Staff Attorney

Position Available
Staff Attorney

Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc. (ABLE), a non-profit regional law firm that provides high-quality legal assistance to low-income people and groups in western Ohio, seeks a resourceful, culturally competent, hardworking staff attorney for its Toledo office.

The Attorney will work with ABLE's Housing and Community Economic Development (HCED) Practice Group. The HCED Practice Group recognizes an essential component to self-sufficiency, equal justice and economic opportunity is the ability for low-income people to have: 1) access to safe, affordable housing; 2) access to areas of opportunity in housing, education and other critical areas needed for wellbeing; and 3) the ability to participate in and benefit from development within their own communities. The HCED practice group engages in community lawyering to ensure that our legal work not only aligns with community needs, but that it supports initiatives from and is led by the impacted community.

The Staff Attorney will expand ABLE’s community economic development capacity in Toledo’s Junction neighborhood. The Attorney will listen to, empower, and be part of the Junction neighborhood; advocate and provide support for community development and entrepreneurship, offering transactional legal services and legal technical assistance to residents to fill the historic gap in legal counsel to low-income and minority small business owners; removing barriers to employment through criminal record sealing or driver’s license reinstatement legal clinics in the neighborhood; and providing other legal assistance to increase household income and promote improved health, such as providing legal work to meet basic needs of food, housing, healthcare, and financial security.

The Attorney must have excellent interpersonal skills and be experienced in working in collaborative environments. Membership in Ohio Bar is required. The ideal candidate will have at least 1 year of legal experience, familiarity with community lawyering, understand the range of legal options to advocate for people living in a disenfranchised community, and possess excellent legal and communication skills. Attorneys with recent bar admissions are encouraged to apply. We aim for our staff to reflect the client communities we serve and strongly encourage applications from Black attorneys. Ability to relate well with, respect, connect and develop rapport with minority clients and community groups required. Legal experience in business law, civil rights or poverty law in general is helpful. Salary depends on relevant legal experience. Excellent fringe benefits.

To Apply: Send resume and cover letter electronically as soon as possible in Microsoft Word, to: Email: [email protected] with the Subject: Staff Attorney – Housing and Community Economic Development Practice Group

ABLE is an Equal Opportunity Employer and places a high value on diversity in our workplace, including diversity in race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, and physical ability. We strive to create an environment welcoming to all individuals and we encourage applications from individuals traditionally underrepresented in the legal profession. Equal access to ABLE’s office is available. Applicants requiring accommodation to the interview/ application process should contact the recruitment coordinator at the address listed above.