Attorney Healthcare and Public Benefits Senior Law Unit

Coast to Coast Legal Aid of South Florida, Inc. (CCLA) established in 2003 is a Legal Services Corporation (LSC) funded, non-profit organization. CCLA provides free civil legal services to low-income and otherwise eligible residents of Broward County and is located in Plantation, Florida, a suburb of Fort Lauderdale.  Our mission is to provide equal justice to underserved communities through quality and innovative free civil legal aid. CCLA provides legal advocacy for individuals in our community, helping thousands of economically disadvantaged residents to gain greater access to justice and much-needed legal assistance to remove barriers to a healthy and stable life. 

CCLA provides legal assistance in the areas of Family Law & Victims of Crime, Economic Advocacy & Community Health (public benefits), and Senior Law for people age 60 and older. At CCLA, we provide quality civil legal representation and equal access to justice, regardless of their income. CCLA’s vision is a community where everyone has the legal resources to thrive.

CCLA is currently looking for a Healthcare and Public Benefits Attorney to join the Senior Law Unit. The Attorney will provide legal assistance and representation to seniors, aged 60 and older, throughout Broward County regarding healthcare and public benefits-related issues. The Attorney will be responsible for Social Security (SSDI, SSI), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP or food stamps), and access to healthcare cases. The Senior Law Attorney also provides legal assistance to seniors regarding eligibility and access to services for Medicare, Medicaid, Health Insurance Marketplace, Long-Term Care, and financial assistance programs.

Specific Position Duties Include:

• Responsible for substantial compliance with the CCLA Program Priority Plan within their areas of specialization and consistent with Legal Services Corporation guidelines.
• In carrying out legal work, responsible for all phases of casework, interviewing clients and witnesses, discovery, investigations, negotiations, legal research, and hearing appeals.
• Responsible for supervising legal interns and paralegals who have been assigned to cases within their practice areas.
• Attends unit meetings, complies with all program and unit forms and directives, completes monthly case reports, reports to the unit on developments in their area of expertise and trains the paralegals and legal interns assigned to work in their areas.
• Conducts client interviews to gather information, investigates fact situations, gathers and evaluates evidence, interviews witnesses, drafts letters, emails, memoranda, pleadings, briefs, assists with applications and appeals, completes forms, reviews agency notices, reviews medical records or other client documents, and performs legal research.
• Advises and represents clients in SSDI/SSI cases, including representing clients at hearings before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ), in Appeals Council appeals, and potentially in Federal Court as applicable.
• Advises and represents clients in SNAP/TANF cases as needed.
• Advises on eligibility and access to services for Medicare, Medicaid, Health Insurance Marketplace, Long- Term Care, and financial assistance programs.
• Frequent communication with clients and outside agencies; in person, by phone, and via email.
• Working closely, as part of a team with numerous attorneys and paralegals.
• Return client’s calls/emails in a timely manner, maintains records, case notes, and daily time-keeping in CCLAs case management system.
• Performs community outreach events in person and/or virtually, as well as, on social media and conducts educational trainings for staff, clients, and community providers, in accordance with CCLA’s outreach policy, and as needed.
• Keeps track of and meets deadlines and hearing dates.
• Mandatory compliance with program and grant requirements.
• Performs other duties as requested by Management, Supervisors, or as required by grant(s).

Position Requirements:

• Juris Doctor (JD) and admission to the Florida Bar in good standing.
• Prior healthcare or public benefits experience, particularly with Medicare/Medicaid, or SSDI/SSI is a plus.
• Experience or demonstrated interest in working with people with disabilities and/or lower socioeconomic status preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Ability to multitask, organize, detail-oriented, prioritize, and manage a diverse caseload.
• Strong, effective, written and oral communication skills.
• Professional demeanor and client-oriented focus.
• Capable of acting with a substantial degree of independence and working as part of a team is essential.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and in using virtual platforms (Zoom, MS Teams).
• Due to funder requirements, all applicants must pass a background check before employment begins.

Here at CCLA we offer our employees an outstanding and generous benefits package, which includes medical, vision, dental (100% employer paid for individual coverage), life, short-term, long-term disability insurance (100% employer paid coverage), supplemental insurance, and a 403(b) plan (tax-sheltered annuity plan) with an employer contribution.

CCLA covers attorney’s Florida bar dues, Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credits, and attorneys have the opportunity to apply for student loan payment assistance.

Additionally, CCLA offers substantial discounts on gym memberships, parks, travel, pet insurance, and more, contributing to our employees' overall well-being.

CCLA is very proud of our work-life balance by giving our employees a substantial paid time off package which includes, vacation, sick leave and over 12 holidays a year. At CCLA we offer our employees (non-probationary) a more flexible work schedule by temporarily working a hybrid schedule 2 days in the office and 3 days working remotely. 

At CCLA, we foster a positive and supportive work environment where we work hard to provide exceptional service to our community. The work is both challenging and rewarding, and we take pride in the commitment and dedication of our team.

For more information about CCLA, please visit our website at www.coasttocoastlegalaid.org.

CCLA is an equal opportunity employer and provider.