Staff Attorney, Civil Legal Unit

The Connecticut Veterans Legal Center (CVLC) is seeking a Staff Attorney to join its Civil Legal Unit (CLU). The Staff Attorney position requires an attorney who wants to practice law on behalf of disabled Veterans throughout Connecticut. You would be representing Veterans from referring partners located in the central, southern, and western part of the state. This position requires a desire to work in various areas of law and ideal for a newer attorney willing to have a diversity of legal experience. The areas of practice include, but are not limited to, housing, Veterans benefits, child support, public benefits, and consumer law/credit defense.

About CVLC:

We are a dynamic group of client-centered advocates. The results we get for our Veterans are some of the best in legal aid, and we all play a part in making that happen. We are collegial and collaborative; we all pitch in as needed. Our teamwork is a hallmark of our organization. CVLC is the first legal aid program in the country to form a medical-legal partnership with the VA. This partnership integrates legal help into VA mental health, housing and addiction services. Our work occurs where Veterans law intersects with economic and racial justice, human rights, and mental health.

Primary Roles & Responsibilities:

• Responsible for representing clients in a variety of legal matters, both on paper and in person (court and administrative) hearings.
• Partnering with VA clinicians and physicians and community partners to provide full representation to your clients.
• Attending and participating in VA program meetings and other meetings and trainings that strengthen CVLC’s MLP.

Other Responsibilities

• Join CVLC’s Civil Legal Unit (CLU), participating in intake discussions and legal strategy meetings.
• Be an active participant in a team that seeks to change national and local polices that affect Veterans.
• Work with VA and Community partners to strengthen CVLC’s Medical Legal Partnership.

Qualifications for the Role:

• You have a passion for justice: The Staff Attorney will have a passion for social justice issues and an enthusiasm for helping people in need.
• You like people: The Staff Attorney will have to be comfortable having regular interactions over the phone and in-person with low-income and disabled clients and helping them navigate a variety of systems.
• You are a newer lawyer: You are fairly new in your legal career and want to make an impact in Veterans’ lives practicing poverty law.
• You want to learn: The Staff Attorney’s success will be based on their being willing to learn and practice in multiple areas of the law.
• You are flexible and comfortable with technology: The Staff Attorney needs to be comfortable working in various locations and with different computer systems. The CVLC is paperless office, even prior to the pandemic, and needs an attorney that has the skill set to function independently in that environment.
• You enjoy working on a team: The Staff Attorney will need to work well with the Civil Legal Unit but also with the variety of clinicians that we partner with to help serve our clients. You will be one part of the medical-legal team helping find and create solutions for your clients.
• You are admitted to or in the process of being admitted to practice law in Connecticut: The Staff Attorney will need to appear in state court as part of representing CVLC’s clients.