Associate Attorney

SUMMARY: End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin (END ABUSE) seeks an intelligent, compassionate, creative, motivated, and dedicated individual to serve as a Staff Attorney. The position is responsible for providing TA (Technical Assistance) which is legal information and training to domestic violence programs including directors and advocates, other attorneys and legal services providers, and other professionals who provide services to survivors of domestic violence. This position does not provide direct legal representation to survivors, unless under the supervision of the Director of Legal Services and only on a case-by-case basis when it is determined that this would enhance the quality of legal TA and training.

The Staff Attorney also develops quality resources and materials for domestic violence programs to support survivors in navigating legal and other systems-related processes. The Staff Attorney also uses their knowledge and expertise to guide END ABUSE’s public policy and systems advocacy efforts to improve local, state, and national responses to domestic violence survivors.

The Staff Attorney position will focus a minimum of 25% of their time to activities centering underrepresented populations, including but not limited to immigrants and refugees, BIPOC survivors, historically marginalized communities, and LGBTQIA survivors. This will also include regularly collaborating, cocreating, and providing support to legal advocates, bilingual advocates, culturally specific programs/agencies, and other stakeholders to work toward greater accessibility to justice for underrepresented survivors.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Provide regular, timely and responsive TA (requests for legal information or resources) on domestic violence issues – in particular, immigration and related legal issues, economic justice including public benefits programs, language and disability access, restraining orders/injunctions, family law processes and other legal issues that impact the health and safety of domestic violence survivors.
2. Develop, update, and lead effective legal trainings for survivor serving agencies through web-based, hybrid, and in-person formats on domestic violence, stalking and human trafficking, and related violence. Topics typically include protection orders, family law, immigration, economic justice, language access, public benefits, housing, and other legal issues that impact the health and safety of domestic violence survivors. Work in conjunction with domestic violence programs, the END ABUSE Engagement and Services Team, Legal Services Team, and other staff, in co-creating, planning, and implementing these training courses.
3. Create, distribute, and update quality legal materials, including the END ABUSE Legal Manual, related to domestic violence, human trafficking and stalking on issues that impact the health and safety of domestic violence survivors. Ensure domestic violence programs have information and access to updated legal materials.
4. Work with the Engagement and Services Team, and Public Policy Director, to promote policy improvements that respond to the needs of domestic violence victims, particularly in the areas of immigration, economic justice, language access, restraining orders/injunctions, family law, and legal systems and processes. This includes reviewing proposed systems changes and drafting or reviewing analysis, briefs and comments responsive to these proposals.
5. Represent End Abuse and advance a victim-centered perspective while serving on and/or facilitating various committees, taskforces, and workgroups, especially those dealing with program and policy development in the Staff Attorney’s areas of expertise.
6. Responsible to coordinate, make decisions, and manage funding requests from domestic violence programs for individual survivor’s legal expenses, prioritizing geographic equity, immigrant and refugee survivors and BIPOC survivors.
7. This is a remote/telecommuting position with some travel required for in person trainings, meetings, or other collaborations.

AGENCY RESPONSIBILITIES:

It is the responsibility of every End Abuse employee to uphold the mission and vision of this agency. End Abuse works to advance the principle that all people have the right to a life free of oppression and violence. We work to foster change in our economic, social, and political systems and bring leadership expertise and best practices to Wisconsin domestic abuse programs and communities engaged in ending domestic violence.

It is also an expectation that on the individual level all staff members will work to further their personal capacity to foster an environment of cultural inclusivity and sensitivity that is the foundation for all our work.

This description is intended to indicate the kinds of duties and levels of work difficulty that will be required and should not be construed as specifying or defining all the duties and responsibilities of a particular position.

This is a permanent full-time position. The salary for this position starts at $58,500 annually, commensurate with experience. Benefits include health insurance, dental insurance, vision, life insurance, short-term and long-term disability coverage, an employee assistance program, and generous paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave.

End Abuse honors the dignity and welfare of all its staff and supports a healthy work-life balance.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• A Juris Doctor from an ABA accredited law school and a license to practice law in Wisconsin.
• Experience working in victim advocacy, immigration or culturally specific agencies, poverty law, restraining orders/injunctions, policy analysis and implementation, or a related field.
• Demonstrated subject-matter expertise in at least one of the following legal areas: Immigration, Public Benefits, Housing Law, Restraining Orders and Injunctions, Family Law, Child Welfare, other Public Benefits and Human Trafficking.
• Excellent listening, analytical, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Open and direct communication style, with a high degree of professionalism.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Programs including Word, Excel and Outlook, Office 365, and SharePoint
• Valid driver’s license, insurance, and access to a safe, reliable, private vehicle.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience developing training curricula and materials.
• A proven track-record as an effective educator, especially providing training related to domestic violence and legal issues.
• Policy development and implementation experience, particularly on a statewide basis in the legal system or with government agencies.
• Experience working with historically marginalized populations.
• Experience working to dismantle systems of oppression such as nativism and/or white supremacy.
• Spanish or Hmong language fluency
• Success advocating on committees or workgroups and/or with government agencies.
• Non-profit agency work/volunteer experience

Work Conditions/Environment and Physical Demands

• Work is primarily performed in an office setting and requires the ability to stand or sit for extended periods of time.
• Work requires the ability to communicate orally in person or through electronic means, to drive on occasion, to read and discern documents, and type.