Disaster Legal Fellow at Indiana Legal Services

Indianapolis, Indiana, United States -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

10 Sep, 26

Salary

75535.0

Posted On

12 Jun, 26

Experience

0 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Legal Research, Strategic Planning, Case Management, Client Representation, Public Speaking, Technical Writing, Collaboration, Disaster Response Planning, Housing Law, Foreclosure Law, Consumer Law, Public Benefits Law, Volunteer Coordination, Partnership Building, Outreach, Legal Advice

Industry

Law Practice

Description

INDIANA LEGAL SERVICES, INC. Job Announcement DISASTER LEGAL FELLOW INDIANAPOLIS OR BLOOMINGTON AGENCY DESCRIPTION: Indiana Legal Services, Inc. (ILS) is a statewide, not-for-profit law firm that provides free legal services to eligible clients in civil cases through 8 regional offices. ILS is funded by the Legal Services Corporation, Indiana Civil Legal Aid Fund, Indiana Bar Foundation, United Ways, Area Agencies on Aging, and approximately 60 other funding sources. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER: ILS is committed to being an equal opportunity employer. We recruit, employ, train, compensate, and promote without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, or any category protected by law. LOCATION: This position is located in the Indianapolis or Bloomington office of Indiana Legal Services. JOB SUMMARY: The disaster legal fellow will work collaboratively to establish a statewide disaster and emergency legal response plan and build networks with disaster response agencies and organizations in partnership with a disaster legal fellow hosted by another legal service provider (Pro Bono Indiana). Both of these positions are funded by the Indiana Bar Foundation. The ILS legal fellow will also work to integrate Indiana’s network of legal aid organizations into the existing network of disaster response efforts and will represent clients in matters including housing, foreclosure, consumer, and public benefits matters, which are among the types of cases that arise from disasters and emergencies. This is a two-year fellowship. The fellow will work under the supervision of the Managing Attorney of the office for which they are assigned. RESPONSIBILITIES: • Lead efforts to create a statewide legal response plan for disasters, emergencies, and other crises including research on other states’ plans and relevant academic literature and meeting with disaster and emergency response agencies, legal aid providers and other relevant entities. The fellow will be the primary drafter of the state legal response plan and will present the plan at a future Indiana Civil Legal Aid Conference. • Work with disaster preparedness agencies and other legal partners to embed legal response as part of Indiana’s statewide disaster response planning and ensure an appropriate legal component in disaster and emergency response. • Meet with disaster and emergency responders across the state to foster knowledge of legal response to disasters and emergencies and build relationships with ILS. • Collaborate on the development of training materials for legal aid staff and pro bono volunteers and systems for recruitment and engagement of volunteers. • Build partnerships with state and local bar associations, pro bono attorneys and law firms to marshal and prepare resources for disaster and emergency response. • Assist with design and deployment of a justice bus to be used by Pro Bono Indiana to deliver mobile legal services and outreach to communities affected by disasters and emergencies. • Provide legal advice and representation to clients facing the types of legal problems that arise in response to disasters and emergencies including housing, foreclosure, consumer law, and public benefits. • Comply with all LSC and grant requirements and all ILS policies and procedures. QUALIFICATIONS: • Dedicated to the mission of Indiana Legal Services. • Licensed to practice law in Indiana within the last 3 years or less or ability to be licensed promptly is required. • Background, experience, or interest in disaster preparedness or disaster response is preferred. • Experience with significant writing projects and planning are preferred. • Ability to travel as needed to perform job responsibilities both in-state and out-of-state. • Excellent written and oral communication skills. COMPENSATION: The starting salary for the position is $57,425 with a range up to a maximum of $75,535 depending on experience. ILS offers an excellent fringe benefits package including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, Rx), disability insurance, life insurance, a 401(k) plan, and a flex benefit plan. The fellow will be offered leadership development opportunities, travel to relevant national conferences, travel to investigate other states’ disaster and emergency planning, and participation in the Indiana Coalition for Court Access. TO APPLY: Visit https://www.indianalegalservices.org/careers/ to apply online. Applicants should submit a letter explaining your interest and experience, your resume, and a list of professional references with contact information.

Responsibilities

The fellow will lead the creation and implementation of a statewide disaster and emergency legal response plan. Additionally, they will provide direct legal representation to clients in areas such as housing, foreclosure, and public benefits.