Staff Attorney- Consumer Law Program

Job Description

Job DescriptionDescription:

Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, Inc. (LSEM), a nonprofit law firm providing free legal assistance to people living with low-income and groups serving disadvantaged communities, is seeking a full-time Staff Attorney in its Consumer Law Program to serve the needs of City residents who were negatively impacted by the Tornado of May 16, 2025. This role includes litigation, advocacy, and community engagement to promote access to justice and improve client outcomes for Tornado survivors.

The Staff Attorney’s work will be legal and non-legal in nature, focused on solving problems common to Tornado survivors and especially those problems that involve obtaining monetary benefits or avoiding monetary or housing losses. The work will primarily involve low-income St. Louis City households and individuals who were living in the seven zip codes impacted by the May 16th Tornado. For those City residents in Tornado recovery, services will include: legal counseling, full or partial representation to residents related to landlord-tenant issues, including evictions and lease disputes; legal assistance to eligible homeowners to avoid and combat construction repair scams and other unfair and deceptive actions by construction contractors; outreach and education to disaster survivors about their legal rights and available resources; coordination with local government agencies, housing providers, disaster recovery organizations, and disaster case management to ensure comprehensive support; assistance with claims against landlords and property managers who may have violated tenant rights; to the extent need is not met by another LSEM program, assistance with deed/heirship challenges, property title clarifications, and other property-related legal issues caused or exacerbated by the disaster; and assistance and representation for civil legal problems faced by a client in the tornado zip codes as of May 16, 2025, that are directly or indirectly related to the tornado.

Responsibilities

· Handling all aspects of litigation including drafting pleadings, discovery, motion practice, trial preparation and trials, and administrative hearings in substantive areas of civil law, particularly consumer and housing law.

· Providing direct representation of clients in state and potentially federal civil litigation and administrative hearings, which may include FEMA applications or appeals or other applications/appeals regarding public Tornado relief funds.

· Working on Title clearance as needed so that a Tornado survivor in a home can establish a clear title to the home, which is necessary to receive most aid available for Tornado survivors.

· Working on projects that provide systemic advocacy on issues adversely affecting the health and well-being of City Tornado survivors (i.e. utility issues, benefits, and similar issues).

· Conducting a variety of community outreach and presentations focusing on education, meetings, and trainings with and for City residents impacted by the May 16th Tornado, St. Louis City disaster case managers, United Way, and other social service agencies and partners, about the many legal issues that Tornado survivors may face to recover.

· Working collaboratively with other internal Legal Services programs and external community partners serving Tornado survivors.

· Supervising law student interns

· Drafting grant reports about Tornado grant activities and monitoring spend down of the grant, along with Finance and Development.

Requirements:

· JD in good standing, and admitted to practice in Missouri

· Prefer 2 years of experience as a practicing attorney and/or experience with disaster victims but not required. New graduates may apply.

· Demonstrated commitment to public interest law work or to legal services for people living with low-income is strongly preferred

· Strong litigation and advocacy skills or willingness to learn these skills

· Ability to relate well and work with low-income clients and collaborate with community stakeholders

· Strong communication and organizational skills, self-directed and efficient

· Public speaking experience and/or comfort engaging large groups

· Knowledgeable in Microsoft Office, familiarity with legal case management software preferred

· Team oriented, and highly flexible to meet the needs of clients

· Open to creative and innovative ways of fulfilling the legal aid mission

What we do
LSEM advances justice through legal representation, education, and supportive services. We partner with the community to improve lives, promote fairness, and create opportunities for those in need. Since 1956, LSEM has provided high-quality civil legal assistance and equal access to justice for low-income people in 21 counties in Missouri. We accomplish our mission through systemic advocacy/impact litigation and individual case work in a wide range of substantive civil areas which are in our priorities, e.g., family law for victims of domestic violence, prevention of homelessness/housing, health, public benefits, consumer, education, disability, community economic development, and immigration. As part of our community education/outreach efforts, LSEM works with over 150 agencies and participates in over 35 task forces/coalitions and has a vibrant Volunteer Lawyers Program.

Who we are

At Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, we embrace a culture that celebrates and promotes the many backgrounds, heritages, and perspectives of our colleagues and clients. We seek to hire individuals from a variety of backgrounds, who are professional, collaborative, and creative thinkers with a passion for our mission, and create an environment where everyone can thrive. We strongly encourage applications from all qualified individuals and will make employment decisions based on merit.

How to Apply

Upload your resume and cover letter through our online application. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

Salary & Benefits Information

The annual salary range for this position is $66,000-$99,000. Specific salary offered to a candidate will be based on their relevant years of experience. There are opportunities for advancement, including raises. Excellent benefits including medical, dental and vision insurance, a generous time off policy (starting at 4 weeks per year), 11 paid holidays, 12 weeks paid parental leave, 403(b) and 401(a) retirement plans, long-term disability and life insurance, employee assistance plan, and flexible spending accounts.

Submission Deadline Applications will be considered until the position is filled.

Equal access to Legal Services of Eastern Missouri’s office is available. Those applicants requiring accommodation to the interview/application process should contact Human Resources at the e-mail HR@lsem.org. Legal Services of Eastern Missouri is an equal opportunity employer.