Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio (LASCO)’s mission is to provide civil legal aid and advocacy to overcome unfairness and injustice, reduce poverty, and increase opportunity. LASCO has a long-standing history of being committed to searching out the patterns, causes of, and solutions to the repetitive and fundamental legal problems facing low-income Ohioans and pursuing the legal recourse needed to address those problems. Since 1966, our organizations have helped thousands of Ohio’s poor obtain and keep housing, secure public benefits, worked with families to gain and maintain economic stability, and helped domestic violence survivors to live free of fear and abuse and to obtain the resources needed to sustain themselves and their children. 

In partnership with the National Association of Consumer Advocates (NACA), LASCO has an opportunity to possibly host part of a 2-year consumer law fellowship. This unique two-year fellowship offers students about to graduate law school the opportunity to work with top consumer advocates on exciting cases, gain hands-on experience, and build a pathway to success doing well, while doing good work. 

Additional details are available by visiting the NACA Fellowship posting and in this NACA Fellowship FAQ document. 

This call for interest is for upcoming law school graduates who are expected to sit for the July 2025 Bar exam. This position is intended to run from fall 2025 through summer 2027. The fellowship will initially support LASCO’s consumer law practice group, in pursuit of their mission and public interest priorities in Central Ohio. The second half of the fellowship will be dedicated to affirmative consumer protection cases with Burdge Law Office. 

Are You Someone Who:  

• Is dedicated to improving the lives of low-income individuals in our communities
• Enjoys helping clients triumph over adversity
• Is motivated, professional and thrives within a collaborative, team-driven environment
• Believes successful resolution can be reached beyond traditional litigation
• Is interested in developing a wide range of legal skills and experiences

You Will:  

• Handle all functions related to consumer legal advocacy ranging from intake to the representation of clients before local, state, appellate and federal courts, and all relevant agencies
• Maintain a caseload that includes both direct service and impact work
• Participate in outreach activities, clinics and other community events
• Collaborate with other legal services attorneys on statewide advocacy
• Promote and build community relationships by engaging with the public and partner service providers
• Have the opportunity to participate in excellent on-going professional development including CLE-approved trainings on substantive poverty law and advocacy skills among others
• Be a part of a community of collaborative and mission driven professionals
• Provides other assistance to attorneys as requested by the Managing Attorney or Executive Director. 

You Have:

• Strong legal advocacy skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment
• High ability to exercise sound judgment and discretion
• High ability to facilitate collaboration as well as build and sustain productive relationships with diverse groups and organizations
• Excellent communication skills, both orally and written, with diverse audiences
• A commitment to diversity and inclusion both internally and externally
• A commitment to providing culturally competent services
• Strong work ethic
• Proficiency in Microsoft applications, knowledge of current technologies and commitment to remain up to date with industry best practices
• English language proficiency is essential and Spanish/English bilingual skills are a plus. Additional languages – even better
• The ability to travel throughout the Central Ohio service area as needed
• Candidates for the 2025-2027 fellowship must be a rising 3L or recent Juris Doctor graduate from an accredited law school, eligible to take the Ohio Bar Exam in July of 2025
• Prior Legal Aid or related work experience a plus, but not required

Other Details:  

• For year one, this position will be employed by LASCO reporting to a Managing Attorney, and is based in Columbus, Ohio. During the second year of this fellowship, the fellow will be employed by National Association of Consumer Advocates and will report to a private Attorney with Burdge Law Office, based in Dayton, Ohio.
• Salary begins at $67,000 and requires a 2-year commitment.
• Applications will be reviewed upon receipt, but candidates will be considered through the application deadline, January 1, 2025.
• Final selection of a fellow is contingent on LASCO being awarded final funding from the National Association of Consumer Advocates.
• It is the policy of LASCO not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, disability, age, ancestry, and military status or any other characteristic protected by law.
• LASCO offers an excellent comprehensive benefits package, currently including an employer funded HRA (up to $12,000), employer-paid employee dental and vision insurance, a language skills differential ($2,500-$3,500 annually), paid vacation, sick and holiday time, LRAP (up to $6,000), and ongoing training and development opportunities.?Benefits will change during the second year of the fellowship, when employment changes to National Association of Consumer Advocates.

To Apply:  

Each applicant shall submit a resume, and a completed application form to fellowship@consumeradvocates.org and indicate which host organization(s) they would like to apply to. All completed applications must be received by January 1, 2025.

Upon receipt, NACA will provide the application to the appropriate organization(s) who will independently determine who they will interview. Upon completion of this interview process, the organization will submit a letter of support for their preferred applicant(s) to NACA for final decision making. 

Additional details are available by visiting the NACA Fellowship posting and in this NACA Fellowship FAQ document.

To promote social justice and best serve our clients, LASCO is committed to maintaining a diverse staff and providing culturally competent services. We strongly encourage candidates from traditionally underrepresented communities and historically oppressed groups including BIPOC, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ individuals to apply. Bilingual/bicultural candidates are also strongly encouraged to apply.