Legal Action of Wisconsin, Inc. (LAW) is hiring up to two limited-term attorneys to represent clients in Social Security Disability cases.
These positions may be full- or part time.
The attorney will represent clients in the Social Security Disability/ SSI application process, which may include work at all administrative levels of a case – initial applications, reconsiderations, Administrative Law Judge hearings, and Appeals Council representation. The attorney may also assist clients on post-entitlement issues, such as overpayments or benefit calculation issues.
LEGAL ACTION OF WISCONSIN, INC.
Legal Action has six offices: Green Bay, La Crosse, Madison, Milwaukee, Oshkosh, and Racine. This attorney(s) may be assigned to any of these offices (based on their home address) but will be working remotely. Legal Action will provide equipment for remote work.
Equal justice under law can only be achieved through the collaboration of a diverse staff. When we utilize our differences, we effect positive change for the communities we serve. We are committed to equitable inclusion across gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ability, sex, religion, economic circumstances, ethnicity, national origin, and culture. We are striving to be an anti-racist law firm. We encourage staff to bring their whole selves to work each day and pledge to celebrate every aspect of who they are.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Legal Action’s attorneys provide high-quality, zealous representation to clients who are in the process of applying for disability benefits from the Social Security Administration and/or appealing the denial of those benefits. The attorney will primarily work with clients who are experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness and have a serious mental illness or other medical impairment. Work will include both adult and child disability cases, and will encompass initial claims for disability, cases remanded from the Appeals Council or Federal Court, and continuing disability reviews. The attorney will be expected to independently develop the medical record. While work will primarily be done remotely, the attorney may need to travel occasionally within Wisconsin (primarily to the Racine/ Kenosha area) to meet with clients or represent clients in administrative hearings. Occasional overnight travel may be necessary. Attorneys are expected to stay abreast with the law as it changes and develops, particularly in the areas of Social Security and health care and other public benefits.
QUALIFICATIONS
• J.D. required, licensed in Wisconsin upon hire or eligible to be admitted to the Wisconsin Bar at the earliest possible opportunity.
• Experiencing in handling Social Security Disability cases.
• Knowledge and understanding of the civil legal problems and needs of people with disabilities.
• Ability to manage a high-volume caseload.
• Ability to prioritize and organize resources while maintaining quality and attention to detail.
• Prior legal or other work in the client community or in other firms and programs providing services to low-income persons.
• Knowledge of and/or experience with state and federal law and procedure, particularly with Social Security and/or other public benefits law.
• Ability to communicate orally and in writing in a clear and concise manner.
• Commitment to the inclusion of all, including our clients’ and our staffs’ race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, ability, and socio-economic circumstances.
• Experience in working remotely with SSI and SSD-I clients and hearings is not highly desired but not required.
• Fluency in a language other than English and cultural affinity for the client community that speaks that language is not required but is highly desired.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT
This position involves sedentary work, including sitting at a desk on a computer for an extended period. Exerting up to 10 pounds of force on a regular basis to lift, carry, push or otherwise move objects. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, sit, talk, hear and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and/or laptop keyboard and use a telephone. Specific vision abilities required for this job include close vision requirements due to computer work. Drives a motor vehicle while seated for extended periods of time daily. Occasional reaching, bending, kneeling and stooping involved to retrieve various items and materials.
SALARY
The salary for this position is determined by Legal Action’s attorney salary scale. (In our Madison office, the salary is determined by a collective bargaining agreement.) Under our attorney salary scale, an attorney with 0 – 1 years of experience would receive an annual salary of $45,727 for a 100% full-time position. An attorney with 5 years of experience practicing law would earn a salary of $52,347. An attorney with 10 years of experience would earn a salary of $58,967. Salaries are not negotiable and will follow this scale.
FRINGE BENEFITS
Legal Action provides a generous fringe benefits package, including employer-paid health and dental insurance for employees and eligible dependents. Some employees are required to contribute to the health insurance premium for their spouse, if the spouse has group health insurance provided by their employer. Legal Action also provides life and long-term disability insurance, a profit-sharing retirement plan, salary deferral options for retirement planning, low-cost employee-paid vision coverage, three weeks of vacation per year, four days of personal leave per year, generous sick leave, and four weeks of paid parental leave for eligible employees.
GOVERNANCE
The term of this position will be a minimum of six months and a maximum of twelve months from date of hire.
HOW TO APPLY
Applicants must submit the following application materials via Legal Action of Wisconsin’s online applicant portal by using this link: secure.entertimeonline.com/ta/7988.careers?ApplyToJob=36925222.
• Cover letter
• Resumé
• Legal writing sample
• Names and contact information for three professional references. (Current LAW staff members are not required to include references)
• Law school transcript (only required for applicants who graduated 2018 or later)
Please submit and upload all the documents required. If the required documents are not submitted on or before the deadline, your application will be considered incomplete and we will not be able to consider you for this position.
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS
The application deadline for this position is Thursday, May 20, 2021. All application materials must be submitted by on or before May 20, 2021.
Legal Action of Wisconsin, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employee
