The Health, Education and Legal assistance Project: A Medical-Legal Partnership at Widener University Delaware Law School (HELP: MLP) is currently seeking a Staff Attorney to work alongside our public health partners in Philadelphia. This is a hybrid position in which the Staff Attorney will work remotely as well as on-site. Reporting to the Director and Managing Attorney, the Staff Attorney will be responsible for providing civil legal services to families with low incomes participating in maternal and child health programs. The Staff Attorney will work as part of an interdisciplinary team that support families by coordinating direct legal services to clients, as well as providing training and education to public health partners and engaging in systemic advocacy activities.

Interested applicants should submit their resume, cover letter, and three references through the Widener University employment portal. Please direct any questions to Shannon Mace at smace@helpmlp.org.

ABOUT HELP: MLP

HELP: MLP was established in 2009 to support families during pregnancy and early childhood,
both critical periods when health-harming legal needs seriously impact maternal and infant
health. We embed our lawyers within public health organizations, including nationally
recognized home-visiting programs like Nurse-Family Partnership and Healthy Start. Together,
we form medical-legal partnerships aimed at reducing the health inequities and racial disparities
that negatively impact many of our client families. By working side-by-side with community-based home-visiting programs to screen for social determinants of health, our team can identify emerging legal needs early and take a preventative approach to legal services, to reduce family stress and foster the stability families need to thrive.

HELP: MLP serves the southeastern Pennsylvania region through its partners, The Foundation for Delaware County and the National Nurse-Led Care Consortium. We serve more than 250 unique clients each year, resolving more than 500 legal matters. In addition to providing direct legal services, HELP: MLP attorneys work with partners to develop education materials and training and engage in systemic advocacy to improve community-wide health. For more information visit www.helpmlp.org. 

POSITION        

Full-time Staff Attorney (35 hours/week) at the HELP: MLP site based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Staff Attorney reports to the Managing Attorney and Director.

CONTEXT OF POSITION          

Reporting to the Director and Managing Attorney, this grant-funded role will be responsible for providing civil legal assistance to families with low incomes participating public health programs, including maternal and child health home visiting initiatives. The Staff Attorney will work as part of an interdisciplinary team that also provides training and education to public health partners and engages in systemic advocacy activities. There is potential for this Staff Attorney role to focus and gain expertise in a specialized practice of housing and utilities law, public benefits, or family law as the role evolves. 

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Provide direct legal services to clients, including litigation of landlord/tenant, public benefits, and other matters.
2. Develop and deliver trainings to public health and community partners.
3. Develop educational materials for public health partners and clients, including fact sheets, checklists, and handouts.
4. Manage and organize client information using forms and an electronic legal case management system.
5. Perform legal research and writing.
6. Engage in systemic advocacy efforts to advance policy goals and improve community-wide health.
7. Participate in local, state, and national coalitions and workgroups.
8. Support the development of grant applications, reports, newsletters, articles, and other written publications.
9. Local travel as needed to see clients and participate in work-related activities.
10. Become and remain well-informed regarding basic legal principles applicable to area(s) of practice, attending training conferences as needed or requested by supervising attorney(s).
11. Other duties as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

1. Admission to the Pennsylvania Bar. If not admitted in Pennsylvania, must be eligible to take the next scheduled bar examination.
2. Excellent oral and written communication skills.
3. Excellent organizational and time management skills.
4. Ability to apply modern technology to performance of legal work and tasks, including keeping updated case notes in an electronic case management database.
5. Contribute to the development of grant applications, reports, newsletters, articles, and other written publications.
6. Must be willing to travel within the Philadelphia area as needed.
7. Commitment to improving the lives of families with low incomes.
8. Willingness and ability to perform duties in an interdisciplinary setting with public health partners.
9. Flexibility, including willingness to work in any of HELP: MLP’s areas of practice as priorities may change based on clients’ needs or funding.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS    

1. At least 3 years of legal services experience in one of the following areas: public benefits, housing law, or family law.
2. Lived experience similar to clients served, including lived experience of poverty and other forms of social adversity and challenges.
3. Familiarity and/or experience of Philadelphia legal networks.
4. Familiarity with the social services and community resources available in Philadelphia and how to access them.
5. Verbal and written fluency in English and another language to help support our client population.