Atlanta Legal Aid Society seeks Home Defense Program Attorney
The Atlanta Legal Aid Society seeks a staff attorney to work in its Home Defense Program (HDP), a specialty unit within Atlanta Legal Aid Society which focuses on predatory mortgage lending and servicing cases, foreclosure defense, and home purchase and sale scams. The Home Defense Program is housed within Legal Aid’s Decatur office, and is currently comprised of four full-time attorneys, one part-time attorney, two housing counselors/paralegals, and a paralegal.
The selected attorney will engage in a range of activities to assist low-income individuals and families to prevent the loss of the home through foreclosure, predatory lending, or home sale scams. The attorney will screen, investigate, evaluate, refer, and directly represent low-income persons in danger of losing their homes. He or she will use a variety of advocacy methods, including advice and referral, brief service, negotiation, mediation, litigation, community education, and work with the media. Attorneys are encouraged to participate in local bar and social service associations involved in home protection.
Qualifications
Excellent legal writing, analysis, advocacy, and work ethic are required. Communication and listening skills, ability to work in a team and alone, adaptability to changing work pressures, and appreciation of diverse staff and clientele are required. Candidates must be licensed in Georgia or be eligible to sit for the next bar exam. Legal experience after law school graduation is preferred. Demonstrated commitment to public service, clinical experience, familiarity with consumer protection statutes, and previous work with low-income persons are strongly preferred. Knowledge of Spanish or an Asian language is also valued.
Terms
The salary for a licensed attorney is $55,000+ depending on years of experience. The program provides generous fringe benefits, including paid holidays, paid time off including 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 (after a $65 deductible and set off of other loan reimbursement amounts); CLE expenses; and Georgia Bar dues.
To apply
A complete application packet must include a letter of interest, résumé, transcript, a recent writing sample that demonstrates your ability to perform legal research and analyze a fact pattern, and the names, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of three professional references. Please e-mail your application as one PDF document using our online application system at the following link:
https://jobs.atlantalegalaid.org/careers/index.php?m=careers&p=showJob&ID=76
Then select “current open positions” link near the top left of the page to find the job you’d like to apply for. For technical difficulties with your application, please email career@atlantalegalaid.org.
Your application will be acknowledged. No phone calls please.
Out of concern for the health and safety of our staff, clients and their families, the Atlanta Legal Aid Society requires that all new hires be vaccinated for COVID 19.
ALAS considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or any other legally protected status.