Legal Fellow - Equal Justice Works' Georgia Housing Corps (Atlanta)

Georgia Heirs Property Law Center seeks individuals committed to the mission of increasing generational wealth, social justice, and community stability by securing and preserving property rights of low and moderate income Georgians.

Through a partnership with Equal Justice Works’ Georgia Affordable Housing Corps, the Center is offering a 2 year fellowship to empower families and communities in metro Atlanta impacted by heirs property through the provision of technical and legal services required to fully realize and increase the economic benefits of homeownership.

The Center will pair the Legal Fellow with a Community Advocate in Atlanta to increase the scope of the Center’s services and develop outreach and training programs for property owners. The project's scope includes:

• Title Clearing Services
• Estate Planning and Heirs Property Prevention Clinics
• Programs for Property Owners, Nonprofits and Municipalities

These position requires someone who is able to build relationships with clients, partners, and community leaders from diverse backgrounds; who is detail oriented and still able to see how case management fits into larger systemic change; and who is excited about advancing the Center and its mission.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Direct Legal Services:

• Maintain an active caseload of heirs property and probate matters. Perform legal research and prepare memoranda, court pleadings, discovery, motions and briefs. Appear in state and federal courts for motions, trials, hearings, conferences and appeals.
• Conduct intake calls with potential clients, follow up for requested information, summarize facts of case, and present case to staff for consideration.
• Lead family meetings to discuss heirs property issues and facilitate agreements regarding property goals. Negotiate resolutions with opposing parties, attorneys and guardian ad litems.
• Prepare estate plans, including wills, advanced directives for healthcare and financial powers of attorney.
• Coordinate with Community Advocate assisting clients with family trees, family meetings, and other support and administrative assistance.
• Organize and maintain files and records of a confidential, complex, or otherwise sensitive nature.
• Maintain client files and information in case management database. Develop and implement organizational and case systems to achieve effective workloads and case flow.
• Keep the Legal Programs Director fully informed on client cases and all important external factors influencing them. Establish sound working relationships with Community Advocate and Center staff.

Communications, Outreach and Education:

• Coordinate outreach, education and technical assistance and develop educational materials for property owners, nonprofits and municipalities about heirs property issues.
• Coordinate Heirs Property Prevention and Wills Clinics, including pro bono volunteers, with support of Community Advocate and other Center staff.
• Collaborate with project partners and staff to develop outreach and education programming and materials. Establish sound working relationships and cooperative arrangements with community organizations.