Health Law Unit Staff Attorney (Medical-Legal Partnership)
Atlanta Legal Aid Society (“Legal Aid”) seeks a Staff Attorney to work in its Health Law Unit located in downtown Atlanta. The unit aims to improve the health and well-being of low-income people living with or affected by life-threatening illnesses by coordinating services to address legal, social, and economic conditions threatening their health. The unit began in 1990 as the AIDS Legal Project and expanded to work with people with cancer and ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). The unit also now includes a medical-legal partnership with Grady Health System and is exploring further expanding its scope of services. The staff currently consists of a managing attorney and two staff attorneys.
Responsibilities: The Staff Attorney oversees and performs the work of the Health Law Unit’s Medical-Legal Partnership with Grady Health System. The Staff Attorney collaborates with medical providers to identify patients in need of civil legal aid and provides direct legal services to those patients. The Staff Attorney completes client intake and provides referrals, advice, brief service, or representation in a variety of civil legal matters affecting clients’ health including public benefits, health insurance, access to appropriate support services, disability rights, poor housing conditions, loss of housing, end of life planning, family law, and consumer law. The Staff Attorney also performs regular outreach and education for patients and medical providers.
Qualifications: A Georgia bar license is required. Applicants should have at least 2 years of experience practicing law. Applicants must possess excellent communication skills (including solid legal writing and oral advocacy skills) and a strong work ethic. The ability to work on a team and alone, adaptability, eagerness to learn and openness to evaluation, and an appreciation of diversity are required. A demonstrated commitment to public service, participation in law school clinics, trial advocacy courses, previous work with low-income people and/or people with serious health conditions, and knowledge of health and poverty law are preferred. Creativity, a history of innovation and proficiency in languages other than English are highly valued.
Salary and Benefits: The salary for 2 years of legal experience is $58,000. Salaries increase annually based on a salary scale. The program provides generous fringe benefits, including 13 paid holidays, 6 weeks paid time off, 6 weeks paid parental leave; health, life, and long and short-term disability insurance; partial payment for dependent health insurance; a salary reduction option for a flexible spending account; educational loan reimbursement up to $600 per month; voluntary tax-sheltered annuity with 3% match; Georgia Bar dues; and CLE expenses. Legal Aid offers a hybrid work schedule that allows staff to work 2 days remotely subject to management approval and a probationary employment period.
Application Requirements: Submit a letter of interest; resume; writing sample (advice letter, legal memorandum or brief) which demonstrates your ability to research and analyze legal issues; official law school transcript (a copy is acceptable pending your order of an official transcript); and the names, phone numbers and email addresses of three professional references (preferably individuals who have supervised or managed your work) as one (1) PDF using our online application system at atlantalegalaid.org/jobs.
For technical difficulties in submitting your application, please email career@atlantalegalaid.org.
Your application will be acknowledged. No phone calls please.
ALAS considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or any other legally protected status.