Program Director Senior Attorney Veterans Legal Service Unit

Profile

WHO WE ARE:

Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, a non-profit provider of civil legal assistance to low- income persons in the Charlotte region, seeks a Program Director, Senior Attorney to represent veterans in matters before the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC), and military discharge review boards. More information about the Advocacy Center can be found at our website: www.CharlotteLegalAdvocacy.org.

ROLE:

The right person for the Program Director function of this role will have previous experience planning, organizing, developing and directing the overall strategic operations of a veterans legal services program.   As Senior Attorney, you’ll perform the case handling duties of a senior staff attorney, including litigation and direct representation, as necessary, but may handle a reduced caseload to permit fulfilling program director accountabilities.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Veteran’s Legal Services Unit Program Director. Manages the overall day-to-day operations of this substantive law program; has general management authority for all staff advocates assigned to the program; and participates as member of the Management Team.

• Develop Advocacy Plan. Develops strategic approach for program advocacy including: understanding community needs; identifying program priorities; participating in routine and major litigation either as lead counsel, co-counsel or to assist other staff; administrative and legislative advocacy and working with and strengthening community partnerships and other advocacy groups; ensuring that legal work standards are met; that all advocacy is performed with excellence, and that all advocacy is meritorious and produces sufficient results to justify allocation of resources; and to coordinate program participation in state and national task forces.

• Supervise Program Staff. Supervises or delegates supervision of team members assigned to the Veteran Legal Services Unit including attorneys, paralegals, interns, law students and volunteers performing case handling functions outside of the specific program. Develop strategic training plan for staff attorneys, paralegals and volunteers in program subject area. Collaborate with leadership to ensure that advocates’ needs are known, and they have sufficient resources available to them to practice in the Veterans Legal Service program area, including maintenance of a specialty library and other appropriate materials or resources.

• Intake and Case Selection System. Formulates strategy to implement best practices to manage program intake and screening system; supervises case acceptance and assignment decisions; ensures that case acceptance and assignment decisions are made in a uniform manner and are consistent with established priorities and case acceptance criteria. Seeks to understand and resolve client complaints regarding manner or quality of service.

• Community Education and Outreach.  Manages community legal education and outreach activities for Veterans Legal Services Unit.

• Office Procedures and Systems. Ensures proper operation of office calendar, tickler, conflict check systems and other procedures and systems necessary for the efficient operation of Veteran’s Legal Service programs. Ensures that advocates and support staff follow office procedures and utilizes office systems.

• Personnel Administration. Performs personnel evaluations on a timely basis; approves time sheets, leave requests, local travel, out-of-town travel and other expense reimbursement forms and other personnel forms; and ensures that program personnel policies are followed, as necessary.

• Financial Administration. Approves litigation expenditures within program; assures that budgetary limits on litigation expenditures are met.

• Fund Raising. Assists the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Advancement Officer with organizational fund-raising activities as needed, assists in planning and conducting fund raising activities related to the program.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL REQUIREMENTS:

Membership in the North Carolina Bar or ability to be admitted by motion with a minimum of five (5) years full-time active practice in North Carolina or another jurisdiction is required. A hybrid work schedule is allowed; however, court appearances and time in the office will be routinely required. Additionally, the ideal candidate possess these skills:

• Substantial litigation and advocacy experience within a subject or strategy area;
• Proven leadership and management experience in the non-profit private or public sector, preferably within legal services or other public interest legal work;
• Demonstrated commitment to excellence in management, with an understanding of the role of management in building and sustaining organizations that deliver strong legal advocacy;
• Experience in managing staff, volunteers and interns with an inclusive, collaborative and transparent style;
• Exceptional communication skills, including experience writing, speaking, and presenting;
• A demonstrated commitment to promoting racial justice and advancing diversity, equity and inclusion; and
• Demonstrated experience in the provision of legal assistance to indigent and vulnerable communities.

Company info

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