Staff Attorney - Farmworkers

Description

Georgia Legal Services Program (GLSP), a statewide nonprofit law firm, seeks a Staff Attorney to work in the Farmworkers Rights Division.

About Georgia Legal Services Program

Georgia Legal Services Program (GLSP) is a statewide, nonprofit public interest law firm in Georgia that offers free civil legal services to low-income individuals, fostering equal access to justice and opportunities out of poverty. GLSP is founded on the belief that everyone deserves high-quality legal services regardless of income, age, race, or other demographic factors.

GLSP runs 10 regional offices that serve Georgians with low incomes living outside metro Atlanta in 154 of the state’s 159 counties. GLSP employs approximately 182 full-time staff members. We provide free legal aid across a wide range of civil issues, including family law, housing, access to public benefits, eviction prevention, farmworkers' rights, and educational access.

The Farmworker Rights Division provides free legal representation to Georgia's farmworkers with employment-related issues. Typical cases involve employers failing to pay workers’ wages; discriminating on the basis of sex, race, or national origin; subjecting workers to human trafficking conditions; and breaking recruitment contracts. Clients include primarily guest workers from Mexico and Central America, in addition to U.S. migrant farmworkers. 

In Fall 2021, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Georgia, indicted 24 defendants on federal conspiracy charges, related to the forced labor of hundreds H-2A workers in Georgia and Florida. See Blue Onion [SC1] The operation, which was referred to by the U.S. Attorney’s Office as the biggest labor trafficking sting operation in U.S. history, exposed to the public what our office already knew: the exploitation and abuse of guest farmworkers in Georgia is widespread. Since Blue Onion, our work has received favorable attention from media, policy makers, and the general public. Join us in this important and exciting work!

This is a remote position within the state of Georgia.

Benefits

· If hired before admission to the Georgia Bar, the position will start as Legal Assistant with an annualized salary of $60,000 year.

· Once admitted to the Georgia Bar, the salary scale ranges from $60,000 - $78,725 depending on experience.

· Probationary period: 6 months

· Medical, dental, and vision coverage

· Option to enroll in a Flexible Spending Account

· Employer-paid life insurance and disability plan

· 15 accrued vacation days, including 2 personal days. Vacation days increase to 20 days after 3 years of employment

· 15 accrued sick days

· 13 paid holidays, including your birthday holiday 

· 3 Summer Days

· Minimum 7 hours per workday/35 hours per week. All attorneys are expected to work the hours necessary to fulfill the responsibilities and requirements of their position.

· 403(b) retirement plan with GLSP 4% match up to $5,000

· Up to 10 weeks paid parental leave

· Organizational Wellness activities

· Professional development opportunities

· Additional supplement for employees who pass GLSP’s Spanish proficiency test and use Spanish in their GLSP position 

Requirements

Qualifications:

· Graduate of an accredited law school and current member of the Georgia Bar. 

· The ideal candidate must demonstrate strong people skills and the ability to effectively manage the needs of both clients and staff. 

· Demonstrated commitment to social, economic, and racial justice, especially in the areas of worker and/or immigrant rights.

· Excellent communication skills with the ability to effectively communicate with different audiences through public speaking, writing, partnership development, and community education events. 

· Strong organizational skills and ability to perform tasks necessary to maintain a substantial active caseload of advocacy and litigation.

· Ability to analyze, write, and present ideas and legal concepts clearly and concisely.

· Willingness and demonstrated ability to work as part of a team professionally and collaboratively.

Additional qualifications:

· Excellent writing and oral advocacy skills. 

· Experience serving a diverse client population and staff is desired. 

· Valid driver’s license and operable vehicle.

· Computer literacy, which includes familiarity with using email, Excel, Word, SharePoint, LegalServer, and other computer programs.

· Strong language skills (oral and written) in Spanish, including good oral presentation skills. Candidates selected for an interview should expect a portion of the interview to be conducted in Spanish.

Job Requirements:

· Juris Doctorate Degree and licensed to practice law in Georgia, or willing and able to obtain a certification of fitness to practice law and become licensed in Georgia the next time the bar exam is offered.

· Demonstrated commitment to social, economic, and racial justice, especially in the areas of worker and/or immigrant rights. 

· Strong legal research, writing, and oral advocacy skills.

· Strong language skills (oral and written) in Spanish, including good oral presentation skills. Candidates selected for an interview should expect a portion of the interview to be conducted in Spanish.

· Possess and maintain a valid driver’s license during employment.