For over 50 years, Legal Aid Chicago has provided free civil legal assistance to people living in poverty in metropolitan Chicago. Each year our attorneys, volunteers, and staff help resolve civil legal problems, including domestic violence, consumer fraud, and unfair evictions. Legal Aid Chicago was founded on the philosophy that all individuals are entitled to quality civil legal representation, regardless of their income. We work to ensure that poverty is not an impediment to justice by dismantling the legal barriers that perpetuate inequality. Legal Aid Chicago staff live our mission through our core values of equity, excellence, inclusion, kindness, and respect.

Position: Legal Aid Chicago seeks a full time, bilingual (Spanish/English) Social Worker to be a part of its Client Support Services department (CSS). CSS staff are part of an interdisciplinary legal services model, working with attorneys and paralegals to provide holistic services to Legal Aid Chicago clients to increase their stability and achieve success in their case. This position will be dedicated to supporting survivors of human trafficking and will work closely with our Trafficking Survivors Assistance Project (TSAP). Our TSAP team provides comprehensive legal services to survivors throughout the state on a broad range of issues including immigration, employment, housing, safety, and parentage. The Social Worker reports to a Supervisory Social Worker.

Responsibilities:

• Assess client needs and link them to appropriate services, such as rental assistance, self-help services, community mental health services, job and housing services
• Advocate for and support clients’ interaction with service providers, caseworkers, and others, including independent review of reports, treatment plans, and other materials issued by social services agencies
• Consult with Legal Aid Chicago attorneys and staff on behalf of clients, including analysis of social work and mental health issues impacting clients, and identification of services to resolve issues which arise during the legal representation
• Conduct follow up with other agencies and service providers to ensure compliance with agreed upon or court-ordered services and treatment
• Participate in case acceptance and case evaluation meetings with legal staff
• Assist other staff in making informed decisions about case management issues, including assessing client’s capacity to benefit from proposed services
• Conduct independent research on issues relating to clients’ needs and other social service issues and social science research to assist legal staff in understanding larger, systemic issues impacting our client population
• Conduct in-house training and education for staff on mental health, social work and other issues
• Participate in community legal education for client groups and service providers
• Supervise social work internship students
• Assist with grant reporting, as applicable
• Perform such other duties as are reasonably related to the duties of the Social Worker as may be assigned from time to time by the supervisor

Salary: Commensurate with experience. Legal Aid Chicago offers a comprehensive benefits package, including low-cost employer-paid health plan options, employer-provided group life and long-term disability insurance, fitness center access, generous paid time off, and much more.

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Social Work
• Spanish fluency required
• Experience and competence working with people from diverse backgrounds including but not limited to race, gender, culture, age, language, and ability level
• Dedication to working in an interdisciplinary setting with a strong commitment to collaboration and teamwork;
• Commitment to social justice
• Excellent oral and written skills
• Internet and computer skills, including familiarity with Microsoft Office
• Preferred applicants will have experience working with survivors of trafficking, domestic violence, and/or trauma, a license in social work (LSW/LCSW), access to a car and a valid driver’s license

To Apply: Cover letter, resume, transcript (unofficial ok), and the contact information of two professional references are required to apply.

Legal Aid Chicago is firmly committed to creating a diverse workplace and is proud to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and therefore does not discriminate on the basis of creed, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age religion, marital or parental status, alienage, disability, political affiliation or belief, military or military discharge status, or ex-offender status. Applicants who have experiences with our client communities are encouraged to apply.