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Job Title: Disaster Relief Attorney
FLSA Classification: Exempt
Reports To: Deputy Director of Community Engagement

Join Inland Counties Legal Services (“ICLS”) in our mission to close the justice gap by providing essential legal services to those most in need. Inland Counties Legal Services, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing free legal services to persons who are low-income, seniors, and with disabilities, residing in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. ICLS targets services to those in the greatest social or economic need based on the belief that everyone deserves access to justice. Services include litigation, legal advice and document preparation, and community education.

ICLS is seeking a Disaster Relief Attorney to develop our disaster legal assistance program. Riverside and San Bernardino Counties encompass more than 28,000 square miles, much of which is very rural and prone to natural disasters. Disasters can be devastating for families and communities. For low-income families and those living in high-risk, rural areas the impact of a disaster is disproportionate.

The Disaster Relief Attorney will be dedicated to building out ICLS’s disaster practice so that ICLS can meaningfully assist people impacted by future disasters. This person will become a subject matter expert in disaster law and will build systems to respond to disasters, including the recruitment, training, and deployment of volunteers. ICLS has partnered with Legal Access Alameda, which heads the Disaster Legal Assistance Collaborative (DLAC), to build the project. Legal Access is the preeminent expert in disaster legal assistance in California and will provide essential technical assistance for development of the program.

Previous experience in disaster relief is not necessary—getting trained and ready to respond to a disaster will be part of the position responsibilities. The attorney will be part of ICLS’s Community Engagement team, which includes a Pro Bono unit of five attorneys, as well as Communications and Development staff. The Community Engagement team is an enthusiastic and collaborative group that has launched several new projects in recent years, with disaster being the newest addition.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities
• Develop and maintain expertise in legal areas related to disaster relief.
• With technical support from Legal Access, build the infrastructure for providing disaster legal assistance, including setting up a hotline system and structures for remote and in-person assistance to those impacted by disaster.
• Design protocols for training staff on disaster legal issues.
• Conduct training and outreach to communities and community organizations.
• Recruit and train volunteer attorneys and interpreters to help in the event of a disaster.
• Network and build relationships with local community agencies throughout the service area that respond in the event of a disaster.
• Create, foster, and cultivate partnerships among the disaster legal community, disaster legal services providers, and community social services providers.
• Work with statewide DLAC representatives to create referral systems.

Ideal Qualities
• Juris Doctorate degree and ability to practice law in State of California.
• Demonstrated commitment to social justice and serving communities in need.
• A minimum of two years of legal experience is preferred, ideally working within legal services or with ICLS’s client population. Candidates with less experience who can demonstrate a strong public interest background and/or previous work with ICLS’s client communities or local community-based organizations will also be considered favorably.
• Highly motivated and excited to tackle new projects and build from the ground up, with the aid of a strong support system.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to meet and communicate with individuals from a broad range of ethnic and socio-economic groups.
• An ability to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary setting to facilitate a coordinated community response and provide holistic services to clients.
• Takes initiative and manages time efficiently.
• Flexibility in working some weekends and evenings.
• Proficiency in Spanish preferred

Benefits package includes Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, and matching 401K retirement plan contribution. Fourteen (14) paid holidays, generous vacation and sick leave policy, a School Loan Reimbursement Assistance Program (LRAP), and a cell phone stipend.

How to Apply

Submit a compelling letter of interest and resume to HRManager@icls.org. 

The recognition of our common humanity is the first step in fostering a diverse environment. The sum of our unique differences is greater than our individual parts. Our unique stories and experiences allow us to better solve the challenges that our community faces. Staff approach professional relationships with humility across the spectrum of diversity, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status,
immigrant status, religious identity, physical and mental disabilities, and/or limited English proficiency with a willingness to consider unique perspectives. Inland Counties Legal Services provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.