and staff support among other areas
- Serve as primary point person for those that you supervise
- Supervise collection, maintenance and reporting of data including grant reporting
- Assist with grant requests, applications and other grant requirements in collaboration with Development and the Team Managers
- In alignment with the team’s planning, participate in the local community including legal education, outreach activities, clinics and other community events to positively impact client communities
- Collaborate with other legal services attorneys on statewide efforts
- Promote community relations and build community relationships by engaging with the public and partner service providers
- In alignment with the team’s planning, develop and maintain local bar/bench relationships, relationships with local legislators and other community leaders
- Remain current on emerging legal topics and identify relevant trends related to substantive area of focus
- Be a part of a community of collaborative and mission driven professionals
- Co-counsel, when appropriate as well as determine other methods of effectively supporting attorneys’ success in and out of the courtroom
Requirements
You Have:
- Demonstrated progressive experience practicing law with specific expertise in the areas of poverty law
- Excellent communication skills, both orally and written, with diverse audiences
- High ability to gather, coordinate and report required data
- High ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment
- High ability to exercise sound judgement and discretion
- Ability to facilitate collaboration as well as build and sustain productive relationships with diverse individuals, groups and organizations
- Demonstrated ability to successfully lead, manage and develop a diverse team of professionals
- Ability and willingness to collaborate and coordinate with the Managing Attorney of the Team specifically and the management team as a whole
- Excellent communication skills, both orally and written, with diverse audiences
- A commitment to diversity and inclusion both internally and externally
- Strong work ethic with an ability to connect big picture ideas to day-to-day work
- Ability to prioritize workload to manage time and tasks and delegate responsibilities in an effective and efficient manner
- Proficiency in Microsoft applications, knowledge of current technologies and commitment to remain up to date with industry best practices
- English language proficiency is essential and Spanish/English bilingual skills are a plus. Additional languages – even better
- Juris Doctor from an accredited law school and admitted to the Bar of the State of Ohio (or if not currently admitted, eligible to waive in) required
- Prior Legal Aid or related work experience a plus, but not required
Other Details:
- It is the policy of OSLSA not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, disability, age, ancestry, and military status or any other characteristic protected by law.
- The position reports to the Senior Managing Attorney, is based in Columbus, Ohio and requires some travel throughout the service area.
- Salary is dependent upon level of experience. OSLSA offers an excellent comprehensive benefits package and ongoing training and development opportunities.
To Apply:
Submit resume, writing sample, references, and letter of interest.
In your cover letter, please address the following in order for your application to be considered: OSLSA’s clientele is diverse, and all of our clients are low income. To ensure that our program is best serving our communities, OSLSA strives to promote an evolving set of behaviors and attitudes amongst our staff, as well as policies that enable us to work effectively in all cross-cultural situations, with clients, with our coworkers, and with the community. We see this as a commitment to enhance the provision of our services to all clients; to raise the level of positive client outcomes; and to create an inclusive and respectful workplace in which differences are acknowledged and valued.
How do you think your personal background or experiences, professional or otherwise, have prepared you to contribute to our commitment to cultural humility and diversity amongst our staff? Feel free to think broadly about your response to this question, applying various aspects of your life and personal experiences.
To promote social justice and best serve our clients, OSLSA is committed to maintaining a diverse staff and providing culturally competent services. We strongly encourage candidates from traditionally underrepresented communities and historically oppressed groups including BIPOC , people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ individuals to apply. Bilingual/bicultural candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.