Staff Attorney

Job Summary

Attorneys at Utah Legal Services deliver ethical and skilled legal representation to clients from low-income and disadvantaged communities throughout the state. We seek a dynamic and dedicated individual with a strong passion for advocating on behalf of underrepresented members of our community. Responsibilities include representing clients in hearings and court proceedings, negotiating settlements, preparing and filing legal documents, and providing exceptional case management to secure the best possible outcomes for clients. As a team member at Utah Legal Services you will play a critical role in ensuring access to justice for those who need it most, while working in a collaborative and supportive environment.

Key Accountabilities

• Communicate with clients to determine eligibility and goals, present legal strategies and possible outcomes to clients to develop legal action plan; assess factual situations, advise client on how governing laws impact their situation.
• Educate clients about governing laws, the legal process related to their issue and possible outcomes in order to help set goals, reasonable expectations, and plan case strategies.
• Represent clients, negotiate possible settlements, mitigate consequences to clients, in court and online, during non-evidentiary hearings, case management conferences and pre-trial hearings.
• Collaborate effectively with paralegals to manage and advance a dynamic caseload, ensuring clear communication, task delegation, and adherence to case deadlines.
• Properly prepare, draft, edit and file court documents to implement client goals.
• Prepare pleadings, exhibits, motions, memorandum, discovery documents, motions, responses, administrative letters, briefs, petitions and counter petitions as needed for case progression and resolution.
  
• Review paralegal prepared documents, declarations and findings of facts; ensure document compliance with grantees and regulatory governing bodies.
• Effectively use case management software (Legal Server) to manage, update, organize and strategically review cases to ensure casework meets compliance requirements.
  
• Research records using platforms relevant to job responsibilities (e.g. Xchange, Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER), Electronic Records Request (ERE)), and request documents to aid in case progression.
• Participate in and staff a weekly intake shift and provide legal guidance to individuals seeking assistance, ensuring thorough case evaluation and appropriate follow-up actions.
• Attend trainings and Task Force meetings; complete appropriate CLEs.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills and Abilities

• Excellent interpersonal abilities, verbal and written communication skills.
• High level of adaptability and attention to detail with strong analytic and critical thinking abilities.
• Demonstration of a strong commitment to assisting individuals from disadvantaged communities.
• Ability to multi-task with attention to detail.
• Strong analytic and critical thinking abilities.
• Spanish speaking preferred but not required.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
• Juris Doctorate degree from an American Bar Association accredited law school.
• Admission and Good Standing within the Utah State Bar Association.
• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk working on a computer.
• Reliable mode of transportation.
• Must be able to lift up to 20 pounds at a time.
  
  

Supervisory Responsibilities

• None

Compensation

• This position is exempt, full-time (40 hours/week)
• Salary 1-4 years related experience: $80,000-$85,000
• Salary 5+ years related experience: $85,000-$95,000

Benefits  

Our benefit package includes health insurance, dental, employer paid vision insurance, $25,000 automatic life insurance, employer paid short and long-term disability coverage, four weeks paid parental leave, employee assistance programs, flex hours, continuing education opportunities through Coursera and Practicing Law Institute, student loan repayment program, 403b retirement account with employer matching and automatic contributions, generous paid-time off (21 days per year and increases at your second year), paid leave for thirteen federal and state holidays, employer stipend to assist staff with benefit cost, payment of annual dues to the Utah State Bar. 

About Utah Legal Services 

Our Mission: To protect the rights of the disadvantaged and persons of limited means through legal representation, advocacy, and education. 

Equal Justice Under Law is one of our nation’s most basic principles. However, economic realities often leave these promises unfulfilled. This is where Utah Legal Services comes in. Since our inception as a nonprofit in 1976, ULS has been committed to making equal justice a reality by providing free services in civil legal matters. Last year, ULS assisted over 9,000 clients with legal issues related to their basic needs, such as housing, family safety, and income security. More than 70 attorneys and legal professionals, working remote and in person, deliver client services from four regional offices in Salt Lake City, Ogden, Provo and St. George. Join our team and help us level the playing field for low- income Utahns, ensuring everyone has a voice in the legal system. 

Utah Legal Services believes that equal opportunity of all employees is important for the continuing success of our organization. In accordance with state and federal law, this nonprofit will not discriminate against an employee or applicant for employment because of race, disability, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or veteran status in hiring, promoting, demoting, trainings, benefits, transfers, layoffs, terminations, recommendations, rates of pay, or other forms of compensation.

Salary

• $850,000 - $950,000