Staff Attorney – Family Law & Victim Advocacy Unit

Jacksonville Area Legal Aid (JALA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing legal assistance and advocacy for low-income individuals and families. We work to ensure access to justice and fair treatment in the areas of housing, consumer rights, family law, and other essential legal services.

JALA seeks an experienced family law attorney to provide civil legal services to veterans and active-duty service members in marital and family law matters.  This attorney will be assigned to JALA’s Family Law and Victim Advocacy Unit and will work closely with our Veteran Services Unit.  This is a full-time role representing eligible clients in matters such as dissolution of marriage, establishing and modifying child support, paternity, injunctions for protection, and related family law issues.  The position combines direct client representation, community outreach, and collaboration with veteran-serving organizations to address legal barriers affecting military and veteran families.

The attorney should have experience working with veterans/active-duty military and understand military/government retirement and related financial documents.  The attorney should be able to work with clients who have experienced or are currently experiencing trauma, as many veteran clients come to us with PTSD-related issues that are often compounded by or catalysts for their legal issues.  Those with prior military service will be strongly considered, though such service is not required.

What you get when you come to JALA

JALA is the premier litigation legal aid firm in the Southeastern United States.  We are mission-driven, and our team makes a difference in our community.  As a JALA employee, you can expect immediate hands-on experience interviewing and counseling clients as well as litigating cases in Federal and State court.  Staff can expect to take on challenging cases for our at-risk clients while being mentored and supported in taking on such cases.  While there is a premium placed on initiative and self-motivation, you can expect to be supervised by lawyers who are recognized as subject matter experts in their field (JALA is the only law firm in Florida with two Florida Bar Consumer Protection Lawyers of the Year on staff, for example). Our lawyers and paralegals regularly serve on local and statewide committees, and our lawyers have gone on to become hearing officers, magistrates, judges, and administrative law judges.  In addition to the opportunity to litigate early, our lawyers and staff are trusted as professionals - we have adopted a hybrid work environment (although not all positions are able to work remotely).  Regardless of what others may prefer, we embrace diversity and inclusion as a way to ensure we are the most prepared to offer the best and highest level of representation for clients, as this is what they deserve from us.

Salary/Benefits

Salary commensurate with experience - $75,000 minimum, if two years of experience.  Sign-on bonus.  Benefits package includes, but is not limited to, hybrid work model, medical, dental, vision, long-term disability insurance, group life insurance, 401(k) (match 100% of deferrals up to 6% of compensation), generous leave policy (13 paid holidays plus 22 personal leave days in first year, one-month sabbatical every four years), and membership in Access Perks, a private discount network.

To apply, submit a resume, a minimum of two professional references, and salary requirements.

All employees must clear Florida’s Level II background screening.  Information on the background screening process can be found at https://info.flclearinghouse.com/.

Jacksonville Area Legal Aid is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to creating an inclusive workplace.