Community Engagement Unit Supervising Attorney – Norristown (Montgomery County), PA

Job announcement (posted Oct. 1, 2025)

SUMMARY

Legal Aid of Southeastern PA (“LASP”) seeks an attorney to supervise legal services and community outreach in its Community Engagement Unit (“CEU”). LASP provides free civil legal services to eligible clients in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties. The CEU focuses on outreach and collaboration with a broad and expanding network of community partners. The attorney will supervise the planning and organizing of outreach events and clinics; recruit, train, and oversee the work of volunteer attorneys and law students; and represent clients in a host of legal matters, with a particular emphasis on addressing the collateral consequences of having a criminal record and providing second chances for clients who had previous interaction with the criminal justice system. It is anticipated that a special focus will be given to the Spanish-speaking population in LASP’s service area. LASP’s Disability Assistance Project, which includes one attorney and one paralegal focusing on Social Security issues, is also supervised by the CEU Supervising Attorney.

In 2024, Pennsylvania expanded one of the most progressive Clean Slate laws in the nation. This position will inform communities about the law, help individuals understand whether their records will be automatically sealed, and assist in filing petitions when necessary. Cases handled will include expungements, pardons, limited access petitions, professional licensure appeals, criminal records error corrections, civil forfeitures and waiver of court debt. The attorney may also focus on reentry issues for those recently released or about to be released from incarceration. The position is a full-time regional position, based in Norristown, and will have responsibility throughout the 4-county area served by LASP. Staff currently work on a hybrid basis. The successful candidate will be expected to perform in-office work as well as be able to work remotely as needed.

MANAGERIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

  1. Supervising legal services provision to low-income clients and client groups, including the rendering of advice, brief service, negotiation, litigation, and administrative and appellate advocacy;

  2. Through training, supervision, and feedback, ensuring that staff have accurate and timely information about the legal issues within the office’s scope of responsibility;

  3. Evaluating staff and developing annual individual work plans which focus on reviews of substantive work, assessments of caseloads, productivity, community involvement, and identification of training needs;

  4. Conducting regular case review meetings to assign cases consistent with LASP priorities, sharing updates on status of cases, addressing concerns from staff, and sharing information on program-wide issues;

  5. Maximizing the use of LASP’s limited resources to the fullest extent in service to clients;

  6. Attending LASP management meetings and providing updates on casework, events, activities and accomplishments;

  7. Working with LASP’s Grants and Compliance team to ensure services are provided in compliance with Legal Services Corporation (“LSC”), Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network (“PLAN”) and Interest on Lawyers Trust Account (“IOLTA”) requirements as well as requirements of other grants and contracts which fund the work of the CEU;

  8. Coordinating local community education events with LASP management colleagues and supervising the preparation of materials for these events;

  9. Fostering a cohesive, coordinated and robust program-wide advocacy effort by consulting with program advocates outside of the CEU on cases and issues in areas not within the manager’s expertise, through participation in LASP program-wide affinity groups and task forces, and by providing opportunities for advocates to participate in those program-wide activities;

  10. Acting as LASP liaison with the local community, including with County Bar Associations and Judiciary and working with LASP management and stakeholders to set priorities and assess client needs;

  11. Assisting LASP’s Pro Bono Director and Pro Bono Coordinator in efforts to recruit and enhance pro bono representation of clients;

  12. Addressing client grievances pursuant to LASP policies;

  13. Supporting LASP’s Executive team to recruit, hire, train, evaluate and retain qualified staff and work with LASP’s Human Resources Manager to ensure that new CEU staff receive appropriate orientation and comply with LASP personnel policies and procedures;

  14. Working with LASP’s Finance and Human Resources staff to ensure compliance with LASP’s fiscal and personnel policies and procedures, and with LASP’s IT staff to provide all staff technology needs and suggest innovations to enhance the delivery of services;

  15. Assisting the Development Director and other senior management staff in seeking and applying for grants and contracts to support LASP’s work.

CASEHANDLING AND DIRECT SERVICES DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

  1. Interviewing clients, assisting in determining eligibility for services, and ascertaining and investigating facts;

  2. Conducting legal research and interpreting statutes, case law, regulations, and other sources of law;

  3. Providing advice and counsel to clients;

  4. Preparing legal documents, including but not limited to: briefs, pleadings, motions, notices, correspondence, memoranda, discovery, and documents responsive to discovery requests;

  5. Developing strategy and arguments for presentation of cases and assisting in preparation of witnesses for hearings and trials;

  6. Representing clients in trial and appellate courts, and before quasi-judicial or administrative agencies;

  7. Reviewing decisions and consulting with management team to determine the merit of potential appeals;

  8. Participating in external professional and community organizations relevant to casework;

  9. Conducting clinics, community education, and workshops;

  10. Becoming engaged in LASP team efforts to achieve office and program goals, including participation in program-wide affinity groups and task forces;

  11. Developing knowledge of community referral resources and assessing community and client needs;

  12. Enhancing skills and substantive knowledge through training, CLE, and other educational opportunities;

  13. Abiding by all applicable professional standards of ethics and practice;

  14. Completing required administrative tasks including entering of notes and timekeeping in LASP case management software, and maintaining physical files;

  15. Ensuring that requirements of grants and contracts which may provide funding for the position are met, and assisting with grant reports;

  16. Performing other duties and responsibilities as may be assigned.

SUPERVISING

3-4 staff attorneys, 1 paralegal and other staff and volunteers in Norristown.

SUPERVISOR

Chief Counsel.

QUALIFICATIONS

License to practice law in Pennsylvania or admitted in another jurisdiction and eligible for admission to Pennsylvania. Three years’ minimum experience practicing law, preferably in a non-profit legal services environment. Prior management experience in a legal setting preferred. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of record clearing statutes and case law in Pennsylvania as well as practice experience in the Courts of Common Pleas in the counties in LASP’s service area.  Experience with name change practice, criminal court debt pardons and other areas of civil legal aid practice is preferred. Demonstrated proficiency in word processing, Outlook products, case management software, and online legal research tools. Passionate commitment to public interest law and serving low-income individuals and vulnerable populations. Strong written and oral advocacy and organizational skills. Ability to meet deadlines and perform multiple tasks while maintaining attention to detail. The successful candidate must be willing to accept complex and challenging cases, develop creative strategies to assist clients, identify systemic legal problems, and develop and implement impactful approaches to address those problems which may include litigation. Spanish language fluency is desirable.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Depending on experience and qualifications, a minimum of $70,000. Salaries are commensurate with experience. Excellent benefits including employer-funded 401K with generous employer contributions, health insurance option in which 100% of premium costs are provided, ancillary benefits, and generous leave provisions, including paid holidays, floating holidays, personal leave, vacation, sick, and parental leave.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

LASP is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate in the recruitment, selection, or advancement of employees on the basis of race, color, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, disability, genetic information or on any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all employment practices within LASP, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. LASP makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs.

TO APPLY

Send resume and cover letter including job title (Community Engagement Unit Staff Attorney) to Elise Wilson-Coles, Human Resources Manager at Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania, to Hiring@lasp.org.  Position will remain open until filled.

For additional career opportunities based in multiple locations, please visit lasp.org/careers.

(EBRI09022025)

 
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