Senior Attorney – Legal Outreach, Information, and Assistance (LOIA) Project, Policy Team

The mission of the ALSO Legal Outreach, Information, and Assistance (LOIA) Project is: We work on behalf of and in partnership with clients to offer options, legal assistance, and representation in furtherance of client goals. We are committed to relentlessly seeking justice, and race and gender equity. The Senior Attorney will manage legal services to survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking and provide legal assistance and representation.

Supported by a Legal Assistance for Victims - Expanding Legal Services Initiative grant from the Office on Violence Against Women, the Senior Attorney will work within the LOIA Project to provide legal assistance and representation for the communities that ALSO serves. As part of a larger organization-wide team, the Senior Attorney collaborates with members of the Safe Streets, Safe Homes, Policy, People & Culture, Fiscal, and Administrative teams to meet ALSO’s vision, mission, and organizational goals and objectives. Some in-state and out-of-state travel may be required.

Position Responsibilities:

• Collaborate within the Policy team and with Resilience, Outreach, and other teams to develop and implement a new legal project funded by the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), U.S. Department of Justice.
• Participate in training and technical assistance activities including approved training for OVW Legal Assistance for Victims grantees.
• Work with ALSO’s Resilience team and the DV Lived Experience Advisory Group (DV LEAG) by soliciting and incorporating input into project design, development, and implementation.
• Provide legal assistance and representation including brief advice, limited representation, and full representation using trauma-informed and trauma-sensitive methods within a survivor-centered approach.
• Work with Policy staff, presenters, and local/national partners to develop, coordinate, and execute programming and resources available to survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual violence, and other forms of GBV.
• Collaborate with other ALSO projects and staff to ensure that the Project is accessible, welcoming, and appropriate for the communities served.
• Contribute to the Policy team’s understanding of community and individual needs, as well as promising responses.
• Perform other duties, as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Licensed to practice law in the state of Illinois.
• 5 years of experience providing client representation, with at least 2 years representing survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and/or stalking.
• Demonstrated understanding of legal issues and available remedies to survivors of these victimization areas, including specialized training.
• Willingness to learn and quickly apply new content, approaches, systems, and processes.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• The individual in this position should possess the following:
• Understanding of VAWA confidentiality compliance and client communications.
• Bilingual Spanish-English candidates are highly preferred.
• Experience working within and with underserved communities.
• Experience with project development, setup, coordination, and early implementation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Knowledge of gender-based violence issues, advocacy principles, and legal and policy issues.
• Strong familiarity with the communities within ALSO’s service areas.
• Experience working in a government agency or a nonprofit organization.
• Experience with social justice, violence prevention or intervention, or anti-oppression projects. Demonstrated understanding of Under/Unserved communities and their related specific needs.
• Genuine affinity for working directly with survivors of domestic and dating violence.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Skills and experience in providing thoughtful and expedient responses to internal and external requests for information and assistance.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully juggle multiple competing projects and deadlines.
• Initiative, creativity, and flexibility.
• Comfort with working in groups and independently, as well as diverse staff, consultants, partners, and community members.
• Excellent listening and critical thinking skills.

ALSO Information:

Incorporated in 1998, the Alliance of Local Service Organizations (ALSO) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Chicago, Illinois. We recognize that violence in homes and streets can be connected, and we work to end both. ALSO’s mission is to work in partnership with people livingb in risk of violence to promote safer streets and homes. ALSO’s vision is: Safe Homes, Safe Streets.

Through needs-based tailored training, consultation and resource-sharing, ALSO’s Policy and Safe Homes teams work with governmental and nongovernmental agencies located throughout the 56 U.S. States and Territories to build their capacity to improve systemic and community-based responses to address domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and dating violence.

ALSO is the comprehensive technical assistance provider for the STOP Formula Grant Program, a federal grant program authorized in the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act (VAWA) of 2013, and administered by the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women for the purpose of supporting the development and implementation of outreach strategies targeted at victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking in underserved populations - and to provide victim services to meet the needs of those victims.

We work to reduce both community violence and domestic violence, and the ways in which they intersect. We emphasize partnerships and professional understandings with community members, elected officials, social service providers, local law enforcement, and restorative justice practitioners citywide to reduce community levels of community violence and domestic violence (intimate partner and familial). We help create a safer, healthier environment for young adults, youth, and their families. These general approaches will be addressed using four major methods:

• Community-based Street Outreach, Community-based Case Management and
• Re-entry services, Victim Support Services, and the Metropolitan Peace Academy Training.

Our Culture:

Everyone who is part of the ALSO culture — from our staff to our partners to the individuals and communities which we serve — operates on the basis of a uniquely lived experience and that people are the experts in their own lives. Our collaborative alliances celebrate these differences, utilizing each unique background and expertise to create a cross-programmatic knowledge base with deep layers of meaning.

Inclusivity at the Core:

We understand that vulnerability to violence takes many forms. Therefore, we are committed to providing services with accessibility for culturally-, linguistically-specific groups, and to providing services to those most at risk of violence.

Application Process:

Interested candidates should send an email to spojawa@ALSO-Chicago.org with the following attachments: a current resume and a cover letter that discusses the candidate’s interest in the position and why they believe they are a good fit. The email should contain the subject line “LOIA Senior Attorney Application.”

Decisions and criteria governing the employment relationship with all employees of the Alliance of Local Service Organizations are made in a non-discriminatory manner, without regard to race, ethnicity, creed, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, citizenship status, military service, marital status, order of protection status, handicap, disability including HIV/AIDS status, or any other factor determined to be unlawful by federal, state, or local statutes.

• Medical and Dental Insurance for you and your dependent(s)
• 100% of monthly (BCBS) HMO medical and (Guardian) HMO dental for staff employer covered and 80% for dependents along with the cost of HMO if staff want to enroll in BCBS PPO medical and dental - same with dependents employer covered
• Life Insurance Group Standard 100% employer covered
• Life Insurance Personal to purchase
• 124 hours of paid holiday time
• Vacation and Sick time available, when accrued and 3 Personal days immediately available upon hire date
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) which includes limited free counseling benefit for you and dependent(s)
• Health Club membership discount for participating providers
• 401k & FSA (Flexible spending account) available for self-enrollment after 3 months of employment with a 2% match
• Professional development opportunities
• Access to Wellness Ambassadors and The Thrive Project - all part of ALSO’s community of care and a way to live out our agency values of Remaining Responsive, Meeting People Where They Are, Building Trust and Positive Relationships, Learning as a Continuous Process and Inclusivity at the Core