The Portland Regional Office of Legal Aid Services of Oregon (LASO) is seeking full-time outreach coordinator to expand outreach and community education to seniors and English language learners across our service region. This position can be staffed by an attorney or paralegal/paraprofessional. This position will focus primarily on expanding outreach and community education to client populations and service providers in addition to carrying a case load of referrals generated from the community outreach. This position will be eligible for a partial remote work option but will require regular in-person work at our Portland Regional Office in downtown Portland, at our Gresham office, and will require regular travel to Clackamas, Hood River, Wasco and Sherman Counties for in-person outreach, education and consultations.
Background
LASO is a non-profit organization that represents low-income clients in civil cases. LASO’s eight regional offices serve the general low-income population throughout the state and two specialized statewide programs focus on services to farmworkers and on issues impacting Native Americans. LASO is an effective, high-quality legal services program that is committed to advocacy strategies having the broadest possible impact on client community problems.
The Portland Regional Office of LASO serves a poverty population of more than 220,000. The office serves Multnomah, Clackamas, Hood River, Sherman and Wasco counties, a diverse service area requiring the ability to work effectively with individuals from different cultures and backgrounds. The Portland Office has adopted a race equity agenda to guide its work with clients as well as its internal operations. The office has a strong commitment to building an inclusive, diverse workplace.
Responsibilities
The staff attorney or paralegal will be responsible for conducting trauma-informed intake interviews, maintaining a senior-focused caseload, and coordinating and attending outreach and community-based clinics/events. This position is also expected to work closely with community-based organizations as a liaison to LASO for organizations that serve Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), and immigrant communities to receive referrals, identify legal issues important to low-income seniors, conduct regular trainings, and attend outreach events. This position is responsible for some grant reporting and management.
Qualifications
Proven interest in and commitment to advocacy for the legal rights of low-income and other vulnerable senior populations. Enthusiasm, creativity, good judgment, initiative, and willingness to work collaboratively. Demonstrated understanding and commitment to anti-bias principles, cultural competency and addressing systemic racism and other forms of oppression. Experience handling senior law, elder abuse and impact cases is a plus.
LASO has a hiring preference for candidates who are bilingual in Spanish and/or another language commonly spoken by our client population. Please indicate your proficiency level in languages other than English in your application materials.
For attorney candidates, we have a preference for hiring members of the Oregon State Bar. A paraprofessional must be willing to become certified under the new Oregon Paraprofessional program and must take meaningful steps to attain the certification within 6 months after completion of the introductory period.
Working Conditions and Physical Requirements
Work in an office environment including working at a workstation, attending meetings, etc. This position will involve regular travel around the Portland Regional Office service region focusing specifically on Clackamas, Hood River, Sherman and Wasco counties and, as such, requires a valid driver’s license or the ability to obtain one within 60 days of hire date. Use of computer and other general office equipment during a 7-hour workday.
Salary/Benefits
Compensation is based on a 35-hour work week. Salaries are determined by relevant work experience and our Collective Bargaining Agreement. For attorneys, the salary range is $66.2K – 73.7K for 0-5 years’ experience; $75.2K - 81.2K for 6-10 years’ experience and $82.7K-105.2K for 11-30 years’ experience annually. For paralegals, the salary range is $46.2K – 52.2K for 0-5 years’ experience; $53.4K - 58.2K for 6-10 years’ experience and $59.4K-70.2K for 11-20 years’ experience annually. For both, additional $4.3K annually for bilingual ability. Full benefits package including individual and family health, vision and dental insurance coverage; 6% employer retirement contribution; generous paid holidays, vacation and sick leave; and paid moving expenses.
Closing Date:
Open until filled. Review of resumes to begin on January 2, 2024.
Applications
Send resume and letter of interest to:
projobs@lasoregon.org
As a part of your letter of interest, please address the following:
LASO is committed to achieving justice for the low-income communities of Oregon. Our client communities include people of color, farmworkers, LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, seniors, people with lived experiences of homelessness, veterans, people with disabilities, and people from other underrepresented groups. It is essential to our mission that we also work to create an inclusive and respectful workplace environment in which differences are acknowledged and valued.
How do you think your personal background or experiences, professional or otherwise, have prepared you to: (1) serve our diverse client communities effectively, (2) work effectively with colleagues from backgrounds different than your own, (3) acknowledge the systemic barriers that our clients face, and (4) contribute to our efforts to achieve racial justice? Feel free to provide examples and apply various aspects of your life and personal experiences in your response.
Please note, we will not review applications that are not emailed directly to the above email address.
We celebrate diversity.
LASO is committed to being an organization that reflects the communities we serve and is diverse in race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, ancestry, national origin, or sensory, mental and physical abilities, work background, experience and education. We believe that the outcome of such diversity is our greatest strength and a matter of basic human fairness. It is to this end that we strongly encourage applications from people of color and people from any other underrepresented and historically marginalized group to apply for this position.
Legal Aid Services of Oregon (LASO) is an effective, high-quality legal services program with a mission to achieve justice for the low-income communities of Oregon. LASO emphasizes areas of law where these needs are greatest and where representation and advocacy can have the most impact for vulnerable Oregonians.