Staff Attorney, Community Services & Outreach

*Position Overview* The Community Services & Outreach (CSO) Staff Attorney works with the CSO/Pro Bono Supervising Attorney and legal team to implement the CSO and pro bono program priorities in providing legal services and legal education to the general public.
This position will assist with providing legal services and legal education through CGLA’s virtual and in-person Expungement Help Desks (Juvenile Court, the Daley Center, and the Markham Courthouse), partnerships with community-based organizations and government agencies, pro bono volunteers and occasionally through community expungement forums statewide.
This position manages an individual caseload and provides oversight of the work product of interns assigned to CSO and pro bono program cases.
*Essential Duties* * Assist the CSO/Pro Bono Supervising Attorney and CSO Senior Attorney and independently provide legal services at virtual and in-person Help Desks, prepare petitions for self-represented litigants seeking to expunge and/or seal juvenile and criminal records, advising them on next steps and providing representation in expungement/sealing objection hearings.
* Maintain relationships with key stakeholders at Help Desk locations to ensure self-represented litigants can effectively access the court system.
* Maintain a manageable caseload proportionate to other responsibilities, providing direct legal services to CGLA clients, partner referral clients, and help desk patrons.
* Give _Know Your Rights_ and other presentations at events hosted by CGLA partner agencies, at various community outreach events, and to other entities, as assigned, to increase awareness regarding options available to clients to mitigate the collateral consequences that result from a juvenile or criminal record.
* Provide advice, support, training, and supervision at community and countywide criminal records forums, volunteer clinics and at community outreach and educational events as assigned; * Review and approve the work of interns at the Help Desks, as assigned.
Assist in onboarding and training interns and volunteers and reviewing their work product to ensure delivery of high quality and timely legal services.
* Perform other client direct representation duties as assigned, including assisting self-represented litigants as a “friend of the court” during court hearings at the Juvenile Court, the George N.
Leighton Criminal Court, the Markham Courthouse, and other courthouses in Cook County.
* Maintain up-to-date client information in CGLA’s case management system to ensure accurate data collection and statistical tracking for assigned cases and intern/volunteer cases.
*Education* * Juris Doctor from ABA-accredited law school.
* Licensed to practice law in Illinois by date of employment.
*Experience* 0 to 3 years of law practice experience.
*Required Skills* * Strong organizational, communication, and leadership skills.
* Be self-driven, highly energetic and innovative.
* The ability to work collaboratively with staff, interns and volunteers.
* Ability to prioritize work, meet deadlines and produce quality results.
* Superior interpersonal skills; comfortable working with a diverse population.
* Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both in writing and orally.
* Exemplary organizational skills and keen attention to detail.
* Spanish language skills are considered a plus.
*Supervisory Responsibility* * None *Required Hours* Monday through Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm, 40 hours per week.
NOTE: Non-traditional hours – occasional evenings and Saturdays – are required.
*Physical Requirements* * Communicate clearly.
* Understand the speech of another person.
* Must be able to handle high levels of mental stress.
* The employee is frequently required to use hands and fingers to type, handle, or feel and reach.
The employee is regularly required to stand and walk.
The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.
*Travel Requirements:* Travel to Help Desks, the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center, Richard J.
Daley Center, and the Markham Courthouse is required.
Travel to the George N.
Leighton Criminal Courthouse and the Suburban Municipal District Courthouses may be required.
Travel to external workforce development organizations, anti-violence organizations, and other community-based organizations throughout Chicago and Cook County is also required.
Travel to other Illinois counties occasionally required.
*Working Conditions*: CGLA has implemented a telecommuter and flexible work policy that allows employees to perform work remotely at the employee’s home or at an approved offsite location.
Employees must have adequate internet access to work from home.
If working in the office, you must be able to work in an open office setting with moderate noise levels and follow all COVID-19 safety protocols.
Employee must have reliable internet access to work remotely.
*Benefits* We offer a generous benefits plan that includes Blue Cross Blue Shield - Health insurance, Vision Service Plan – Vision insurance, Principal Dental insurance and 100% employer paid life insurance, (EAP) Employee Assistance Program, Dependent Care and Medical Flexible spending accounts, Pet insurance, Pre-Tax Programs for parking, local transit for Ventra and Metra and UberPool, and Vanguard 403(b) retirement matching.
Additionally, CGLA offers generous Paid Time-Off, Wellness Days, 14 paid holidays per year, and the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day off.
During the summer months, we celebrate Summer Fridays by closing the office early Job Type: Full-time Pay: $56,000.
00 - $61,000.
00 per year Benefits: * Dental insurance * Health insurance * Health savings account * Life insurance * Paid time off * Parental leave * Vision insurance Schedule: * 8 hour shift * Monday to Friday People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply Work Location: Hybrid remote in Chicago, IL 60603