Legal Aid Chicago encourages applicants with relevant volunteer and work experience, who have experiences with our client communities or individuals who identify as a person of color, LGBTQIA+, immigrant, or otherwise having backgrounds and experiences that are underrepresented in the legal profession to apply.

For over 50 years, Legal Aid Chicago has provided free civil legal assistance to people living in poverty in metropolitan Chicago. Each year our attorneys, volunteers, and staff help resolve civil legal problems, including domestic violence, consumer fraud, and unfair evictions. Legal Aid Chicago was founded on the philosophy that all individuals are entitled to quality civil legal representation, regardless of their income. We work to ensure that poverty is not an impediment to justice by dismantling the legal barriers that perpetuate inequality. Legal Aid Chicago staff live our mission through our core values of equity, excellence, inclusion, kindness, and respect.

Position: Legal Aid Chicago is seeking a full-time staff attorney to work in community outreach. This new role will deepen the breadth of Legal Aid Chicago’s work with community organizations and stakeholders. This is an exciting change maker position in the service of access to justice and equity.

The Community Outreach Staff Attorney will engage externally with other community-based organizations and service providers to develop strategic relationships and foster collaborations centered on civil legal issues. The position will also require application of internal and external data to develop targets and high-impact strategies for outreach. The position will also entail frequent collaboration with Legal Aid Chicago colleagues on coordinated outreach strategies, effective messaging, and creating new outreach opportunities.

This position will report to the Associate Director of Community Partnerships.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as a Legal Aid Chicago ambassador with the greater Cook County community and lead community education and advocacy for the Legal Aid Chicago brand and mission
• With support and under the direction of the Associate Director of Community Partnerships, design and implement the organization’s community engagement and outreach strategy
• Maintain knowledge in areas of law handled by Legal Aid Chicago to ensure effective communication about that work with community partners and others
• Build stakeholder relationships in furtherance of the targeted outreach objectives; foster and grow collaborations among community organizations, service providers, and other community stakeholders
• Coordinate legal education presentations, know-your-rights workshops, and other Legal Aid Chicago presentations for community members, service providers, and other community stakeholders
• Develop and implement outreach and community engagement plans
• Serve as a liaison to various committees and community groups, develop relationships with current and prospective partners
• Document measurable outcomes, such as tracking of community meetings, community member conversations, relationship building, and outreach efforts
• Maintain records and accurate timekeeping in electronic case management system
• Assist with grant reporting, as appropriate and applicable
• Other duties as assigned

Salary and Benefits:

This position is part of the National Organization of Legal Services Workers, UAW Local 2320. The Collective Bargaining Agreement sets employment terms and compensation is determined by the CBA salary scale, based on paid experience.  

The Community Outreach Staff Attorney position begins at $63,500 and increases for every relevant year of experience.

Legal Aid Chicago offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Bilingual Staff Attorneys are eligible for an additional stipend
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, effective the first day of employment
• Time Off: 15 vacation days and 13 sick days accrued within the first year of employment
• 14 paid holidays, including one floating holiday
• Six weeks of Paid Parental Leave at 100% of the salary after six months of employment
• 403(b) retirement plan with an employer contribution after one year of employment
• $50,000 Basic Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment insurance, at no cost
• Access to Employee Assistance Program resources, at no cost
• Chicago Bar Association Membership, at no cost
• Monthly internet reimbursement
• Legal Aid Chicago is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and is an eligible employer for the federal public service loan forgiveness program

• Licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois, or be licensed to practice law in another state and able to waive into the Illinois bar or willing to sit for the next Illinois bar, or have passed the bar in another state and be able to waive into the Illinois bar, or be a law school graduate who will sit for the February 2024 bar exam 
• Prior experience community outreach for an organization required and able to point to specific achievements developing community-based strategies in the prior position(s)
• Prior legal experience is preferred
• Experience working with people living in poverty or other vulnerable populations
• Creativity and flexibility in solving problems and meeting challenges
• Strong oral and written communication skills including public speaking, facilitating, and relationship-building, along with the ability to interact with a diverse population of individuals, community partners, and other stakeholders
• Computer proficiency, including Microsoft Office, and ability to quickly learn new software
• Must have reliable access to a vehicle and valid driver’s license and willingness to travel throughout Cook County
• Flexibility to work occasional evenings and weekends for community events and meetings
• Spanish fluency preferred

Legal Aid Chicago offers a hybrid work environment. Our offices, located in downtown Chicago at 120 S. LaSalle Street, is ADA accessible and has convenient access to public transportation and local expressways.  This position may require travel to court or other outreach events.

To Apply: Submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and the contact information of two primary professional references and one alternative professional reference. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the position will remain open until filled.