Location
Seattle, WA | United States
Job description
Help ensure that everyone who needs public benefits can access them.
Job Summary
The Benefits Attorney provides civil legal representation in administrative and Superior Court hearings, and advice and dispute resolution services to low-income persons who have had public benefits denied, terminated, or reduced. The Benefits Attorney also conducts community outreach and provides training for community agencies around public assistance benefits.
Essential Responsibilities, Duties & Tasks
- DSHS Benefits: Provide legal representation and dispute resolution for DSHS benefits clients including interviewing, investigation, review of case files, preparation of witnesses, settlement negotiation and administrative hearing representation. Research, write and file appeals with the Board of Appeals and King County Superior Court on behalf of clients as needed.
- Public Assistance: Provide information and legal advice regarding public assistance programs to callers and walk-in clients. Make referrals to other community resources. Instruct and provide materials to clients who proceed without representation.
- Community Outreach: Conduct client outreach and community trainings, including providing information and advice to other community and legal service programs. Develop collaboration with other legal and social service providers, including developing sites for video telephone technology for client interviews. Prepare fact sheets, referral information and other materials for trainings and for the use of other agencies and clients.
- Management: Hire, supervise, evaluate, and train legal interns and volunteers working with the program. Provide necessary support through regular staff meetings and identify and schedule trainings and workshops to enhance skills.
- Public Benefits: Provide technical assistance to the Basic Needs Program Manager around public benefits policy changes. This includes, but is not limited to legal research, helping to develop innovative policy solutions, and legislative testimony.
- Record Keeping: Maintain internal record keeping systems including client files, intakes, client logs, closing memoranda. Prepare monthly statistical reports and other outcome documentation for program reports.
- Teamwork: Represent agency in meetings, coalitions and task forces relating to public benefits issues and clients, including state and county public benefits meetings. Participate in program, department and agency-wide meetings and committees as required.
The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.
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