Senior Litigation Attorney – CPR

CPR is a national legal advocacy center that has been advancing the civil rights of people with disabilities for over 45 years.  We have staff who work in Easthampton and Boston Massachusetts, New York City, and Washington, D.C.  CPR’s mission focuses on supporting institutionalized and other persons with disabilities, including people from BIPOC communities, to return to, or remain in, their homes and communities and to be full and equal participants in all facets of society.  Through our systemic advocacy, we have been a major force in promoting civil rights, community integration, self-determination, and improvements in services for people with disabilities throughout the country.  We are looking for a senior litigation attorney to lead significant portions of our systemic reform agenda, and to challenge the historical and structural racism that contributes to health inequities.    

Our system reform agenda includes numerous litigation and policy initiatives that are designed to end segregation and promote community integration, enforce and expand civil rights, ensure equal access to health resources, and establish new standards of care for persons with disabilities.  This agenda, which is periodically revised and updated, guides CPR’s legal reform activities.  A summary of our systemic litigation agenda can be found at http://www.centerforpublicrep.org/litigation-and-major-cases/litigation. 

CPR is committed to prioritizing racial equity as an integral part of our mission to promote equity and community inclusion for all people.  Our Racial Equity Initiative, established in 2022, seeks to ensure that we understand and prioritize the needs of historically marginalized communities in our systemic initiatives, our policy advocacy within CPR, and our relationships with community partners.  

Our goal is to develop a new generation of attorneys who can advance this agenda for at least the next decade, and to recruit, train, mentor, and support attorneys of various levels of experience to become the new leaders of CPR. 

The Position 

As a senior litigation attorney, you will: 

  • Initiate, develop, lead, and litigate complex civil rights cases in federal courts throughout the country. 
  • Participate in the development of priorities for litigation and advocacy. 
  • Demonstrate expertise in subject matter areas which impact people with disabilities and other marginalized communities. 
  • Incorporate racial equity principles into systemic reform efforts and policy advocacy. 
  • Support special projects, national and local policy initiatives, and the preparation of amicus briefs, as assigned by the Legal Director. 
  • Provide training and mentoring to other CPR staff.  
  • Contribute to our national training and technical assistance work for the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), a national network of disability advocates in each of the U.S. states and territories.  
  • Provide training and technical assistance to Massachusetts legal services programs. 

You can be based in either CPR’s Easthampton, Massachusetts or DC offices or work remotely from another location within the United States.   

Qualifications 

Required 

  • A Juris Doctorate degree and admission to/good standing in at least one state bar 
  • At least 10 years of complex litigation experience on disability or related civil rights issues 
  • Substantial experience in developing and litigating systemic reform litigation including complex discovery and trial practice 
  • Extensive knowledge of relevant disability and civil rights laws 
  • Demonstrated commitment to people with disabilities or other marginalized groups. 
  • Professional or personal experience working with communities of color and/or advancing racial equity 
  • Leadership and supervisory experience  
  • Excellent research, writing, and communication skills 
  • Ability to manage multiple tasks and projects independently 
  • Working knowledge of Word, Excel, PowerPoint  
  • Ability to travel, as needed 

The Salary and Benefits 

CPR offers a unique benefit package, including health insurance; disability insurance; paid time off, including vacation, sick, personal days, and retreat time; a flexible spending account; and a 403(b)-retirement plan.  CPR has recently updated its salary structure to be competitive with other national civil rights organizations.  Qualified attorneys with at least ten years of experience can expect to earn $106,000-$113,500 a year.  

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion 

CPR is committed to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion in our work and within our organization.  We believe that excellence is best achieved by bringing together and embracing a variety of different lived experiences and perspectives.  We therefore encourage and welcome applications from members of the BIPOC and disabilities communities, as well as candidates from other historically under-represented communities.   

Please send cover letter, resume, and writing sample related to complex litigation to Cathy Costanzo (she/hers), Center for Public Representation, 5 Ferry Street, Suite 314, Easthampton, MA 01027, or by e-mail to hiring@cpr-ma.org, by November 10, 2023.  If you are having technical difficulties while applying, or need assistance/accommodations to apply, please call (413) 586-6024. 

Senior Supervising Attorney – CLA

Community Legal Aid (CLA) is the non-profit legal services program providing free civil legal assistance to low-income and elderly residents of central and western Massachusetts. CLA has over 150 dedicated, talented staff working across multiple offices. Our core work includes effective client-centered advocacy and robust outreach to and partnerships with our client communities. CLA is a fiscally sound, administratively strong agency supported by a dedicated staff, management team, and Board of Directors.

CLA seeks a Senior Supervising Attorney (SSA) to join its talented, dynamic management team. The SSA will oversee the work of and directly supervise the advocates in one or more of the following practice areas: (1) education law for at-risk students, (2) employment law for low-wage workers, and/or (3) disability benefits. The education law work that the SSA will focus on will include IEPs and Section 504 Plans, discipline including suspensions and expulsions, and language access rights. The employment law work that the SSA will focus on will include unemployment benefits, wage and hour issues, leave issues, and employment discrimination matters. The disability work that the SSA will focus on will include SSI, SSDI, and SSP.

The SSA’s duties will include co-counseling cases; editing pleadings and briefs; preparing advocates for and observing them in court; and engaging in regular case reviews. The SSA will also participate in coordinating the training of staff; work with CLA’s Managing Attorneys in conducting annual performance reviews; and assist in writing grant applications and reports.

The SSA will be based in CLA’s Springfield or Worcester office. The position will require some travel to CLA’s offices across central and western Massachusetts to support and build relationships with staff in person.

QUALIFICATIONS: Admission to Mass. Bar or entitlement to practice under a Mass. practice rule required. Must have at least five years of experience as an attorney, with significant experience in at least one of the core areas that are the subject of this posting. Experience with low-income populations; ability to work collaboratively; and strong supervision and communication skills required. The candidate should be an independent thinker and have the ability to calmly and thoughtfully support staff who work in a high-stakes, fast-paced environment which can often be stressful for advocates.

Salary DOE. CLA offers a very generous benefits package that includes 401(k) with employer-paid contribution; low-cost health insurance (medical, dental, and vision) for employees and their dependents; malpractice insurance; paid leave (4 weeks vacation, 3 personal days, 12 sick days, and 13 holidays); and relocation stipend.

Please submit cover letter and resume to: avaughan@cla-ma.org, or mail to Alicia Vaughan, Human Resources Director, Community Legal Aid, 370 Main Street, Worcester, Massachusetts 01608. In your cover letter, please indicate your area(s) of substantive law expertise, an explanation of your interest in a supervisory position, and your office of preference. CLA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and strives to ensure that our staff members reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. CLA encourages applicants from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.

Deputy Litigation Director – CLA

Community Legal Aid (CLA), the free civil legal aid organization serving the low-income and elderly residents of central and western Massachusetts, seeks an experienced attorney to serve as its Deputy Litigation Director. CLA’s advocacy team handles over 8,000 cases a year in a wide variety of areas, including housing, domestic relations, public benefits, employment, re-entry, and education. CLA is a fiscally sound, administratively strong agency supported by a dedicated staff, management team, and Board of Directors. CLA has over 150 staff working across multiple offices.

The Deputy Litigation Director will be a part of CLA’s management team and will:

  • Help the Litigation Director coordinate, support, and supervise major litigation and appeals, and co-counsel or otherwise participate directly in those efforts;
  • Help identify systemic issues that affect CLA’s clients, and help develop litigation and/or other advocacy strategies to address them;
  • Work with other supervisory staff to help develop the litigation skills of CLA’s advocates;
  • Review and edit advocates’ written advocacy, including submissions to courts and agencies;
  • Help advocates prepare for oral arguments, including participating in moots;
  • Help support CLA’s DEI advocacy subcommittee that strives to advance and build capacity for racial justice advocacy;Engender a culture of raising and pursuing attorney fee-shifting claims; and
  • Help develop and maintain a litigation docket that summarizes potential and pending litigation and applicable statutes of limitations.

Qualifications:

  • Licensed to practice law in Massachusetts or eligible for admission to the bar at the time of hiring.
  • At least five years of litigation experience, preferably significant experience litigating complex civil cases in state and federal court, both at the trial and appellate levels.
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills, attention to detail, and an ability to work with frequent deadlines.
  • History of creative and high-impact advocacy and substantive expertise in legal issues affecting low-income people.
  • Substantial experience mentoring and training other advocates.
  • Ability to facilitate collaboration and build and sustain productive and respectful working relationships with others.
  • Prior experience with low-income populations and a demonstrated ability to relate effectively to a diverse clientele and staff are preferred.

The Deputy Litigation Director will be based in CLA’s Springfield or Worcester office. The position will require some travel to CLA’s offices across central and western Massachusetts to support and build relationships with staff in person.

Salary DOE. CLA offers a very generous benefits package that includes 401(k) with employer-paid contribution; low-cost health insurance (medical, dental, and vision) for employees and their dependents; malpractice insurance; paid leave (4 weeks vacation, 3 personal days, 12 sick days, and 13 holidays); and relocation stipend.

Please submit a cover letter and resume to: Alicia Vaughan, HR Director, Community Legal Aid, 370 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01608, or email avaughan@cla-ma.org. In your cover letter, please indicate your area(s) of substantive law expertise and litigation experience, an explanation of your interest in this position, and your office of preference.

CLA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and strives to ensure that our staff members reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. CLA encourages applicants from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.

Staff Attorney, Asian Outreach & Advocacy Project – CWJC

The Central West Justice Center (CWJC) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Community Legal Aid (CLA). Together, these two programs provide a full range of civil legal services to the low-income and elderly residents of central and western Massachusetts. CWJC’s core work includes effective client-centered advocacy and robust outreach to and partnerships with our client communities.

CWJC seeks an attorney to spearhead the work of its Asian outreach and advocacy project in Worcester County (central Massachusetts). The attorney will do robust outreach to the county’s Asian communities, conduct know-your-rights trainings in the community, and provide legal assistance to individual clients in the areas of their greatest need, which may include access to unemployment and other benefits programs, homelessness prevention, issues specifically affecting elders, and naturalization matters for immigrants. Some grant-writing and grant-reporting required. The attorney will work in CWJC’s Worcester office.

QUALIFICATIONS: Recent law school graduates and more experienced attorneys are eligible to apply. While fluency in Vietnamese is strongly preferred, applicants who are fluent in Mandarin or Nepali are also encouraged to apply. Experience conducting outreach, sensitivity to the needs and concerns of individuals from diverse backgrounds, and commitment to working with low-income communities are important.

COMPENSATION: The starting salary for this position is $65,500, which is based on a union scale and adjusted upward depending on experience. CWJC offers a very generous benefits package that includes 401(k) with employer-paid contribution; low-cost health insurance (medical, dental, and vision) for employees and their dependents; malpractice insurance; paid leave (4 weeks vacation, 3 personal days, 12 sick days, and 13 holidays); and relocation stipend.

APPLICATION PROCESS: Please submit cover letter and resume to avaughan@cla-ma.org or mail to Alicia Vaughan, Human Resources Director, Community Legal Aid, 370 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01608.

CWJC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and strives to ensure that our staff members reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. CWJC encourages applicants from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.

CWJC has a hybrid workplace and requires all employees to be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines or undergo weekly testing.

Staff Attorney, Benefits Unit – CWJC

Central West Justice Center (CWJC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Community Legal Aid (CLA), seeks a staff attorney to work in its Worcester office. Together, CWJC and CLA have over 150 dedicated, talented staff working across multiple offices in Central and Western Massachusetts. Our core work includes effective client-centered advocacy and robust outreach to and partnerships with our client communities.

The attorney will provide legal assistance in public benefits matters, including TAFDC, EAEDC, SNAP, MassHealth, and Emergency Assistance shelter. In addition to handling cases before administrative agencies and in court on appeal, the attorney will engage in significant community outreach and education.

QUALIFICATIONS: Recent law school graduates and more experienced attorneys are eligible to apply. Applicants should have a demonstrated commitment to poverty law and social justice work. Experience working with diverse communities, strong interpersonal skills, and an ability to work in a collaborative setting are important. Experience advocating for low-income clients seeking public benefits and/or other administrative agency advocacy experience, including law school clinical experience, preferred. Fluency in Spanish, Portuguese and/or Vietnamese a plus.

COMPENSATION: The starting salary for this position is $65,500, which is based on a union scale and adjusted upward depending on experience. CWJC offers a very generous benefits package that includes 401(k) with employer-paid contribution; low-cost health insurance (medical, dental, and vision) for employees and their dependents; malpractice insurance; paid leave (4 weeks vacation, 3 personal days, 12 sick days, and 13 holidays); and relocation stipend.

APPLICATION PROCESS: Please apply online. Alternatively, you can submit your cover letter and resume to: avaughan@cla-ma.org or mail to Alicia Vaughan, Human Resources Director, Community Legal Aid, 370 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01608.

CWJC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and strives to ensure that our staff members reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. CWJC encourages applicants from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.

Staff Attorney, Elder Law – CLA

Community Legal Aid (CLA) is the non-profit legal services program providing free civil legal assistance to low-income and elderly residents of central and western Mass. CLA has over 150 dedicated, talented staff working across multiple offices. Our core work includes effective client-centered advocacy and robust outreach to and partnerships with our client communities.

CLA seeks a staff attorney to work in its Elder Law Unit. The staff attorney will be based in CLA’s Worcester office and will assist individuals who are at least 60 years old with legal matters that affect their health, safety, and well-being, including eviction defense and other homelessness prevention, access to Medicare and other benefits, and safety from abuse and exploitation. The attorney will also assist clients seeking to obtain or maintain SSDI, SSI, and SSP benefits. The attorney will have significant client contact and will assume an active caseload while continuing to accept new cases. The attorney will engage in community outreach and education and will work closely with community partners including elder service agencies. Some grant-writing and grant-reporting required.

QUALIFICATIONS: Law students currently in their third year of law school, recent law school graduates, and more experienced attorneys are eligible to apply. Candidates should have sensitivity to the unique challenges facing elders. Prior elder law experience, particularly with low-income clients, strongly preferred. Fluency in a second language, especially Spanish, preferred. Prior experience with administrative agency advocacy and hearings is helpful. Access to reliable transportation and willingness to conduct elder home visits on occasion is required.

COMPENSATION: The starting salary for this position is $71,500, which is based on a union scale and adjusted upward depending on experience. CLA offers a very generous benefits package that includes 401(k) with employer-paid contribution; low-cost health insurance (medical, dental, and vision) for employees and their dependents; malpractice insurance; paid leave (4 weeks vacation, 3 personal days, 12 sick days, and 13 holidays); and relocation stipend.

APPLICATION PROCESS: Please apply online. Alternatively, you can submit your cover letter and resume to: Alicia Vaughan, HR Director, Community Legal Aid, 370 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01608, or email avaughan@cla-ma.org.

CLA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and strives to ensure that our staff members reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. CLA encourages applicants from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.

Education Staff Attorney – CLA

Community Legal Aid (CLA) is the non-profit legal services program providing free civil legal assistance to low-income and elderly residents of central and western Mass. CLA has over 150 dedicated, talented staff working across multiple offices. Our core work includes effective client-centered advocacy and robust outreach to and partnerships with our client communities.

CLA seeks a staff attorney to work in its education law unit on behalf of children in the education and disability arenas. The attorney will be based in CLA’s Worcester office and will assist at-risk students with cases involving Individualized Education Programs, school discipline (including suspensions and expulsions), language access, and other issues specifically affecting low-income students. The attorney will also assist children with disabilities seeking to obtain or maintain SSI benefits from the Social Security Administration, with a focus on cases at the reconsideration and appeal levels. The attorney will conduct community outreach and education and assist in the preparation of periodic grant reports.

QUALIFICATIONS: Law students currently in their third year of law school, recent law school graduates, and more experienced attorneys are eligible to apply. Fluency in Spanish preferred, as is experience in education law or child-related SSI law. Excellent oral and written communication skills, a demonstrated dedication to social justice, and commitment to working with low-income communities are important.

COMPENSATION: The starting salary for this position is $71,500, which is based on a union scale and adjusted upward depending on experience. CLA offers a very generous benefits package that includes 401(k) with employer-paid contribution; low-cost health insurance (medical, dental, and vision) for employees and their dependents; malpractice insurance; paid leave (4 weeks vacation, 3 personal days, 12 sick days, and 13 holidays); and relocation stipend.

APPLICATION PROCESS: Please apply online. Alternatively, you can submit your cover letter and resume to: Alicia Vaughan, HR Director, Community Legal Aid, 370 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01608, or email avaughan@cla-ma.org.

CLA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and strives to ensure that our staff members reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. CLA encourages applicants from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.

Disability Benefits Attorney – CLA

Community Legal Aid (CLA) is the non-profit legal services program providing free civil legal assistance to low-income and elderly residents of central and western Massachusetts. CLA has over 150 dedicated, talented staff working across multiple offices. Our core work includes effective client-centered advocacy and robust outreach to and partnerships with our client communities.

CLA seeks an attorney to work in its Disability Benefits unit. This position will be based in one of CLA’s central or western Mass. offices. The attorney will assist clients seeking to obtain or maintain SSDI, SSI, and SSP benefits. The attorney will also conduct community outreach and education and will assist in the preparation of periodic grant reports. Full-time hours preferred but part-time negotiable.

QUALIFICATIONS: Law students currently in their third year of law school, recent law school graduates, and more experienced attorneys are eligible to apply. Prior experience advocating at administrative agencies and working on Social Security issues is a plus. Fluency or advanced proficiency in Spanish is preferred. Demonstrated experience working with diverse communities, strong interpersonal skills, and an ability to work in a collaborative setting are important.

COMPENSATION: The starting salary for this position is $71,500. Starting salaries are based on a union scale and adjusted upward depending on experience. CLA offers a very generous benefits package that includes 401(k) with employer-paid contribution; low-cost health insurance (medical, dental, and vision) for employees and their dependents; paid leave (4 weeks vacation, 3 personal days, 12 sick days, and 13 holidays); and relocation stipend.

APPLICATION PROCESS: Please apply online. Alternatively, you can submit your cover letter and resume to: Alicia Vaughan, HR Director, Community Legal Aid, 370 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01608, or email avaughan@cla-ma.org. This position will be based in Worcester, Greenfield, or Springfield. Your cover letter should address if you are interested in all locations and whether you have a preference.

CLA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and strives to ensure that our staff members reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. CLA encourages applicants from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.

Housing Paralegal – GBLS

GBLS is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity / Accessible Employer and strives to ensure that our staff members reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.

Greater Boston Legal Services seeks an individual for a Paralegal position in the Housing Unit.

The position involves advising and representing individuals and families referred by the City of Boston and works closely with Office of Housing Stability (OHS) of the Mayor’s Office of Housing. The position will also involve going to Court and assisting with Attorney for the Day in Housing Court as well as participating in housing clinics with OHS. This paralegal hired for this position must maintain a good working relationship with the Office of Housing Stability and the social service agencies that are vendors with OHS. The job will involve grant reporting, entering non-confidential information into Salesforce with the City of Boston, and maintaining daily contact with OHS staff and elected officials. The position will also involve extensive use of GBLS’s client database, Legal Server. This position will work closely with the Managing Attorney of the Housing Unit as well as all the attorneys and paralegals on the Eviction Defense Team within the Housing Unit. If funding for this position changes, the position may require doing other work in the Housing Unit or within GBLS.

Qualified candidates should be able to work quickly given that requests for assistance are received on an on-going emergency basis and may require swift turn-around. Candidate must be able to work cooperatively on a team and have good attention to detail. Applicants must be able to support families in crisis. Additionally, applicants should possess strong advocacy skills that include the ability to communicate effectively and persuasively both orally and in writing. Candidate must be able to engage with attorneys and state agencies to represent families in administrative hearings and informal negotiations.

Salary is based on a union scale. The salary range starts at $47,500 with additional compensation for increased years of experience. There is an additional payment of $950 annually for a second language ability if applicable. GBLS offers a generous benefits package, retirement contribution, and generous paid time off (PTO) leave.

Candidates should submit a cover letter, resume and brief writing sample to the Human Resources team via e-mail at jobs@gbls.org. Please refer to the Job Code: HU-PARA when applying for this position. Deadline is September 30, 2023, or until position is filled.

GBLS encourages applicants from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.

Staff Attorney, Asian Outreach Center

Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS) is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity / Accessible Employer and strives to ensure that our staff members reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.

Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS) seeks an attorney with 0 to 5 years of experience to join the Asian Outreach Center and support advocacy on behalf of the low-income Asian immigrant community.

Using a community lawyering model, AOC provides bilingual and bicultural legal services and support for movement building in the immigrant Asian American community. AOC works in conjunction with community organizers to dismantle racially unjust systems, recognizing that the community and our clients are their own fiercest advocates. Our model enables us to respond to the day-to-day needs of community and inspires our broader work against systemic inequality and oppression. Our major projects include stopping deportations in the Southeast Asian community, fighting against gentrification and displacement in low-income immigrant neighborhoods, educating nail salon workers about their rights, protecting the voting rights of limited English proficient speakers, supporting undocumented Asian immigrants, and advocating for language access.

This is a generalist attorney position, with a focus on the legal needs of Asian immigrants impacted by the immigration system. Cases and advocacy may include identifying and representing clients on immigration relief options, advising and defending individual immigrant rights, and ensuring access to critical benefit programs and services for undocumented immigrants and immigrants with prior criminal convictions. The goal of this advocacy is to advance equity and increase access to rights on behalf of low-income households regardless of their immigration status.

In close collaboration with our regional and national community partners, the attorney will engage in direct legal representation, policy work, administrative advocacy, and intersectional coalition building to respond to the legal needs of low-income Asian immigrants. The attorney will also support the team in a range of legal areas based on ongoing community need as our team seeks to develop deeper relationships with community partners and vulnerable populations in the Greater Boston area. The attorney will also organize legal clinics, engage in outreach and education, and foster new relationships with impacted individuals and community groups to monitor legal needs and trends.

Qualifications: Candidates should have 0-5 years of legal experience, and admission to the Massachusetts Bar or comity is required. Prior experience in immigration and/or administrative advocacy is preferred. The ideal candidate for the position should also have experience with outreach and community lawyering principles or be willing to learn to engage with community groups. The candidate should possess a strong familiarity or foundation in the history of greater Boston’s Asian American community, or be willing to learn. Flexibility to work some weekends or evenings as needed to accommodate client community and participate in community outreach. Proficiency in Cantonese, Mandarin or Vietnamese is a plus but not required.

The Attorney will receive an annual salary based on GBLS’s union scale, which is $72,000 for an attorney with less than 1 year of experience and $78,000 for an attorney with 5 years of experience. GBLS offers a generous benefits package, retirement contribution, a student loan repayment assistance plan for eligible attorneys, and generous Paid Time Off leave. The attorney will work in the GBLS Boston office with a hybrid remote work schedule.

Candidates should submit a letter of interest, resume and brief writing sample to the Human Resources Team via email at jobs@gbls.org. Please refer to Job Code: AOC-ATT when applying for this position. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled but applicants are encouraged to submit applications by October 23, 2023.

GBLS encourages applicants from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.