Staff Attorney

POSITION TITLE: Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. (CLASI) Staff Attorney 

START DATE: Rolling (law school graduates as well as current 3Ls are invited to apply) 

SALARY: Commensurate with experience and CLASI’s collective bargaining agreement; excellent benefits. (Details on salary scale and benefits package can be found here.) 

REPORTS TO: Managing Attorneys, Supervising Attorneys 

LOCATION: One of CLASI’s three Delaware offices (Wilmington, Dover, or Georgetown) 

CONTEXT OF POSITION: CLASI hires for staff attorney positions on a rolling basis, and anticipates adding multiple positions in 2026. We are looking for candidates who have flexible interests and skills because grant funding, staff turnover, and organizational needs may require us to determine the program/unit assignment closer to the start date. We will guarantee geographic/home office location at the time of offer. 

ABOUT US: 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 combat injustice through creative and persistent civil legal advocacy on behalf of vulnerable and underserved Delawareans. We have 80 staff members working in three offices across the state: Wilmington, Dover, and Georgetown. 

CLASI provides free legal representation to people with disabilities, people age 60 or over, people with low incomes, and victims of crime and discrimination to help our clients obtain shelter, government benefits, educational services, medical services, orders of protection from abuse, legal immigration status, and other civil legal remedies. We have the following units and programs: 

  • Disability Rights Delaware (the state’s designated Protection and Advocacy system for people with disabilities) 
  • Programa de Derecho de la Tercera Edad 
  • Unidad de Representación Familiar 
  • Programa de colaboración médico-legal 
  • Unidad de Violencia Doméstica 
  • Unidad de Vivienda 
  • Unidad de Inmigración 
  • Unidad de Prestaciones Públicas 

In addition to providing representation in individual cases, CLASI attorneys work for systemic change through impact litigation, community education, and legislative and policy advocacy. Learn more here: CLASI Programs and Units at a Glance 

CLASI is a diverse, inclusive, collaborative workplace, and we are proud of our supportive, collegial work environment. Our passionate, mission-driven attorneys are experts in their fields. They are deeply committed to our clients and to mentoring the next generation of public interest attorneys. We provide extensive training and professional development opportunities to our staff. 

We are a unionized program with a bargained salary scale. The entry-level salary is $­­­77,475 for attorneys, scaled up based on prior relevant experience, with increases each year. We also offer a very competitive benefits package. Learn more here: Working at CLASI Overview 

For those who need to take the Delaware Bar, we offer a unique bar exam preparation program providing 10 weeks of paid leave to study for exam. We also pay for all costs associated with applying, studying, and sitting for the bar (including the Bar/Bri review course) and with maintaining bar membership. 

RESPONSIBILITIES: 

  • Provide direct legal services to clients and advocate on behalf of clients in court/litigation, administrative hearings, and various other venues. 
  • Supervise paralegal(s). 
  • Engage in community education. 
  • Assist in drafting and analyzing legislation, regulations, and policies. 
  • Engage in impact/systemic litigation/advocacy. 
  • Other duties as assigned depending on funding and needs. 
     

QUALIFICATIONS: 

  • Admission to the Delaware bar preferred.  If not admitted, admission to bar of another state preferred.  If not admitted in Delaware, must be eligible to take the next scheduled Delaware Bar Examination and meet admission requirements including character and fitness. 
  • Legal Services and/or Protection & Advocacy experience strongly preferred. 
  • Interest in and knowledge of the legal issues affecting individuals with low or no income and individuals with disabilities required. 
  • Two-year commitment required. 
  • Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing. 
  • Ability to undertake legal analysis. 
  • Ability to communicate effectively in Spanish, both orally and in writing, helpful but not required. 
  • Commitment to working with marginalized populations and sensitivity to their needs. 
  • Ability and willingness to make effective public presentations. 
  • Strong organizational skills and attention to detail. 
  • Ability to travel across the state and work evenings and weekends occasionally for out-of-office training sessions, agency-related meetings, and community education presentations. 
  • Strong computer skills, including ability to use Microsoft Word, Outlook, etc. 
  • Ability to handle multiple projects and prioritize tasks to meet deadlines. 
  • Ability to work both independently and in collaboration with others.  
  • Ability to accept constructive criticism, willingness to engage in continuous training, supervision, and evaluation. 

TO APPLY: Please email a cover letter and resume to attorneyjobs@declasi.org.

CLASI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

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