Bilingual Legal Advocate

As a Bilingual Legal Advocate, you will be responsible for providing legal advocacy, information, referrals, access to community resources, case updates, assistance with the Crime Victim Compensation (CVC) Program, help with VINE (victim notification system), and support to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. The Bilingual Legal Advocate will also provide case management for clients participating in the civil, criminal, and other justice systems. This position will also serve as the liaison and work with various community partners including legal aid organizations, law enforcement, and prosecutors.

Your Schedule:

• Full Time
• Monday - Friday from 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. 
• *Flexibility required based on program and client needs.
• Work Model: hybrid
• Local Travel: 25%

Our Total Compensation Package:

• Hourly compensation: $21.63
• Pay schedule semi-monthly
• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life and Disability Insurance Programs
• Generous Paid time Off- 11 paid holidays per year, 3 personal holidays per year, 15 paid Vacation days per year, Approx 7 hours per month of accrued Sick days
• 401K the agency matches 125% of employee contributions up to 4% of the annual salary of a full-time employee
• Company paid Life Insurance
• Company paid Long Term Disability
• Employee Assistance Program

Imagine a place where your talent can make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. Working at Houston Area Women’s center gives you a rewarding experience in which our diverse team of employees work together as part of the empowerment of a survivor’s life and at the same time part of a much larger mission. We are committed to doing the work and challenging each other to be an organization in which everyone is respected and heard. Every day we continue to embed diversity, inclusion, belonging, and equity in everything we do as we provide service to survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

The Requirements We are Seeking:

• Bachelor’s degree in Social Work, Psychology, Counseling, Sociology, Public Health, or Criminal Justice.
• A minimum of one year of experience providing case management, advocacy services, or similar working with vulnerable populations.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams).
• Computer savvy and able to learn new applications and systems quickly.
• Strong data-entry skills.
• Bilingual in both English and Spanish, able to read, speak, and write in both languages fluently.
• You have a valid Texas driver’s license with a good driving record; reliable transportation; ability to travel to off-site locations utilizing personal transportation.

What you Deliver in this role:

• You will provide legal advocacy services including crisis intervention, safety planning, assessing for danger, community referrals, utility waivers, 30-day notice to vacate, informed consent regarding subpoenas served on HAWC, protective order applications, and crime victims compensation – on the phone, virtually, and/or in person.
• You will provide community outreach and education to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault pursuant to assigned grant guidelines.
• You will assist in delivery of quality legal services to survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
• You will maintain collaborative relationships with community partners including law enforcement and district attorneys/prosecutors.
• You will provide mobile advocacy which includes but is not limited to providing court accompaniment for victims in civil and criminal hearings/trials.
• You will translate for staff and victims of domestic violence & sexual assault.
• You will assist with legal aid outreach at clinics provided by community partners.
• You will attend job related workshops, seminars, and conferences to increase skills.
• You will work cooperatively with other staff to ensure optimal utilization of resources and efficient management of the program
• You will manage and maintain client caseload and provide full cycle case management
• You will assist Manager and/or Vice President of Legal Services in duties related to grant management as needed
• Other duties may be assigned

What Skills and Assets you bring, and more:

• Excellent attention to details.
• Demonstration of professional objectivity and appreciation for confidential information.
• Ability to follow instructions and to adhere to policies and procedures.
• Ability to prioritize tasks to meet individual and team deadlines.
• Has a growth mindset and is a good team player.
• Strong communication skills, both verbally and in writing.

When you work here at HAWC you make an impact not just in the lives of the survivors and the people you help, but also make an impact in our own lives and our community. We learn and grow with a purpose where we strive to work for a common cause, which is to end domestic and sexual violence for ALL.