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.

Legal Aid Chicago offers a hybrid work environment. Our office, located in downtown Chicago at 120 S. LaSalle Street, is ADA accessible and has convenient access to public transportation and local expressways. This position also requires regular on-site rotation at the University of Chicago (UChicago) hospital at 5656 S. Maryland Ave., and occasional travel to court, administrative agencies, and outreach events.

Position: Legal Aid Chicago seeks a full-time supervising attorney in our Medical-Legal Partnerships Group. Legal Aid Chicago’s Medical-Legal Partnerships (MLP) work directly with hospitals and health care providers to address social determinants having the greatest negative consequences for client-patients’ health and well-being. We have two active partnerships: Recovery Legal Care with the UChicago Hospital’s Trauma Center to serve victims of violent crime and  Health Forward/Salud Adelante with the Cook County Health and Hospitals System to integrate legal, medical, and public health services in Chicago’s most health challenged neighborhoods. This position reports to the Chief Strategy Officer.

The MLP group handles a wide range of public benefits legal issues, such as advocating for crime victims’ compensation from the State of Illinois and challenging wrongful denials, terminations, and other issues concerning benefits from the Department of Human Services including SNAP, TANF, AABD Cash, and Medicaid, as well as SSI and disability benefits issues with the Social Security Administration. The MLP group is also increasing its capacity to provide more holistic legal services to address their clients’ unique needs. This developing endeavor requires teamwork, creativity, and flexibility by the MLP attorneys to work cooperatively with Legal Aid Chicago’s Practice Groups to address legal issues impacting housing, employment, personal safety, immigration, criminal records (expungement/sealing), and consumer/financial.

Responsibilities:

• Overall management of Recovery Legal Care, including weekly meetings, partner relationships, staffing, scheduling and reporting
• Supervise attorneys and paralegals by providing case strategy guidance, reviewing written work, conducting case reviews, performance evaluations, training, co-counseling, and supporting professional development
• Perform accurate case management and timekeeping and ensure supervised staff do as well
• Maintain a small caseload, representing clients before administrative agencies, state and federal courts, with a focus on Social Security, public benefits, and crime victims’ compensation cases
• Work collaboratively with co-supervisory attorney to foster shared practices, learning, and cohesion within the MLP group
• Serve as a subject matter expert on health-related legal issues affecting the client population
• Engage in systemic advocacy and outreach efforts
• Conduct training and presentations for partners, funders, stakeholders, and others interested in the MLP model
• Represent Legal Aid Chicago on community task forces, committees, and other relevant bodies
• Support fundraising, media relations, and other mission-driven activities
• Other duties as assigned

Salary and Benefits:

The budgeted salary range for this position is $84,500 - $94,500, which reflects an applicant with a law school graduation date between 2020 and 2010.

Legal Aid Chicago offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance, effective the first day of employment
• Time Off: 21 vacation days and 18 sick days accrued within the first year of employment
• 19 paid holidays, including four floating holidays
• Twelve weeks of Paid Parental Leave at 100% of the salary after six months of employment
• 401(a) retirement plan with an employer contribution after 3 months of employment
• $100,000 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
• Reimbursement of annual ARDC registration fees
• 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

Legal Aid Chicago encourages applications from individuals with relevant experience, particularly those who have direct experience with communities we serve or perspectives that help us understand and serve our clients better.

• J.D. degree and licensed to practice law in Illinois or licensed in another state with the ability to waive into the Illinois bar
• Minimum of six years of legal practice. Prior experience with medical-legal partnerships is preferred.
• Experience supervising legal work, including mentoring and training less experienced attorneys and advocacy staff
• Strong project management, organizational skills, flexibility, and sound judgment
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in cross-cultural situations with clients, colleagues, and community members
• Highly collegial, with enthusiasm for working in a fast-paced, interdisciplinary environment
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Experience working directly with people living in poverty and people with disabilities
• Familiarity with trauma-informed practices, vicarious trauma, and self-care
• Commitment to meeting with and supporting patients recovering from violent injuries, often firearm-related

To Apply: Submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and the contact information of two primary professional references and one alternative professional reference. For applicants with previous work experience, at least one reference must be a former supervisor. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the position will remain open until filled.

Legal Aid Chicago is firmly committed to creating a diverse workplace and is proud to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and therefore does not discriminate on the basis of creed, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, marital or parental status, alienage, disability, political affiliation or belief, military or military discharge status, or ex-offender status, or any other protected status.

If an accommodation is needed to complete this application, contact Human Resources at humanresources@legalaidchicago.org.

Due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to respond to individual inquiries regarding application status. We will contact candidates who are selected for the next stage of the hiring process.