Staff Attorney (Disability Benefits): Elder, Health and Disability Unit – GBLS

January 13, 2022

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 seeks a staff attorney with 1-3 years’ experience for a permanent position in the Elder, Health and Disability Unit (“EHD”).

The staff attorney’s responsibilities will include assisting adults with a full range of state and federal public health and income benefits work. The staff attorney will handle hearings on denials and terminations of SSI/SSDI. The responsibilities will involve administrative advocacy on SSI/SSDI appeals at all levels. Some legal experience in poverty law as well as knowledge of federal benefits (SSI/SSDI) including but not limited to, taking SSI/SSDI cases in front of an Administrative Law Judge, to the Appeals Council, and to Federal Court is helpful. The staff attorney may handle other duties as assigned, if needed by the unit.

Qualifications:

  • Admission or comity with the Massachusetts Bar is required
  • 1-3 years of legal experience
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Ability to perform careful, detailed work
  • Demonstrated capacity to analyze and work with complex materials
  • Ability to work effectively with diverse clients
  • Commitment to Social Justice
  • Fluency in Spanish/Haitian Creole is helpful but not required

Salary is based on a union scale, which begins at $60,000 for an attorney who has just graduated law school. Future compensation will be determined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement and we are in the middle of the union contract negotiation. GBLS offers a generous benefits package, paid time off, and a student loan repayment assistance plan for eligible attorneys. The attorney will work out of the GBLS Boston office. However, at present due to COVID-19, work is handled both remotely and in the office.

Candidates should submit cover letter, resume, and a brief writing sample to the Human Resources Team via email at jobs@gbls.org. Please refer to Job Code: EHD-ATTY when applying for this position. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled but applicants are encouraged to submit applications by January 31, 2023.

GBLS values diversity and encourages applicants from a broad range of backgrounds.