POSITION: Public Benefits Unit Staff Attorney
REPORTS TO: Managing Attorney and/or Supervising Attorney
LOCATION: Position can be based in any of CLASI’s three Delaware offices (New Castle, Kent, or Sussex County). Attorney will handle cases in all three counties as needed.
SALARY AND BENEFITS: Commensurate with experience and CLASI’s collective bargaining agreement; excellent benefits. (Details on salary scale and benefits package can be found here.)
DATE OF POSTING: July 6, 2026
CONTEXT OF POSITION: Founded in 1946, Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. (CLASI) is Delaware’s oldest and largest civil legal aid organization and is one of the oldest civil legal aid programs in the United States. Our mission is to achieve equal justice through creative and persistent civil legal advocacy that protects Delawareans’ most fundamental rights and secures access to basic needs. We have 80 staff members working in three offices across the state: Wilmington, Dover, and Georgetown.
CLASI’s Public Benefits Unit helps people to achieve economic stability by ensuring that low-income individuals and families can access critical supports, including food and cash assistance, health insurance, and disability benefits. We provide free legal assistance to people facing denials, reductions, or terminations of their benefits.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
-Provide direct services to clients in public benefits matters, including TANF, General Assistance, SNAP, LIHEAP, POC, Medicaid, Chip, SSI, Social Security Benefits under Title II, Medicare and other benefits (based upon need) issued by the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services or Social Security Administration.
-Provide representation and advocacy on systemic state and federal beneifts issues identified by CLASI and assist in identifying such issues. Advocacy may include litigation, legislative and administrative advocacy, serving on advisory groups or organizations, etc.
-Co-counsel and/or assist other legal services staff and private attorneys in cases in area(s) of specialization.
-Maintain a thorough knowledge of state and federal benefits law. Keep abreast of developments in the law.
-Maintain contacts with the most likely referral sources for benefits cases in Delaware.
-Supervise paralegals where appropriate.
-Conduct community education programs.
-Participate in appropriate training.
-Produce and distribute educational materials on benefits issues.
-Provide support on benefits cases for advocates in other CLASI units where appropriate.
CLASI is a unionized program with staff attorneys and non-lawyer advocates represented by a chapter of the National Organization of Legal Services Workers (NOLSW). Salary is based upon a negotiated pay scale with starting salary for a new attorney set at $80,574/per year and approximately $108,775 for an attorney with 10 years credited experience.
CLASI offers a generous contribution to retirement (up to 10% employer contribution to 403(b) plan), full health benefits for employee and family members, and liberal leave policies including 12 weeks paid parental leave. We also provide 10 weeks paid bar leave for those who need to sit for the Delaware Bar exam and cover the costs of bar preparation including a bar review course. Learn more about CLASI’s salary scale and benefits package here.
CLASI is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all laws governing fair hiring practices. We welcome applications from interested candidates of all backgrounds.
TO APPLY: Email a cover letter, resume, list of three references, and a writing sample (10 pages or less) to John Whitelaw, CLASI Advocacy Director, at jwhitelaw@declasi.org. Applicants with fewer than 10 years of experience should also include a law school transcript.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER