Medical Legal Community Partnership Attorney

BACKGROUND: Philadelphia Legal Assistance’s Medical-Legal-Community Partnership (MLCP) integrates legal advocates into public health settings to meet the health-harming legal needs of patients. Core to the model is the co-location of an inter-professional team of healthcare providers, social workers and legal staff, who collaborate in a hands-on, consistent manner to meet the complex, inter-related needs of underserved populations.

The MLCP Attorney will work in collaboration with the healthcare team to address the legal aspects of patients’ medical and social service needs that so often undermine access to care. The MLCP Attorney will provide generalist legal services, in the areas of health insurance access and income supports, Public Benefits (Medicaid denials, etc), housing safety and security, utility shutoff prevention, family stability and child welfare issues, domestic violence and other health-harming legal issues. This position includes work with a pediatric patient population which frequently presents legal needs in the areas of children’s SSI, special education and housing conditions.

Philadelphia Legal Assistance (PLA) currently operates an MLCP in order to provide collaborative, free legal assistance to patients on-site at locations throughout the city. We are currently seeking an attorney to work at Health Center 6 at 321 West Girard Avenue, Philadelphia PA 19123, although other placements may become available. This position is in person at Health Center 6 Monday through Thursday, with the option of remote work on Fridays, and works closely with a team of health care providers, behavioral health specialists and social workers.

Applicants will need access to a phone and internet connection for remote work; a laptop will be provided. MLCP staff who are working on site have all received COVID vaccinations.

QUALIFICATIONS: PLA seeks a candidate for the position of MLCP Attorney with the following qualifications:

• Law degree and admission to a PA Bar, or a willingness to take the PA bar exam (when available). Candidates of all levels will be considered.
• Fluency in Spanish strongly preferred.
• Flexibility to work in multiple physical locations and a variety of work spaces.
• Demonstrated commitment to providing sensitive, respectful, culturally competent, trauma-informed appropriate legal aid to patients of diverse backgrounds.
• Demonstrated passionate commitment to providing high-quality legal advocacy and representation for low-income, culturally diverse populations.
• Demonstrated collaborative approach to legal service delivery, including delivery of legal services in conjunction with other types of professional services.
• Very strong communication skills.

RESPONSIBILITIES: PLA seeks a candidate for the position of MLCP Attorney, who will assume the following responsibilities:

• Provide legal consultation and direct representation to patients referred by health center staff (physicians, nurses, social workers, public benefits counselors, and other staff).
• Research rights and available benefits for clients.
• Collaborate with Health Center administrators, providers and staff to:
• Work toward achieving full integration of legal staff into healthcare team through consistent contact, communication and collaboration to advance patient health, using a team-based approach;
• Identify health patterns that warrant policy change and advocate to change to improve the patients’ and community’s health;
• Help plan and coordinate trainings for health center staff on substantive medical-legal issues;
• Participate in all health center staff activities, including staff meetings and retreats.
• Supervise paralegals and National Health Corp volunteers as needed.
• Engage in systems advocacy efforts with other legal aid and public health organizations.
• Track cases through a web-based legal case management system and assure entry of data necessary for program evaluation.
• Communicate and collaborate regularly with the MLCP Supervisor about case acceptance, case strategy and operational and other programmatic issues.

Philadelphia Legal Assistance (PLA) is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applicants of all backgrounds to apply. PLA does not discriminate in the selection of employees on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, sexual identity, genetics, age, national origin, disability, or veteran status. In addition to federal law requirements, PLA complies with all applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall and transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

PLA offers a generous benefit package in addition to salary: health insurance premiums paid in full for employee and family, cash incentives for health insurance opt out, vacation, personal, and sick leave, thirteen (13) paid holidays, 403(b) retirement plan with employer contribution based on years of service, paid parental leave, life insurance and short and long- term disability benefits.

Fluency in Spanish strongly preferred.