Attorney Domestic Violence Screener and Case Assigner

Pisgah Legal Services is a community-based non-profit corporation governed by a local Board of Directors. PLS has an annual budget of $6.5 million from a multitude of funding sources. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina, Pisgah Legal Services (PLS) provides free civil legal assistance to low-income people in western North Carolina. PLS has offices in Asheville, Burnsville, Hendersonville, Rutherfordton, Brevard, Marshall, and Highlands. With a dedicated staff of seventy-six, including thirty-two attorneys plus supporting staff, and an active pro bono panel of 300 private attorneys, the program provides free services to more than 18,000 people per year to meet their basic needs, primarily in the poverty law areas of housing, public benefits, domestic violence prevention, health care, immigration, and consumer law.

PLS is seeking a full-time Attorney Domestic Violence Intake Screener and Case Assigner to work with our Mountain Violence Prevention Project (MVPP). The MVPP helps victims in all of our service areas to escape domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and hate crimes and live independent of their abusers. This position will help identify and advise on holistic services available to clients including initial protection orders as well as family law remedies and other supportive services. PLS is committed to serving survivors in marginalized communities.

Passion for promoting justice and overcoming barriers facing low-income people, being a creative and zealous staff member and a team-player and demonstrating commitment to achieving lasting results for clients and low-income communities are all important. By ensuring that the lowest-income people in Western North Carolina have access to holistic services we will increase opportunities for positive outcomes at the individual and community levels.

Responsibilities
• Commitment to PLS’ mission, values and vision.
• Screen applicants for eligibility.
• Assign cases to the DV Team and other attorneys as appropriate.
• Work closely with managing attorneys and program directors to coordinate and improve services for applicants.
• Oversee and track calls in Legal Server to ensure applicants are contacted according to guidelines.
• Delegate screening lists.
• Safety plan with all domestic violence clients.
• Provide basic information to applicants relayed by attorneys.
• Perform outreach to potential domestic violence clients and to the community.
• Help identify and facilitate increased services to underserved populations.
• Supervise DV Team screeners and volunteers as needed.
• Oversee regular meetings with screeners and volunteers.
• Attend trainings on providing survivor-centered services.
• Document all work in Legal Server case management software.
• Organize and conduct outreach and educational presentations.
• Develop and maintain community relationships including other non-profit agencies, government officials, government employees, community leaders and others.
• Travel within our service area and also to meetings or conferences in other parts of NC.
• Adhere to program priorities and case handling policies, procedures and standards of practice, as well as the highest professional and ethical standards.
• Keep abreast of developments in the law and disseminate information to staff, volunteer attorneys and the public.
• Work with volunteers, including volunteer attorneys, on a regular basis.
• Assist in fundraising in coordination with PLS Development Team.

Qualifications
• N.C. licensed attorney.
• Demonstrated commitment to serving low-income people and communities.
• Demonstrated skills at socio-economic and cultural sensitivity and ability to assist upset or ill people.
• Excellent writing and verbal communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work well with teams and independently.
• Fluency in Spanish would be an asset.

Salary/ Benefits
Salary ranges from $49,616 – $94,116 depending on experience. Excellent fringe benefits, including 401(k) retirement plan, as well as life, health, and disability insurance.

To Apply
E-mail resumé and cover letter describing relevant experience to [email protected]. PLS invites all applicants to include in their cover letter a statement about how your unique background and/or experiences might contribute to the diversity, cultural vitality, and perspective of our staff and legal services practice.

Pisgah Legal Services is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.