The Legal Aid Society of Hawaiʻi is Hawaiʻi’s oldest and largest non-profit public interest law firm with offices statewide. Through its dedicated staff, Legal Aid helps ensure justice and fairness for all by providing civil legal aid to the most vulnerable in our society.
Equal Justice Works is the nation’s largest facilitator of opportunities in public interest law. Equal Justice Works facilitate Fellowships at legal services organizations to help fulfill our nation’s promise of equal justice for all.
Position Description
Legal Aid Society of Hawaiʻi is hosting one Staff Attorney/Equal Justice Works fellow in its Hawaii Immigrant Justice Center for a two-year position to provide direct legal services, education, outreach and coordination for Maui’s immigrant and migrant communities, which has been disproportionately impacted by the 2023 Maui wildfires.
Responsibilities for this position includes
Providing direct civil legal services for the Maui immigrant community including but not limited to immigration, landlord/tenant, public benefits and disaster relief services;
Coordinating, planning, and/or assisting at on-the-ground or virtual clinics and outreach events;
Outreaching and coordinating with other organizations serving migrant and immigrant communities to connect those communities and survivors they serve to the services that LASH provides;
Assisting COFA migrants (individuals from Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau) with accessing public benefits recently made newly available through changes to federal legislation;
Providing or attending trainings on disaster legal services;
Working with community partners and LASH staff to increase disaster preparedness and resilience;
Supporting and collaborating with LASH’s Disaster Legal Services Project;
Developing immigrant survivor-facing resources and coordinating translation in the languages frequently spoken by immigrant survivors, and;
Other actions necessary to ensure Maui residents are assisted in developing resiliency and furthering their long-term recovery.
The position may also require occasional work in other areas of Legal Aid’s practice. The position will assist the Senior and Managing Attorneys in supervision and support of project paralegals.
Requirements
Member in good standing of the Bar of the State of Hawaii are preferred. Applications from highly qualified individuals sitting for an upcoming bar exam as well as attorneys licensed to practice in another state and eligible to practice in Hawaii under Hawaii Rules of Professional Conduct rule 1.16 will be considered.
Located on Maui preferred, but not required. Oʻahu-based candidates will also be considered.
Demonstrable commitment to social justice and experience working with houseless, disabled or and/or low-income population strongly preferred.
Desire to develop litigation or administrative agency advocacy skills required.
Able to work collaboratively and maintain good working relationships with diverse team of co-workers.
Prior disaster-related experience preferred
Culturally sensitive and able to work well with diverse, low-income populations.
Experience working with or interacting with individuals with physical and/or psychological disabilities is a plus.
Experience organizing programs and working with community partners is a plus
Organizational skills to manage a busy practice, meet deadlines, and perform multiple tasks with attention to detail.
Strong personal work ethic and ability to organize time, manage diverse activities, and meet critical deadlines with minimal supervision.
Able to work under pressure in an empathetic and professional manner.
Basic computer skills required. Familiarity with Microsoft Office program (Word, Excel, SharePoint, Teams), strongly preferred.
Fluency in a language spoken by recent immigrants, such as Spanish, Ilokano, Vietnamese, Japanese, Chuukese, Tongan, or Marshallese is desired although not a requirement.
Fellowship Benefits
Equal Justice Works Fellows are part of a network of over 2,500 current and former Fellows dedicated to improving access to equal justice for all. As a member of the network, each Fellow has access to:
Equal Justice Works’ annual Leadership Development Training, which is attended by 300 current Fellows each year. The conference will be in-person in DC in the fall of 2024 and 2025.
Responsive training and technical assistance from Equal Justice Work’s immigration TTA provider.
Regular substantive and skills-based webinars throughout the Fellowship.
Monthly networking and collaboration sessions with other Disaster Resilience Fellows.
Additional networking opportunities with all Equal Justice Works Fellows throughout the year.
Compensation:
Compensation: $58,472 to $64,297 commensurate with experience and qualifications. Our generous benefits package is designed to speak to employees’ needs and to support and enhance your lifestyle with an emphasis on quality of life and work-life balance.
Benefits include:
$150/month student loan repayment.
Two medical insurance providers offering 4 different plans to select from and free single coverage.
Dental insurance.
401K plan with employer matching.
Life Insurance for employees and dependents.
Free long-term care and long-term disability insurance.
Parental leave plan after one year of employment with 8 weeks of fully paid leave.
Free employee assistance plan - up to 6 sessions per year also available for household members.
Paid time off includes 21 days of vacation, 12 sick days, one personal day and 14 paid holidays annually (15 during Election Year).
Position is currently hybrid; remote and in-office work based on a weekly rotation schedule. Hybrid working condition is subject to change.
To apply, send resume, cover letter, and contact information for three professional references to [email protected]. The Legal Aid Society of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Employer. More information about Legal Aid can be found at www.legalaidhawaii.org
This job posting does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise. The position requirements, duties, and offered benefits are subject to change.