Disaster Recovery Contract Staff Attorney

Description

Florida Rural Legal Services, Inc. provides free legal assistance to low-income clients in 13 counties and to migrant farm workers throughout the State of Florida. The purpose of this position is to provide civil legal assistance to indigent persons affected by the disasters specified and approved by the program policies and priorities on such matters as individual rights, housing, public benefits, elder law, family law, consumer rights, education, and employment law. 

FRLS Disaster Recovery Legal Services Unit will provide no-cost legal community outreach and comprehensive legal services to help low-income individuals and household needs during their disaster recovery. Legal services to be provided include, but are not limited to foreclosures, bankruptcies, flood insurance proof of loss preparation and FEMA Flood Directorate Appeals, FEMA recoupment defense, applications for disaster tax relief, civil and disability rights cases, legal counsel for community-based organizations on rebuilding plans, litigation to redress systemic disaster response problems. landlord/tenant Issues concerning repair issues, non-repair, mold concealment, etc., disputes regarding home elevation certificates and flood plain zoning, disputes regarding significant damage determination against homeowners. FRLS will take a holistic approach and offer all legal aid services that are available to individual household needs.

The Disaster Recovery Project allows FRLS to continue and expand the provision of legal services in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian and to equip the communities we serve to address the legal challenges, both immediate and long term, which arose from this disaster. 

The Attorney will provide legal services to hurricane recovery clients who were impacted by Hurricane Ian. The employee in this Attorney position will be able to handle cases and issues with little oversight and be able to creatively and independently problem solve. The Attorney will represent clients in legal proceedings, draw up legal documents and advise clients on legal transactions. The Attorney will be responsible for all aspects of the cases assigned to them, in court. This includes client preparation, legal file documentation, pre-trial preparation, court appearances, motion practice, depositions, mediations, negotiations, and trial practice. In general terms, the Attorney should be knowledgeable, confident, organized, disciplined, dedicated, and focused to ensure client work is handled in a competent manner. 

The Attorney for Disaster Recovery is under the supervision of the Disaster Project Manager (Regional Managing Attorney if Disaster Project Manager position is not filled).

Essential Functions

1. Interviews, certifies eligibility, and identifies the legal problems of FRLS clients within a specific area of law and provides clients with appropriate legal assistance in the form of advice, referrals, and/or actual representation. 
2. Participates in community outreach and education. 
3. Represents clients in court and before administrative agencies as accepted. 
4. Provides documentation, statistical information and other records as required by the Disaster Project Manager, Regional Managing Attorney, Deputy Director, or Executive Director. 
5. Participates in case acceptance meetings. 
6. Participates in training to keep up CLE’s and required and legally relevant training as may be provided by the program and as mandated by Florida Bar rules. 
7. Adheres to office hours, exhibits a strong work ethic and excellent time management skills, communicates and treats clients and staff with courtesy and respect, provides constructive feedback to other staff on cases discussed. 
8. Serves as a role model to support staff by promoting the values of hard work, high quality advocacy and treating others with courtesy and respect. 
9. Attempts to ensure accessibility of the local office(s) when necessary, by serving clients, including rural clients, non-English speaking clients and client with disabilities. 
10. Promotes good relations with public, including client groups, service providers, press, and private bar, attending/speaking at local meetings as appropriate and approved by the Regional Managing Attorney, Deputy Director and/or Executive Director. 
11. Is familiar with FRLS policies, as well as requirements of LSC and other funders, and adheres to those policies and requirements. 
12. Maintain an accurate follow-up system to review cases when needed. 
13. Perform other duties as assigned. 

Requirements

1. Juris Doctorate from an ABA accredited law school. 
2. Barred in Florida. 
3. Knowledge of State and Federal court practices required. 
4. Some knowledge of the legal system, commitment to the mission of FRLS and compassion for the clients. 
5. Ability to forge positive relationships with prospects and colleagues. 
6. Good organizational, interpersonal and communication skills. 
7. Ability to work collaboratively, yet independently. 
8. Must be able to effectively and efficiently be able to maximize existing resources. 
9. Working knowledge of Microsoft Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint). 
10. Must be able to effectively work in high-pressure situations, which involve deadlines. 
11. Bilingual Spanish/Haitian Creole preferred but not required. 

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

1. Must be competent and proficient in the use of Word and Microsoft Office

2. Draft/review substantive pleadings and motions for the Disaster Recovery Unit.

3. Timely initiation and response to motions & discovery associated with the Disaster Recovery Units’

 selected cases

4. Communicates in a highly effective manner with FRLS’ Administration, Managing Attorneys, unit

 members and clients

5. Ability to work successfully in a fast-paced, and evolving environment.

Working conditions

This position operates in a professional work environment.

Physical requirements

Program-wide travel may be required for training, mentoring and court observation with approval from the Disaster Program Manager and Advocacy Director. 

Reports

Assists with grant compliance reports as needed and any other report as requested. 

Salary and Benefits

The starting salary for this position is $68,000, which is based on a union scale and adjusted upward depending on experience. FRLS offers a very generous benefits package that includes 403(b) with employer-paid contribution; health insurance (medical, dental, and vision) for employees and their dependents; malpractice insurance; paid leave (up to 5 weeks of PTO, 2 personal days, and 13 holidays); law school loan repayment assistance. FRLS Attorneys operate in a hybrid work environment, requiring advocates to work in their assigned office at least three days per week.