Managing Attorney - La Crosse Office

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Job location
205 5th Avenue S
Suite 300
La Crosse, WI 54601
United States
Organization information
Organization name: 
Legal Action of Wisconsin, Inc.
Street address: 
230 West Wells Street, Room 800
City: 
Milwaukee
State: 
Wisconsin
ZIP: 
53203
Job type: 
Legal - Civil
Position Description: 

Legal Action of Wisconsin, Inc. (Legal Action) is hiring a Managing Attorney for its La Crosse Area Office. The position will be available as soon as July 1, 2020 although transition time may be available and is negotiable. This is a full-time position and is supervised by the Executive Director.

If approved by the Board of Directors, compensation for moving expenses may be available.

Many of Legal Action’s operations and services continue to be delivered remotely because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some long-term remote work may be possible for this position.

Equal justice under law can only be achieved through the collaboration of a diverse staff. When we utilize our differences, we effect positive change for the communities we serve. We are committed to equitable inclusion across gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ability, sex, religion, economic circumstances, ethnicity, national origin, and culture. We are striving to transcend the construct of race and be an anti-racist law firm. We encourage staff to bring their whole selves to work each day and pledge to celebrate every aspect of who they are.

LA CROSSE AREA OFFICE

Legal Action’s La Crosse office is located at 205 5th Avenue South, Suite 300, La Crosse, WI 54601. The La Crosse office currently consists of the managing attorney, three staff attorneys (one of these attorney positions is currently vacant but will be filled), and one paralegal. In the future, some La Crosse staff members (attorneys or paralegals or other positions) may serve in projects or work that cover multiple offices or are firmwide. These staff will be jointly supervised by the La Crosse office managing attorney and another manager who is not located in La Crosse. The La Crosse office provides free legal services to low-income clients from Buffalo, Crawford, Grant, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, Trempealeau, and Vernon counties.

For more information about the firm, see www.legalaction.org

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Managing Attorney is responsible for the overall management of the office. This includes:

• coordination and supervision of the attorneys, paralegals, and other staff assigned to the office, including regular case review of legal work using Legal Action’s attorney performance standards;
• encouraging, supporting, and participating in the office’s contributions to firmwide and office-specific strategic impact (litigation and policy) advocacy efforts;
• understanding and implementing the La Crosse office budget (which consists of multiple funding sources) and managing office accounts (petty cash and client trust accounts) and invoices;
• implementing special projects;
• development and management of service delivery systems;
• maintaining relationships with funding sources, community groups, legal organizations, and other external entities;
• carry an active caseload, as time permits;
• handling grievances from clients and from people who were denied services; and
• other activities to ensure provision of quality legal services in the La Crosse office service area.

In addition, like all Legal Action attorneys, the La Crosse Office Managing Attorney is responsible for providing the highest quality and aggressive representation of clients in service cases and in impact work and for performing all duties associated with such representation. Attorneys must keep up with the law as it changes and develops, particularly in their area of specialization. Attorneys are expected to share responsibility for the development and maintenance of good working relationships with community groups, as well as with state and local bar associations. The La Crosse office serves a ten-county service area; all attorneys, including the Managing Attorney, are responsible for traveling to each of these counties for case work and outreach activities. Attorneys will be called upon to provide training and other assistance to members of Legal Action's Volunteer Lawyer Project and other Legal Action staff. Each attorney is responsible for serving on at least one of Legal Action’s Priority Committees (family, housing, barriers to employment, consumer, and public benefits.)

The Managing Attorney reports to the Executive Director. The Managing Attorney works closely with and receives support from the Director of Legal Services, Development and Communications Manager, the Director and the Assistant Director of Strategic Litigation and Advocacy, and others to fulfill these responsibilities.

The Managing Attorney may be assigned other duties as needed.

SALARY & BENEFITS

The salary for this position and all attorney positions are determined by Legal Action’s attorney salary scale. For example, under Legal Action’s attorney salary scale, an attorney with 5 years of experience practicing law would earn a salary of $52,347. An attorney with 10 years of experience would earn a salary of $58,967. This position also currently receives an annual stipend of $3,500 which is added to the base attorney salary as set forth in the firms’ salary administration plan. The attorney salary and the stipend are determined by Legal Action’s Board of Directors. In addition, the position may receive an annual increase if the Board of Directors approves it.

The position currently includes full fringe benefit package with employer-paid health and dental for employee, spouse, and family; life and long-term disability insurance; a retirement plan; four weeks of vacation leave per year; four days of personal leave; and generous sick leave accrual rates. (Some employees are required to contribute to the cost of the health insurance premium if a spouse has other employer-paid health insurance.)

PROBATIONARY PERIOD

The position is subject to a probationary period of up to one year.

GOVERNANCE

The position is governed by the Legal Action of Wisconsin, Inc. Personnel Policies which are subject to unilateral change by the Legal Action Board of Directors. As with any Legal Action position, there is no guaranteed period of employment and employment is at will, subject to termination at any time.

This position reports to the Executive Director.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

This position involves sedentary work, including sitting and/or standing at a desk while working a computer for an extended period. This position also exerts up to 10 pounds of force on a regular basis to lift, carry, push, or otherwise move objects. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, sit, talk, hear and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and/or laptop keyboard and use a telephone. Specific vision abilities required for this job include close vision requirements due to computer work. The position may drive a motor vehicle while seated for extended periods of time daily. Occasional reaching, bending, kneeling and stooping involved to retrieve various items and materials are required. This position works in an environmentally-controlled office environment with moderate noise from phones, printers, and light office traffic.

Requirements: 

Legal Action values a diverse staff and work environment. We strongly encourage applications from women, people of color, people who identify as LGBTQIA, people with disabilities, and people with life experiences or education that add to the firm’s diversity and our capacity to provide high-quality legal aid. Legal Action encourages applicants to include a statement about the ways that their unique background and personal, professional, and life experiences contribute to the diversity, cultural vitality, and perspective of the firm’s staff and our law firm’s mission along with their other application materials.

• J.D.;
• At least 3 years of experience working as a full-time practicing attorney is the minimum requirement. Attorneys with more than 3 years of experience in practice are encouraged to apply;
• Experience practicing in multiple areas of civil law is preferred;
• Admission to the Wisconsin Bar is required at time of hire or within 6 months of hire;
• Enthusiasm for civil legal aid and equal justice for and service to our clients is required;
• Strong communication skills to engage key stakeholders, clients, and pro bono attorneys is required;
• Enthusiasm for and skill in supervising other attorneys and paralegals including with partially or fully remote workers;
• Proven ability to manage a high-volume, fast-paced and work load is required;
• Proven ability to prioritize and organize resources while maintaining quality and attention to detail is required;
• Ability to work harmoniously and cooperatively with co-workers, clients, other managers, and other stakeholders is required;
• Familiarity with courtroom procedure (state and municipal) is required;
• Experience creating training materials and leading trainings or a willingness to learn is required;
• Superior skills in case analysis, research, and legal writing are required;
• Demonstrated ability to speak and write clearly and persuasively is required;
• Enthusiasm for arguing motions and representing at trial is required;
• Proven ability to meet high standards of written and courtroom advocacy;
• Self-motivation, diligence, and ability to meet strict deadlines while under pressure are required;
• Ability to communicate with persons in the client community who speak a language other than English as their principal language is highly valued;
• High level of comfort or ability to learn to utilize technology including Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Teams, etc.), an electronic database, and budgeting and Payroll/Human Resources software;
• Ability to travel throughout Legal Action’s service area, with occasional overnight stays, is required. Occasional out of state, with overnight stays, is also required; and
• While academic training and performance, writing ability, and the nature and extent of prior legal experience in legal services are important, we also value: knowledge and understanding of legal problems and the needs of low-income persons; commitment to providing legal services to low-income persons; prior work in the client community or in other programs that work with low-income persons; and cultural affinity with the client community.

Training will be provided. Upon hire, training needs will be assessed.

To apply: 

All application materials must be submitted in PDF format.

Persons interested in applying for this position should submit the following:

• cover letter with a succinct summary of qualifications and interest in the position
• resume
• writing sample
• diversity statement (see above - optional, but highly encouraged)

Submit all documents, in PDF format, to: [email protected]. Application materials are due on or before Friday, July 10, 2020 at 5:00 p.m.

Interviews will be conducted during the week of July 13th.

Interviews may be conducted remotely.

Deedee Peterson, Executive Director, is the hiring manager for this position and will lead a panel of Legal Action staff to interview applicants.

Notes: 
Legal Action of Wisconsin is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
Salary range: 
The salary for this position and all attorney positions are determined by Legal Action’s attorney salary scale. See position description above for additional information.
Submission deadline: 
Friday, July 10, 2020