Legal Action of Wisconsin, Inc. is seeking to fill one full-time, permanent staff attorney position in our SeniorLAW Project. Legal Action’s SeniorLAW Project provides free legal services to older adults aged sixty or over. The SeniorLAW Project also provides legal back-up services to Elder Benefit Specialists (EBS), employed by Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRC) in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Racine, Kenosha, Walworth, Washington, and Ozaukee Counties.
This staff attorney position will prioritize providing direct legal services to low-income individuals with public benefit or landlord/tenant issues while also providing legal back-up services to the EBS.
Legal back-up services include the provision of technical assistance to the EBS regarding public benefit issues, furnishing the EBS with six annual training sessions per year and accepting referrals for legal representation from the EBS.
LEGAL ACTION OF WISCONSIN, INC.
Legal Action is a large, vibrant non-profit law firm funded by the federal Legal Services Corporation, the Wisconsin Trust Account Foundation, and other sources. Legal Action provides free legal aid to about 13,500 low-income persons annually in the southern 39 counties of Wisconsin with offices in Milwaukee, Madison, Racine, Oshkosh, Green Bay and La Crosse. In addition, LAW operates a statewide farmworker project, and several other state-wide projects serving crime victims, including victims of sex and labor trafficking. LAW attorneys have expertise in a range of substantive areas, but the majority of our work is in the areas of housing, public benefits, removing barriers to employment, consumer law, and family law. Legal Action attorneys specialize in specific areas of poverty law, maintain a direct service caseload on behalf of individual clients, and engage in law reform litigation and other impact work.
Legal Action believes that equal justice under law can only be achieved through the collaboration of a diverse staff. We strongly encourage applications from women, people of color, people who identify as LGBTQIA+, people with disabilities, and people with life experiences or educational backgrounds that add to the firm’s diversity and our capacity to provide high-quality legal aid.
OFFICE LOCATION
The Milwaukee Area Office staff is housed at 633 W. Wisconsin Avenue and is comprised of 45 attorneys, 16 paralegals, and 18 other administrative, professional and technical staff. Intake is done by telephone, on a walk-in basis, or at neighborhood outstations in Milwaukee and Waukesha. The Milwaukee Area Office also houses the Legal Action administrative staff, the SeniorLAW Project, the Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic and a Volunteer Lawyers Project. Two attorneys are located at the Center for Driver’s License Recovery & Employment at Milwaukee Area Technical College and one attorney, and one paralegal are housed at the Student Legal Aid Project at Milwaukee Area Technical College.
Due to COVID-19, Legal Action is limiting in-office and on-site work as much as possible; we prioritize staff and client safety by offering telecommuting options, flexible work hours, and remote access to job responsibilities.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
This attorney will be expected to become familiar with a wide range of legal issues that affect older persons and to develop expertise in the areas of Social Security, SSI, Medicare, Medicaid, Food Share and other public benefit issues that affect older adults. Staff attorneys are expected to maintain a direct service caseload on behalf of individual clients. This attorney will also accept case referrals and provide technical assistance and training to Elder Benefit Specialists under Wis. Stats. §46.81.
Legal Action staff attorneys are responsible for providing quality and aggressive representation of clients in service cases and in impact work and for performing all duties associated with such representation. Attorneys must keep up with the law as it changes and develops, particularly in their area of specialization. Attorneys are expected to share responsibility for the development and maintenance of good working relationships with community groups, as well as with state and local bar associations.
Attorneys will be called upon to provide training and other assistance to members of Legal Action’s Volunteer Lawyer Project. All staff attorneys will be expected to perform intake duties and, where necessary, make appropriate referrals to other community agencies. Each staff attorney is responsible for serving on at least one Priority Committee.
QUALIFICATIONS
• Juris Doctorate Degree
• Admission to the Wisconsin Bar is required either upon hire or no more than six months from the date of hire.
• Academic training and performance, writing ability, and the nature and extent of prior legal experience in elder law, public benefits law, domestic violence, and in legal services will be considered. We will also consider the applicant’s knowledge and understanding of the legal problems and needs of low-income persons and commitment to providing civil legal aid, prior legal work in the client community or in other programs to aid the poor.
• Strong communication skills to engage key stakeholders, clients, and pro bon attorneys.
• Ability to manage a high volume, fast-paced work.
• Ability to prioritize and organize resources while maintaining quality and attention to detail.
• Ability to work harmoniously with others.
• Demonstrated ability to speak and write clearly and persuasively.
• Self-motivated, diligent, and able to meet strict deadlines while managing competing client needs and priorities.
• Commitment to inclusion of all, including our clients’ and our staffs’ race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, ability, and socio-economic circumstances.
• Fluency in a language other than English and cultural affinity for the client community that speaks that language, is highly desired.
CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT
At Legal Action of Wisconsin, the health and safety of our employees is our number one priority. We require all new, unrepresented employees and interns, law clerks, volunteers, and contractors from employment agencies or consulting firms to have completed their COVID-19 vaccinations and booster and to provide medical proof from Wisconsin’s Immunization Registry or from a medical provider of their fully vaccinated status, as a condition of employment with Legal Action of Wisconsin within 28 days of their first day of employment. Individuals may request a medical or religious exemption from COVID-19 vaccine requirement. Exemption requests must be completed and approved on or before the first day of employment.
PRACTICING LAW OUTSIDE OF LEGAL ACTION EMPLOYMENT
Legal Services Corporation regulations place strict limits on the outside practice of law by Legal Action of Wisconsin employees. Attorneys cannot maintain an ongoing private practice separate from their work at Legal Action. The regulation do allow newly-employed attorneys to close-out their previous practice and allows attorneys to participate in pro bono and charitable activities, but those must be approved in writing by the office Managing Attorney and the Executive Director.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT
Enter information into computer accurately. Answer numerous emails, phone calls, and other electronic communications throughout the day. Occasionally move objects, usually about 1 to 20 pounds. Retrieve documents from printers and copies and similar office equipment and files or distribute to others as needed. This position works in an environmentally-controlled office environment with moderate noise from phones, printers and light office traffic in the LAW office and during on-site appointments.
This role is mostly sedentary, with most of the duties performed on a computer, phone, table, or reception desk. Desk and workspaces will accommodate a wheelchair or other assistive devices. This position may require occasional short-distance or long-distance travel.
SALARY
Our Racine, Oshkosh, Green Bay, Milwaukee, and La Crosse offices have two salary tiers available for Staff Attorneys. (Attorneys in our Madison office are represented by ULW and a collective bargaining agreement.)
The Tier 1 Staff Attorney salary ladder for full-time employment is as follows:
Starting $55,000 Step 20 $102,000
Step 1 $57.000 Step 21 $103,000
Step 2 $60,000 Step 22 $104,000
Step 3 $62,500 Step 23 $105,000
Step 4 $65,500 Step 24 $106,000
Step 5 $68,500 Step 25 $107,000
Step 6 $71,500 Step 26 $108,000
Step 7 $74,500 Step 27 $109,000
Step 8 $77.500 Step 28 $110,000
Step 9 $80,500 Step 29 $111,000
Step 10 $83,500 Step 30 $112,700
Step 11 $86,000 Step 31 $113,120
Step 12 $88,500 Step 32 $114,240
Step 13 $90,500 Step 33 $115,360
Step 14 $92,500 Step 34 $116,480
Step 15 $94,500 Step 35 $117,600
Step 16 $96,000 Step 36 $118,720
Step 17 $97,500 Step 37 $119,840
Step 18 $99,000 Step 38 $120,960
Step 19 $100,500 Step 39 $122,080
Step 40 $123,200
Generally, Tier 1 Staff Attorneys advance a step on the Tier 1 salary ladder on their anniversary date.
The Tier 2 Staff Attorney salary ladder for full-time employment is as follows:
Starting $58,750 Step 20 $109,275
Step 1 $61,438 Step 21 $110,350
Step 2 $64,125 Step 22 $111,425
Step 3 $66,813 Step 23 $112,500
Step 4 $70,038 Step 24 $113,575
Step 5 $73,263 Step 25 $114,650
Step 6 $76,488 Step 26 $115,725
Step 7 $79,713 Step 27 $116,800
Step 8 $82,938 Step 28 $117,875
Step 9 $86,163 Step 29 $118,950
Step 10 $89,388 Step 30 $120,025
Step 11 $92,075 Step 31 $121,225
Step 12 $94,763 Step 32 $122,426
Step 13 $96,913 Step 33 $123,626
Step 14 $99,063 Step 34 $124,826
Step 15 $101,213 Step 35 $126,026
Step 16 $102, 825 Step 36 $127,227
Step 17 $104,438 Step 37 $128,427
Step 18 $106,050 Step 38 $129,627
Step 19 $107,663 Step 39 $130,827
Step 40 $132,028
Generally, Tier 2 Staff Attorneys advance a step on the Tier 2 salary ladder on their anniversary date.
A description of the scope of authority for Tiers I and 2 staff attorney positions are identified below. Legal Action’s salary plan provides for annual step increases as long as the attorney is meeting performance expectations. Salaries are not negotiable and will follow this scale.
TIER 1 AND TIER 2 STAFF ATTORNEY DESCRIPTION & SCOPE OF AUTHORITY:
All staff attorneys are required to utilize and follow Legal Action’s attorney performance standards in performing their duties.
Tier 1 Staff Attorneys are:
1. Relatively new to providing legal services to low-income clients.
2. Closely supervised and practices law under close control and structure.
3. Closely adhering to Legal Action’s guidelines, rules, policies, and procedures and have little or no authority to deviate from them without supervisor’s approval.
Tier 2 Staff Attorneys have:
1. At least 3 years of post-J.D. experience that includes work relevant to the skills required for staff attorneys and;
2. Skills and abilities to:
a. consistently perform most Tier 1 Staff Attorney duties with minimal assistance or direction, a high level of efficiency and/or independent initiative, and less immediate, regular supervision than a Tier 1 Staff Attorney;
b. consistently carry a caseload of substantial size and complexity suitable to an experienced attorney;
c. consistently adhere to Legal Action administrative and programmatic procedures such as, but not limited to contemporaneous timekeeping and accurate completion of administrative and client service forms; and
3. Demonstrated initiative and ability to undertake the additional duties that the Tier 2 Staff Attorney level requires such as, but not limited to mentoring, training, and otherwise supporting Tier 1 staff attorneys and others. (Tier 2 Staff Attorneys do not have the authority to discipline others and are not confidential management positions.)
Legal Action’s organizational structure does allow for additional career advancement opportunities, such as: Attorney Managers; Managing Attorneys; Project Managers; Supervising Attorneys; and Priority Coordinators. Legal Action posts these opportunities as they become available.
SPANISH OR HMONG LANGUAGE FLUENCY PREMIUM: Legal Action’s Salary Administration Plan includes additional pay of up to $4,800 annually for those employees who are fluent in Spanish or Hmong and utilize their language skills in performing their work
FRINGE BENEFITS
Legal Action offers a generous fringe benefit package, including employer-paid health and dental 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 401K retirement plan, a profit-sharing plan. In addition, we provide employee-paid income protection benefits such as, supplemental term life, accidents, critical illness and hospital indemnity, short-term disability insurance. We also provide four weeks of vacation leave, four days of personal leave per year and 12 days of sick leave per year. New employees and any employee classified as part-time, receive a pro-rated allotment of annual (vacation), personal and sick leave upon hire. The firm also provides four (4) weeks of paid parental leave to eligible employees.
GOVERNANCE AND SUPERVISION
The position is subject to a probationary period of up to one year. This position is governed by Legal Action of Wisconsin’s personnel policies which are subject to unilateral change by the Legal Action Board of Directors. As with any Legal Action position, there is no guaranteed period of employment and employment is “at will,” subject to termination at any time.
This position will be supervised by Attorney Matthew Hayes, Director SeniorLAW Project,
HOW TO APPLY
Applicants must submit the following materials via Legal Action of Wisconsin’s online applicant portal:
https://secure2.entertimeonline.com/ta/7988.careers?ApplyToJob=503505746
• A cover letter summarizing qualification and interest in the position;
• Resume;
• A recent legal writing sample;
• The names and contact information for three professional references;
• Law school transcript which is required for applicants who graduated in 2021 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.
Matthew Hayes, SeniorLAW Project Director, is the hiring manager for this position.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
The position will be open until filled. To ensure early consideration, please submit application materials no later than 11:59 pm Friday, February 17, 2023.
Legal Action of Wisconsin, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer
