Fellow Attorney - Alamosa (2 year term)
Fellow Attorney - Alamosa (2 year term)
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1 Vacancy
Job Description
Organization Overview:
Colorado Legal Services (CLS) is Colorados statewide nonprofit legal aid program with thirteen offices providing civil legal assistance to low-income Coloradans throughout the state. CLS provides free legal assistance in a broad variety of legal areas including family law public benefits eviction defense consumer protection services to survivors of serious crime and human trafficking and many others.
CLS has strengthened lives assisted families and supported communitiesone person at a time for over 100 years. We are committed to providing high-quality free legal advice and representation to eligible individuals throughout Colorado. We have a long history of successful impact and advocacy. CLS strives to bring about substantive transformational change in the lives of those we serve.
We value representation.
At CLS we value and respect our staffs wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. We ensure representation of our client communities in our staff Board of Directors and leadership teams. We also envision a fair just trusted and harm reductionist legal system which emphasizes access to and implementation of true justice for every Coloradan.
Position Summary:
CLS has an opening for an attorney or recent law school graduate to join the Alamosa office under a two-year fellowship. The fellow can expect to immediately become an integral part of the small but busy Alamosa office and they will work closely with the managing attorney paralegal and intake specialist in the Alamosa office to provide excellent advocacy for low-income residents of the rural and beautiful San Luis Valley. This level of advocacy will require the eagerness to learn and ingenuity necessary to handle a wide variety of cases across multiple practice areas sometimes for the same client. The fellow will gain experience identifying and resolving a diverse range of legal issues in their two years with the Alamosa office.
The fellow will primarily represent survivors of domestic violence in domestic relations cases but will also be expected to take cases across the spectrum of CLS practice areas including consumer law housing law and public benefits law. The ideal candidate will remain up to date with the latest developments in family law and collaborate with other family law practitioners within CLS to effectively represent vulnerable clients. The fellow will also strengthen and foster relationships with community partners such as the local domestic violence shelter homeless shelter and local victims advocates to collaborate with them in reaching our client population. This advocate will advise clients about their legal issues help them draft documents for their cases and will represent clients in courts across the six counties comprising the San Luis Valley where one in six individuals have income below the poverty line much higher than the rate across Colorado as a whole.
This position is full time. A hybrid work arrangement may also be approved after an orientation and training period as appropriate. While this is a two-year position it would be considered for renewal at the end of the two-year term subject to funding if that was of interest to our new hire.
Essential Duties:
- Independently manage an active caseload prioritizing clients who are survivors of domestic violence and representing those clients in cases including but not limited to civil protection orders dissolution of marriage and allocation of parental responsibilities.
- Represent clients in other kinds of cases within CLS practice areas including housing consumer and public benefits cases.
- Provide sound legal advice brief services and high-quality legal representation that aligns with program objectives and in accordance with the ethical rules of professional conduct program priorities CLS policies and guidelines and CLS Casehandler guidelines.
- Maintain comprehensive real time case notes and documentation in case management system.
- Perform client and witness interviews carry out thorough case investigations and draft necessary documents including court pleadings and advice letters.
- Advocate for clients through skillful litigation performing all duties associated with trial practice including but not limited to client and witness interviews thorough case investigations legal research preparation of exhibits drafting client communications and court pleadings and litigation.
- Engage in genuine good-faith negotiations on behalf of clients developing and implementing strategies designed to achieve clients objectives.
- Display professionalism patience empathy and sound judgment while providing clear and transparent communication to clients managing their expectations effectively.
- Travel throughout the Alamosa office service area on an as needed basis for court appearances and client meetings.
- Promote an office culture that emphasizes equity diversity inclusion harmony cohesiveness work quality continuous improvement and excellent customer service; and
- Perform additional duties as assigned.
Required Qualifications:
- Valid license to practice law in the state of Colorado or ability to obtain a Colorado license as soon as practicable.
- Strong work ethic; initiative; ability to work independently.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills including trauma informed client interviewing.
- Detail-oriented with strong organization skills critical thinking and analytical skills.
- Flexibility and ability to adjust priorities and juggle multiple tasks.
- Excellent time management skills and ability to meet deadlines.
- Team player who thrives in a collaborative small group with client centered goals and mission.
- Comfortable with technology including Microsoft 365 Zoom and case management software
- Valid drivers license and reliable vehicle.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Proficiency in Spanish
- Experience working with survivors of domestic abuse and individuals who have experienced trauma.
Compensation and Benefits:
We offer a generous plan that includes 100% employer paid premiums for employee health dental vision life and long-term disability insurance as well as partial employer paid premiums for spouses/dependents based on a sliding scale. We also offer Dependent Care and Medical Flexible spending accounts and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). CLS contributes $200/month to each employees 403(b) retirement account and matches 100% of employee contributions up to 3% of employee salary; vesting occurs gradually will full vesting after 3 years of employment. Additionally CLS offers generous paid time-off and 13 paid holidays per year.
CLS values its employees commitment to working hard for the population it serves and recognizes the importance of work/life promote and foster a culture of belonging and a psychologically safe work environment striving to be a Best Place to Work in Colorado.
How to Apply:
Please use the Apply for This Job link for this job opening on our
careers page by Friday June 20. We will not be reviewing applications sent via e-mail or physical mail. If you have questions about this position or any other positions at Colorado Legal Services contact Karen Vilner Director of People and Culture at .
Employment Type
Full-Time
