Homeless Youth Initiative & Expungement Attorney, Montgomery/Prince George's County

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Job location
Rockville, MD
United States
Organization information
Organization name: 
Homeless Persons Representation Project, Inc.
City: 
Rockville
State: 
Maryland
ZIP: 
20849
Job type: 
Legal - Civil
Position Description: 

Are you passionate about criminal justice reform and access to justice for youth experiencing housing insecurity and homelessness? Do you have an entrepreneurial approach? Do you want to join a nationally-recognized program that provides free, accessible, and affirming legal services to youth and adults through community-based legal clinics? If so, Homeless Persons Representation Project (HPRP) is seeking to hire a staff attorney to expand its Homeless Youth Initiative and expungement work to Prince George’s County.

Our Story: HPRP provides free legal services and advocacy to persons who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in Maryland. HPRP’s services are grounded in the understanding that people without stable housing often struggle to access legal services offered in a traditional manner. The hallmark of HPRP’s legal program is its ability to reach clients where they live, eat, and spend time. HPRP’s staff and volunteers pursue this mission by offering legal services through outreach in shelters, drop-in centers, health clinics, community centers, and on the street.

This position will be based in HPRP’s satellite office, located in Rockville, MD, which opened in April 2017. The satellite office operates three regular and reoccurring legal clinics in shelters and soup kitchens in Montgomery County supported by a volunteer corps of over 100 volunteer attorneys, paralegals and law students.

HPRP seeks a full-time (40 hours per week) attorney to launch its presence in Prince George’s County. Eighty percent of the attorney’s time will be dedicated to establishing a Homeless Youth Initiative (HYI) and twenty-percent will be devoted to overseeing and supervising a volunteer staffed expungement clinic for all ages. The Prince George’s County HYI will be modeled on HPRP’s nationally-recognized Baltimore City-based HYI, established in 2012, which serves youth and young adults under age 25 who are experiencing housing insecurity or homelessness by engaging in outreach, education, legal representation and policy advocacy.
More information about HPRP can be found at www.hprplaw.org.

Reports to: Executive Director

RESPONSIBILITIES
• Homeless Youth Initiative:
o Establish community-based legal clinics for homeless and unstably housed youth in Prince George’s County;
o Provide individual representation to homeless and unstably housed youth in approximately 30 cases at any one time, primarily in the areas of expungement and public benefits;
o Client outreach, including planning and participating in community-based legal clinics, conducting educational presentations, and preparing outreach materials;
o Conduct advocacy trainings for youth and engage in coalition building to support youth voice in advocating for policies to end youth homelessness;
o Support advocacy work of HYI and its coalition partners by representing HPRP at meetings and assisting with special initiatives and projects;
• Expungement:
o Oversee community-based expungement legal clinic in Prince George’s County and maintain relationship and regular schedule with clinic site;
o Utilize existing infrastructure necessary to monitor the work of the volunteer attorneys, paralegals and law students assisting with the expungement clinic and providing on-going support and supervision to volunteers as needed;
• Overall:
o Prepare informational material for HPRP social media, clients, staff, volunteers, donors, and the public;
o Assist with grant writing and reporting as needed;
o Participate in ongoing race equity work within HPRP;
o Contribute to a respectful and affirming environment for persons who are young and persons who identify as LGBTQ+;
o Ability to travel independently by utilizing either personal or public transportation to reach off-site clinic and meeting locations in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties (HPRP reimburses for travel and provides free parking at its satellite office);
o Work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving challenges and/or conflicts; and
o Demonstrate ability to remain calm and patient in a fast-paced environment.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
• Prior experience with people living in poverty or experiencing homelessness;
• Sitting for July 2019 Maryland Bar Exam or other UBE state, or admitted to practice law in Maryland or in good standing in another US State;
• 0-3 years legal experience. Law school clinic, law school internship, and post-graduate judicial clerkship can count towards experience;
• Ability to set priorities and handle multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment;
• Experience with legal research, writing and/or court appearances. Please specify legal writing experience in cover letter or resume;
• History of demonstrating initiative in leading projects or activities;
• Clear commitment to working in the public interest.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
• Excellent legal research, writing, analytical and oral skills;
• Connections to Prince George’s County;
• Experience with community outreach;
• Experience related to youth-serving public systems, such as the education, child welfare, or juvenile services systems and/or experience with the criminal justice system; and
• Fluency, written and oral, in Spanish

Salary $50,000-54,500 DOE. HPRP provides excellent benefits: vacation (20 days per year), sick leave (10 days), personal days (3 days), and holidays. Employee premiums 100% covered for medical, prescription, dental, vision. Life, Short and Long Term Disability Insurance and Retirement plan with supplemental employer contribution also provided. Some evening hours and occasional weekends required; HPRP provides for a flexible work schedule.

Apply by sending a cover letter and resume to [email protected] (please specify HYI & Expungement Attorney in the subject line). References and a writing sample will be requested if selected for an initial interview. We are looking for thoughtful, personalized cover letters that demonstrate the applicant’s qualifications, work style, and interest in being part of a team working to eliminate homelessness in Maryland. We are looking for applicants who understand how racism and oppression perpetuate barriers to housing and income. Resume reviews begin immediately and applications will be accepted until position is filled, although priority will be given to applications received by August 19, 2019.

HPRP is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons encouraged to apply regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, HIV status or religious affiliation.

Requirements: 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
• Prior experience with people living in poverty or experiencing homelessness;
• Sitting for July 2019 Maryland Bar Exam or other UBE state, or admitted to practice law in Maryland or in good standing in another US State;
• 0-3 years legal experience. Law school clinic, law school internship, and post-graduate judicial clerkship can count towards experience;
• Ability to set priorities and handle multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment;
• Experience with legal research, writing and/or court appearances. Please specify legal writing experience in cover letter or resume;
• History of demonstrating initiative in leading projects or activities;
• Clear commitment to working in the public interest.

To apply: 

Apply by sending a cover letter and resume to [email protected] (please specify HYI & Expungement Attorney in the subject line). References and a writing sample will be requested if selected for an initial interview. We are looking for thoughtful, personalized cover letters that demonstrate the applicant’s qualifications, work style, and interest in being part of a team working to eliminate homelessness in Maryland. We are looking for applicants who understand how racism and oppression perpetuate barriers to housing and income. Resume reviews begin immediately and applications will be accepted until position is filled, although priority will be given to applications received by August 19, 2019.

Notes: 
Equal Opportunity Employer
Salary range: 
50,000-54,500
Submission deadline: 
Monday, July 22, 2019