Employment Opportunities
We Currently Have Employment Opportunities
EFE requires full COVID-19 vaccination compliance including booster.
Criminal Systems & Re-entry STAFF ATTORNEY
(Focus on People with Disabilities Impacted by Incarceration)
JOB SUMMARY
This staff attorney position is funded by the Illinois Access to Justice program to provide civil rights advocacy for individuals impacted by incarceration including specifically to overcome barriers to re-entry. Responsibilities include:
- Outreach to other stakeholders and allies, as well as services providers and correctional systems to identify and assist people with disabilities to successfully return to their communities
- Conducting interviews and providing written and telephone advice to people with disabilities, family members and providers
- Oral and written advocacy and negotiations on issues including access to programs to assist people to get release; petitioning for early release; and on legal issues upon release
- Direct representation people with disabilities who are incarcerated or upon re-entry have civil legal issues on a variety of issues including program access, housing, employment and healthcare
- Identifying systemic barriers to the successful re-entry by people with disabilities and advocacy to address those barriers
- Training on the legal rights of people with disabilities
This position reports to the Managing Attorney of the Criminal Legal Systems Team.
REQUIREMENTS AND PREFERRED EXPERIENCE
- A law degree and license
- Minimum of 3 years criminal or civil legal experience
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- Experience with and/or commitment to working with low income and diverse client populations
- Travel required throughout the State, including to correctional facilities (adjusted as necessary due to COVID-19 restrictions)
- Demonstrated commitment to civil rights
- Personal or professional experience with people with disabilities
- Spanish language fluency is a plus
- This position can be located in the Chicago or Springfield office
- All EFE staff must be fully vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19
- Equip for Equality encourages qualified candidates of all backgrounds and identities to apply for this position.
Application Deadline, How to Apply, Compensation and Benefits
Application Deadline is June 22, 2022. Please Include salary expectations in cover letter. Salary is commensurate with experience and EFE offers excellent benefits.
Apply online: Staff Attorney – Civil Rights
Resumes without cover letters will not be considered.
Because Equip for Equality is a community-serving organization and safety is of the utmost importance, Equip for Equality requires a background check for employees and others who volunteer or perform services for us depending on the role. The background check is run for employees once a conditional offer of employment has been extended. Background checks are conducted in accordance with all applicable laws, EFE’s policy, and paid for by EFE. A disclosed record may not automatically disqualify a candidate from employment.
Do you need a reasonable accommodation for our application process?
Equip for Equality is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the application process, please contact Human Resources at hiring@equipforequality.org and provide the nature of your request and your contact information. Disability related information that is disclosed via the application process will be kept confidential.
We have volunteer opportunities!
Did you know you can volunteer or have an unpaid internship with EFE? Students and professionals can volunteer by providing general office help or through internships with our technology department, human resources and other areas of our state-wide non-profit organization. (If you’re an attorney, law student or law school graduate, please read about our Pro Bono Attorney and Law Student Initiative which offers an opportunity to help with our disability rights cases and obtain hands-on legal advocacy experience. You can also learn about Public Interest career opportunities at Illinois Legal Aid OnLine.) For information about our volunteer and unpaid internship opportunities for non-attorneys, please contact LaJune Davis-Wiley (see contact information below).
Learn about our Voting Access Chicago project and help us make Chicago’s polling places ADA accessible for people with disabilities and older adults. For volunteer opportunities, please contact Bebe Novich.
Organizational Background
For nearly 35 years, Equip for Equality has been advancing the human and civil rights of people with disabilities across Illinois. Among our many accomplishments, Equip for Equality has made Chicago public transportation more accessible, helped tens of thousands of people with disabilities move from institutions into the community, increased inclusive education and educational outcomes for students with disabilities, and enhanced safety and quality of care in a variety of settings. We have offices throughout Illinois.
Equip for Equality has three Programs: the Civil Rights Team, the Special Education Clinic, and the Abuse Investigation Unit. EFE has a dedicated staff of 59 attorneys, social workers, and administrative staff working every day to advance our mission. As we work to improve society’s inclusion of individuals with disabilities, we also strive to be an inclusive, diverse, and welcoming workplace.
Background Checks
Because Equip for Equality is a community-serving organization and safety is of the utmost importance, Equip for Equality requires a background check for employees and others who volunteer or perform services for us depending on the role. The background check is run for employees once a conditional offer of employment has been extended. Background checks are conducted in accordance with all applicable laws, EFE’s policy, and paid for by EFE. A disclosed record may not automatically disqualify a candidate from employment.
We are an equal opportunity employer.
We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to disability, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics. View the Department of Labor’s “EEO is The Law” poster for more information about how employers must comply with Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws.
Do you need a reasonable accommodation for our application process?
Equip for Equality is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the application process, please see the Contact Person below to let them know the nature of your request and your contact information. Disability related information disclosed via the application process will be kept confidential.
LaJune Davis-Wiley, Senior Director of Human Resources
Equip for Equality
20 N. Michigan, Suite 300
Chicago, IL 60602
Phone: 312-895-7333
Fax: 312-541-2378
- Learn about our Pro Bono Attorney and Law Student Initiative, which provides volunteer opportunities for attorneys, law students and law school graduates.
- Read about some of our case work involving employment discrimination, guardianship, abuse and neglect or special education.
- Sign up for our newsletter.
Last updated: May 26, 2022