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Job Openings

HUNTINGDON

West Tennessee Legal Services, Inc. has an immediate opening for a staff attorney in our Victim Assistance and Advocacy Project. The attorney will represent victims of sexual assault, elder abuse, and financial exploitation by providing holistic civil legal assistance and legal advocacy in various forums, including divorces, Orders of Protection, assertion of victims’ rights in the criminal courts, and pursuit of benefits and resources.  Litigation experience and prior work with specialized client populations and/or ethnic or language distinct communities preferred.  Excellent verbal, written, analytical, problem solving, and computer skills are required.  The position is based in our Huntingdon office and requires travel within Carroll, Benton, Henry, Weakley, and Gibson counties.  The successful candidate must be licensed to practice law in Tennessee or taking the July bar exam.

Send cover letter explaining your interest in this position, resume, writing sample and references to:  Hiring Committee, West Tennessee Legal Services, Inc., P.O. Box 2066, Jackson, TN  38302 or email to sandy@wtls.org    Application packets will be accepted until position is filled. Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and interviews will begin by August 1, 2018.  West Tennessee Legal Services is an equal opportunity employer. Women, minorities, and handicapped persons are encouraged to apply.

DYERSBURG

West Tennessee Legal Services, Inc. has an immediate opening for a staff attorney in our Victim Assistance and Advocacy Project. The attorney will represent victims of sexual assault, elder abuse, and financial exploitation by providing holistic civil legal assistance and legal advocacy in various forums, including divorces, Orders of Protection, assertion of victims’ rights in the criminal courts, and pursuit of benefits and resources.  Litigation experience and prior work with specialized client populations and/or ethnic or language distinct communities preferred.  Excellent verbal, written, analytical, problem solving, and computer skills are required.  The position is based in our Dyersburg office and requires travel within Dyer, Lake, Obion, Crockett, and Gibson counties.  The successful candidate must be licensed to practice law in Tennessee or taking the July bar exam.

Send cover letter explaining your interest in this position, resume, writing sample and references to:  Hiring Committee, West Tennessee Legal Services, Inc., P.O. Box 2066, Jackson, TN  38302 or email to sandy@wtls.org    Application packets will be accepted until position is filled. Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early as applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and interviews will begin by August 1, 2018.  West Tennessee Legal Services is an equal opportunity employer. Women, minorities, and handicapped persons are encouraged to apply.

Elder Trust Staff Attorney (1 position available)

ABOUT ELDERTRUST:   West Tennessee Legal Services (WTLS), along with the three other major legal aid programs throughout the state and Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services have joined forces to launch an innovative, sustainable, and critically needed statewide network of attorneys and other legal professionals who will work together to meet the legal needs of Tennessee’s most vulnerable senior citizens, creating lasting local impact across all 95 Tennessee counties. This first-of-its-kind network, known as the Tennessee Senior Legal Services Consortium (Consortium), will partner with other organizations serving seniors to strengthen and expand services to reach even the most rural and underserved areas of the state. The result will be a long-term solution to a pressing and growing problem; namely, how to sustain and improve the quality of life of our seniors. The Consortium will achieve this goal by helping seniors address legal core issues such as accessing benefits and healthcare; consumer protection; obtaining and maintaining safe and secure housing; avoiding or escaping abuse and exploitation; and engaging in important estate planning activities such as creating simple wills, advance directives, and powers of attorney. The Consortium and its partners will work together to ensure that Tennessee’s senior citizens can live their lives safely, securely, and with dignity.  A critical component of the Consortium’s work will be to educate and provide access to critical legal services to low-income and vulnerable seniors, particularly in rural and underserved areas in Tennessee.

JOB DESCRIPTION:  The Elder Trust Staff Attorneys will provide high quality, comprehensive legal services in civil matters to seniors in accordance with program mission, priorities, guidelines, government regulations, LSC restrictions, grant requirements, and the Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct.   These positions will be based in WTLS’ Jackson, Tennessee office and will serve seniors in 17 West Tennessee counties.

JOB DUTIES:

  • Provide high quality, comprehensive legal services in civil matters to seniors.
  • Interview and advise clients in person and over the telephone, establishing rapport and good working relationships.
  • Research and analyze the law in applicable areas using electronic research resources as well as relevant print materials.
  • Provide a full range of legal services to clients, including advice, negotiation, representation in court, and administrative advocacy.
  • Develop specialized knowledge of legal issues of concern to older adults and act as a resource to other staff.
  • Collaborate with other staff as needed.
  • Develop a working knowledge of community needs and resources for seniors.
  • Develop and maintain good working relationships with community agencies, community groups and organizations involved with seniors.
  • Give presentations to community agencies, groups, and organizations that serve seniors.
  • Participate in outreach events for seniors, such as health fairs and community information fairs.
  • Establish contacts with courts and local and state Bar Associations
  • Participate in statewide ElderTrust Consortium projects.
  • Prepare appropriate reports as needed
  • Participate in other WTLS programmatic projects, such as strategic planning, staff training, committees, and other functions.
  • Develop a thorough knowledge of all aspects of the WTLS case management system and timely enter all information as required, including contemporaneous entry of time records.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Admitted to practice in Tennessee. 
  • Eligible for admission to all federal and appellate courts as necessary.
  • Substantive experience as required for work under grants requiring legal assistance to seniors or the capacity to develop such experience.
  • Demonstrated interest in public interest law and the problems of disadvantaged communities.

REPORTING LINES AND WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:

  • Report to Managing Attorney.
  • Work with the Senior Citizens Law Project Managing attorney and Executive Director to ensure that grant requirements are met.

SALARY:   DOE.  Excellent Benefits.

HOW TO APPLY:  Send applications via email in Word or PDF format to Sandy@wtls.org . Applicants must include a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and references (with phone numbers).  Applications will be accepted and interviews scheduled on a rolling basis until the positions are filled.  Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

WTLS provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetic information.