Equal Justice Works Crime Victims Advocacy Fellow

Rio Grande Valley – El Paso

All candidates should include in the application materials a reference to all prior work experience to aid with the placement on TRLA’s salary scale.


Texas RioGrande Legal Aid’s Domestic Violence/Family Law Team seeks diverse and dynamic applicants for one 24-month, full-time attorney position at TRLA as an Equal Justice Works Fellow in the Crime Victims Advocacy Program in either the Rio Grande Valley or El Paso.

TRLA provides free civil legal services to residents in 68 Southwest Texas counties. TRLA attorneys specialize in more than 45 practice areas, including family, employment, foreclosure, bankruptcy, subsidized housing, farmworker, civil rights, and environmental law. With about 200 lawyers, TRLA operates one of the largest legal services programs in the country and is nationally recognized for high-quality, zealous advocacy for its clients.

TRLA has been competitively selected by Equal Justice Works as an implementing partner of Equal Justice Works’ Crime Victims Advocacy Program (CVAP). Despite the significant expansion of victim assistance services and resources in recent years, access to high-quality civil legal services and victims’ rights enforcement remains limited, especially for Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) and other underserved individuals. The Crime Victims Advocacy Program will increase legal assistance to crime victims in BIPOC communities by mobilizing and training a network of committed attorney and law student Fellows.

 

The Crime Victims Advocacy Program will:

  • support a national cohort of 21 attorney Fellows and 21 summer law student Fellows working at selected host organizations across the country,

  • expand the capacity of participating host organizations to provide legal assistance to victims of crime in underserved BIPOC communities, including civil legal assistance and legal assistance on victims’ rights enforcement.

As a Fellow, you will be part of a prestigious cohort of CVAP attorneys hosted by legal services organizations across the United States. As a Fellow, you will develop experience and skills to be a leader in social justice while contributing to a broader community of practice.

Fellowship responsibilities include:

  • Providing civil legal assistance with rights enforcement for eligible clients in underserved BIPOC communities in a client-centered, trauma-informed practice.

  • Collaborating with local agencies and community partners, including domestic violence and sexual assault survivor centers, and when appropriate, conduct outreach, education, and partnership-building activities.

  • Protecting and enforcing victims’ rights on behalf of clients.

  • Building key stakeholder relationships in furtherance of the fellowship objectives.

  • Engaging in peer-to-peer learning as part of the Equal Justice Works Crime Victims.

  • Actively contributing to and participating in Crime Victims Advocacy Program cohort activities (resource exchanges; mandatory webinars and conference calls; and in-person trainings including Equal Justice Works Leadership Development Training in Washington DC in Oct/Nov 2023 and 2024).

  • Demonstrating leadership as an Equal Justice Works fellow.

  • Contributing to required programmatic reporting.

 

QUALIFICATIONS AND PREFERENCES

TRLA is seeking candidates who are committed to providing justice for those who need it most. The candidate must be licensed to practice law in Texas or willing to take the next available Texas bar exam and maintain continuing legal education requirements.

  • Previous legal services experience, including civil legal aid, law school clinics, and internships. Experience in family law litigation and working with survivors of trauma, including in a law school clinic setting, is preferred. 

  • Proven leadership skills with a strong work ethic.

  • Demonstrate commitment to social justice, with a desire to increase access to justice for victims of crime and achieve results.

  • Outstanding verbal and written communication. Experience with delivering training and presentations a plus.

  • Alignment with Equal Justice Works and TRLA’s mission, vision, and values.

  • Exceptional interpersonal and organizational skills, including the ability to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary setting to facilitate a coordinated community response and provide holistic services to clients.

  • Self-motivated, and able to work independently.

  • Written and oral fluency in the Spanish language preferred.

  • Local travel to multiple Texas counties is expected.

Please note Fellows must commit to fulfilling the twenty-four-month fellowship and will sign a Fellowship Agreement with Equal Justice Works.

SALARY AND OTHER BENEFITS

The Equal Justice Works Crime Victims Advocacy Program attorney salary is commensurate with experience and includes an excellent fringe benefits package including law school loan repayment. 

APPLICATION PROCESS

Step One -- Apply here. Include the following attachments:

  • Statement of Interest

  • Resume

  • Writing sample

  • References

Step Two -- Selected applicants will be contacted for a telephone interview, or virtual or in-person interview, depending on a variety of factors.

Step Three -- Depending on the circumstances, some selected applicants will be invited to virtually meet with staff.

Step Four -- Selected applicants will be offered a position.

TRLA is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to an equitable workplace.

Application Deadline: July 1, 2023, but candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.