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Fellowships

Legal Services Vermont Equal Justice Works Fellowship

Applications due August 14, 2024.

Job Description

Legal Services Vermont (LSV) seeks rising third-year law students who are interested in applying to serve as an Equal Justice Works Fellow. Fellowships begin in Fall 2025 and are expected to last two years. This position is subject to funding from Equal Justice Works. Learn more about the Equal Justice Works Fellowship program.

LSV envisions a potential Equal Justice Works fellow taking on job duties as a Staff Attorney. In particular, the Fellow would specialize in expanding access to justice for low-income Vermonters in new ways depending on the Fellow’s interests. Potential project areas include, but are not limited to, expanding services to victims of crime, expanding eviction defense to provide more full legal services, broadening volunteer opportunities for the private bar, disaster relief, and/or expanding consumer protection work.

Applicants should describe a proposed project they would like to work on in their cover letter, limited to two pages. The project proposal can be broad at this stage. Applicants should identify a specific problem they would like to address, the relevant area of law, population they’d like to serve, and potential legal work they would like to accomplish. Applicants should describe specific expertise they may have to address these issues. Last, applicants may identify specific community organizations, government agencies, or other entities they believe would be helpful to partner with.

Job Summary

Legal Services Vermont Staff Attorneys are responsible for providing legal advice and representation to qualified clients in a range of civil legal matters for cases within LSV priorities. All LSV Staff Attorneys also assist with staffing the LSV hotline, providing intake screening and quick advice to clients who call into the hotline or submit web inquiries.

Depending on funding, a Staff Attorney may have specific responsibilities for a defined legal issue area within the parameters of a specific grant, and may be required to develop expertise in the legal field covered by the grant.

This position is based in Burlington, Vermont, but is eligible for a hybrid in-office / remote workweek.

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Provide case representation to qualified clients in legal matters within LSV case priorities
  • Provide initial case assessment, intake, quick advice and referrals to clients during hotline shifts as assigned
  • For positions identified with specific legal fields, develop and maintain expertise in the designated coverage field, and provide support and consultation to other staff attorneys in that field
  • Accept cases as assigned and maintain a caseload consistent with case coverage needs
  • Manage cases in an efficient and timely manner, including initial client contact, response to client and other party communication, and effective movement toward case resolution
  • Organize and manage electronic and paper case files to ensure effective and efficient case handling
  • Perform legal research and writing of pleadings, memoranda, discovery, motions, and other legal writing as needed
  • Appear in court and administrative hearings as needed in support of cases
  • Evaluate strengths and weaknesses of cases and manage case load consistent with case merits
  • Provide appropriate levels of representation, from quick advice and limited service through full representation, consistent with case needs and resource limitations
  • Communicate effectively, efficiently and respectfully with clients, colleagues, and the general public
  • Fulfill casework, advocacy, and other special projects identified as grant deliverables as assigned
  • Provide consultation, case assistance, coverage and back-up for other LSV staff attorneys and paralegals
  • Comply with the Vermont Rules of Professional Conduct and LSV Personnel Policies
  • Work cooperatively with staff at Vermont Legal Aid and other partner agencies to coordinate case representation and advocacy work
  • Attend staff meetings and other program meetings
  • Attend trainings to meet state CLE requirements and develop advocacy skills
  • Maintain knowledge and skills needed to provide effective representation
  • Participate in community outreach and training events

Qualifications and Competencies

  • J.D. from an accredited law school anticipated by May 2025.  
  • Strong commitment to work with low-income and disadvantaged clients
  • Strong knowledge of civil legal issues in areas impacting low-income clients
  • Strong legal writing and oral communication skills
  • Strong organizational skills and ability to handle a high-volume case load
  • Ability to work cooperatively with colleagues
  • Ability to work independently
  • Effective technology skills including word processing, use of case management software, and other supporting technologies
  • Ability to travel to client meetings and hearings as needed
  • Ability to work sufficient hours over the minimum to meet case representation needs

Supervisor

Staff Attorneys are supervised by, and report to, the Executive Director. Staff Attorneys receive secondary direction from the Deputy Director in matters related to hotline duties.

Salary and Benefits

In general, Staff Attorney is a full-time position, and works a minimum 37.5 hours per week. The position of Staff Attorney is exempt, and not subject to overtime pay. A Staff Attorney receives compensation on the Attorney scale, and receives benefits as outlined in the current LSV Personnel Manual. With approval from the Executive Director, a Staff Attorney position may be part-time, but no less than 50% time.

Application & Selection Process

Interested students should email a cover letter (no more than two pages, described above) that describes a particular project and population they’d like to serve, resume, unofficial law school transcript, and at least 2 references to Sara Zeno (szeno@legalservicesvt.org) on or before Wednesday, August 14, 2024, at 5 p.m. with the subject line EJW Fellowship Application.

LSV will select among the applications to interview students shortly after the August 14 deadline. Once LSV selects a student, that student and LSV will work together to submit an application to Equal Justice Works on or before Tuesday, September 10, 2024. If Equal Justice Works does not choose to fund the position, LSV will not be able to otherwise fund the position.