Jobs at Legal Aid Society of San Diego (Now Hiring) — 4 open

Description

Position Summary

Under the supervision of the Managing Attorney, Supervising Attorney, and Assistant Program Manager, represent clients applying for Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Insurance benefits.

About the Organization

Legal Aid Society of San Diego (LASSD), the largest poverty law firm serving San Diego County since 1953, strengthens our communities by redressing our clients’ legal problems, empowering our clients to access and effectively participate within the legal, governmental, and social systems and encouraging self-empowerment in the fight against poverty and injustice. LASSD continues to be a proud, committed, and compassionate group of people dedicated to providing equal access to justice for San Diegans through aggressive, quality legal services. #justicebeginshere

Essential Functions:

•  Conducts intake and follow-up interviews of applicants and clients in the office, on the phone, and at outreach locations out of the office.
•  Prepares forms and gathers documentation for submission to the Social Security Administration.
•  Requests, evaluates, and submits medical evidence.
•  Conducts basic and routine factual investigation and legal research.
•  Prepare memorandums, letters, and standard legal documents.
•  Regularly updates clients on case statuses.
•  Develops and maintains good working relationships with a variety of healthcare providers and government and social service agencies.
•  Assists with community outreach and education.
•  Additional duties consistent with abilities and need for services.
•  Compliance with all program and grant requirements, team policies, and organization-wide policies.
•  Other duties as assigned by the Managing Attorney and/or Executive Management.

Requirements

Qualifications:

•  Bachelor’s degree, Associate’s degree, or demonstrated equivalent experience which shows strong writing, verbal, reading, analytical, and research skills.
•  Ability to gather and complete information from clients in a telephonic interview or in-person interview, using trauma-informed techniques.
•  Ability to respond to clients in a calm, empathetic, and professional manner while courteously directing the conversation to the pertinent issues.
•  Ability to work independently, support team efforts, strategize, and plan so as to timely and consistently meet grant deliverables and reporting requirements.
•  Must have reliable transportation.
•  Strong oral and written communication skills.
•  Strong organizational skills to handle high-volume caseload.

Desired Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

•  Fluency in written and spoken Spanish preferred
• Experience as an advocate or paralegal, including intake, interviews, and research related to legal issues or experience in a related field.
• Experience in client customer service including intake, interviews, and research related to legal issues, orexperience in the field and understanding of related systems, laws, and regulations.
• Demonstrated commitment to serving low-income people.
• Ability to work successfully with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Experience in client customer service including intake, interviews, and research related to legal issues, orexperience in the field and understanding of related systems, laws, and regulations.
• Demonstrated commitment to serving low-income people.
• Ability to work successfully with people from diverse backgrounds.

Pay and Benefits:

The SSI Advocate position is an hourly position with a pay range of $25.28 – $35.17. The starting pay rate is $29.68. In addition, there is a bilingual pay increase of 2% for passing an oral test and 2% for passing a written test for threshold languages other than English.

LASSD offers a generous benefits package, a 35-hour workweek, paid vacation leave and sick leave and 100% employer-paid medical premium, 50% employer-paid premium for dependents under LASSD health plan, as well as dental, vision, and life benefits. Staff also have the option to participate in a 403(b)-retirement plan and dependent and health flex savings accounts (FSA). LASSD has its own law school loan repayment program and is an eligible nonprofit employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.

LASSD is an equal opportunity employer, we hire without regard to race, color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, marital status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, reproductive health decision making, age (40 years and over), sexual orientation, veteran and/or military status, domestic violence victim status, political affiliation, and any other status protected by state or federal law.

Hybrid Work Environment:

Legal Aid Society of San Diego (“LASSD”) has adopted a hybrid work environment in which most staff are required to work in the office part of the week and permitted to work remotely for the remainder of the week, provided their job duties allow. All employees are issued LASSD computers and provided with appropriate supplies to perform their work. LASSD has implemented and continues to explore additional technologies to make our hybrid working environment as efficient and connected as possible. All employees must be available to travel to LASSD offices and service locations throughout San Diego County as needed and in compliance with public health advisories. Applicants must reside in or near San Diego County or plan to relocate in or near the County prior to their start date and must be able to commute to the physical Legal Aid Society of San Diego office locations or service delivery locations within San Diego County. LASSD’s normal business hours are 9am-5pm, but we are open to providing flexible work schedules to the extent feasible for the position. LASSD reserves the right to change these policies at any time.