Summary

The Virtual Self -Help (VSHC) attorney is responsible for providing legal assistance to eligible clients and conducting virtual legal clinics to low-income Texans in rural areas across the state.

The attorney in this position is expected to:

Maintain the highest ethical and professional standards; embrace and support TLSC’s overall mission; and comply with all grant requirements, regulations, standards, policies, and confidentiality requirements.

This is a grant funded position.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Provide high quality legal advice, assistance, and referrals to eligible clients, including through TexasLawHelp LiveChat, in a patient, compassionate, culturally-sensitive, and trauma-informed manner.
• Conduct intake interviews, confirm eligibility for services, and check for conflicts of interest according to TLSC policy.
• Assist clients in drafting and filing legal documents.
• Work with rural community hosts to facilitate monthly virtual legal clinics.
• Travel to remote locations to conduct training and outreach activities.
• Assist clients with navigating the TexasLawHelp website.
• Coordinate projects between VHSC, within the practice area group, within TLSC, and organizations outside of TLSC.
• Train and lead law students, volunteers, and interns for TexasLawHelp LiveChat.
• Identify need for publications to assist self-represented litigants for both print and web-publication for TexasLawHelp.
• Draft and update legal information publications, tools, and forms for TexasLawHelp.

OTHER FUNCTIONS:

• Ensure all client, project, and computer files are maintained in an orderly manner.
• Provide all information needed/requested for TLSC-reporting in a prompt manner.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

EDUCATION/LICENSE (REQUIRED):

• J.D. Degree.
•  Licensed to practice law in the State of Texas within six months of hire date.

EXPERIENCE (PREFERRED):

• Minimum 2 years of family law experience.
• Fluency in Spanish

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS (REQUIRED):

• Current knowledge and expertise of the law and legal system, especially in areas that impact family law.
• Advance level project management skills.
• High level organization skills.
• Strong time management and attention to detail skills.
• Exceptional verbal, listening, and written communications skills.
• Proficiency with (or the ability to learn) LegalServer (TLSC’s case management system), Adobe, Microsoft Office products, G Suite apps, and social media tools.
• Understanding of grant requirements and associated reporting needs.
• Ability to travel to remote locations.
• Ability to work with clients in a patient, trauma-informed and non-judgmental manner.
• Ability to enter information into system accurately.
• Experience using or ability to learn technology, including virtual meeting software/technology, such as Zoom or Skype

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Sedentary work that involves sitting most of the time.
• Occasional bending, squatting and kneeling.
• Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and a negligible amount of force is needed at times to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects.

*This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.