Equal Justice Works Disaster Resilience Attorney Fellowship
Job Details
- Date Posted: 10.31.2022
- Start Date: As soon as possible
- Experience Level: 0 –5 years
- Position Type: Full-Time Legal Position for 1 year
- Legal Areas: Disaster Law, legal education and outreach, community lawyering
- Job Location: West Tennessee Legal Services, Inc. in Jackson, Tennessee
Position Description
West Tennessee Legal Services has been providing free civil legal services to low-income and underserved West Tennesseans for over 40 years. WTLS formed a Disaster Legal Team following the December 2021 tornadoes that affected its rural communities. With a Legal Services Corporation disaster grant, a team of attorneys and paralegals are working to assist disaster survivors as they continue to recover. The Equal Justice Works Disaster Resilience Attorney will work with the WTLS Disaster Legal Team in its disaster recovery efforts.
As an Equal Justice Works Disaster Resilience Fellow, you will be part of a prestigious group of 20 attorneys hosted by legal services organizations across the United States. During the Fellowship term, Fellows work collaboratively to:
- Provide legal advice, referrals, and full representation to underserved communities who are most in need or facing special barriers to accessing services before, during, and after a disaster (particularly the 2021 tornadoes).
- Identify areas for policy change and reform.
- Engage in outreach and education activities, such as Know-Your-Rights presentations.
- Work with community partners to increase disaster preparedness and resilience.
Requirements
All candidates must apply directly to West Tennessee Legal Services, Inc. by submitting a cover letter and resume with references to hiring@wtls.org.
The successful candidate must have:
- Juris Doctor from an accredited law school; licensed to practice law in Tennessee or eligible for reciprocity.
- Demonstrate commitment to social justice, with a desire to increase access to justice for disaster survivors and achieve results.
- Outstanding verbal and written communication skills.
- Exceptional interpersonal and organizational skills.
- An ability to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary setting to facilitate a coordinated community response and provide holistic services to clients.
These experiences may get you bonus points:
- Previous legal services experience, including civil legal aid, law school clinics, and/or internships.
- Prior disaster-related legal experience.
- Experience with delivering training and presentations.
- Diverse economic, social, and cultural experiences and a second language are preferred.
Fellowship Benefits
Excellent benefits package, including low-cost health insurance; free dental, vision, long-term disability, and life insurance; 401k with employer match; generous personal and sick leave; most federal holidays and week off between Christmas and New Year; hybrid/remote work schedule available after 90-day probationary period; gym membership reimbursement; generous paid parental leave; and great supportive co-workers and mentors.
In addition to WTLS benefits, Equal Justice Works Fellows are part of a network of over 2,500 current and former Fellows dedicated to improving access to equal justice for all. As a member of the network, each Fellow has access to:
- Equal Justice Works’ annual Leadership Development Training, which is attended by ~300 current Fellows each year. The conference will be in-person in 2023.
- Responsive training and technical assistance from Equal Justice Work’s in-house disaster law expert.
- Regular substantive and skills-based webinars throughout the Fellowship.
- Monthly networking and collaboration sessions with other Disaster Resilience Fellows.
West Tennessee Legal Services is an equal-opportunity employer. Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.