Southeast Louisiana Legal Services (SLLS) is a non-profit law firm serving the 22 parishes east of the Atchafalaya basin. We provide free civil legal aid to low-income households.
Our attorneys serve this region from offices in Baton Rouge, Covington, Gretna, Hammond, Houma, and New Orleans. SLLS has received national and local awards for its outstanding work.
HOUSING UNIT – NEW ORLEANS OFFICE
Our Housing Law Unit represents residential tenants, who are struggling with housing insecurity, and helps to stabilize their housing and enforce their rights. In 2022, Orleans Parish passed a city ordinance providing any residential tenant facing eviction the right to an attorney. For this purpose, the City turned to SLLS to provide quality representation to these tenants. Our Housing Unit’s Right to Counsel (RtC) team defends tenants against evictions, subsidy terminations, illegal lockouts, and other housing issues that might lead to displacement. Strategies to accomplish the goal of the project include direct representation, education and outreach, operation of Eviction Help Desks, social services assistance and connection to resources, as well as strategic impact advocacy. Our RtC program partners with the Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center and Jane Place Neighborhood Sustainability Initiative. Our RtC team includes attorneys, legal assistants, paralegals, and social workers. We’re currently looking for the following:
STAFF ATTORNEY – RtC PROGRAM
Staff Attorneys handle a caseload of Orleans Parish landlord-tenant cases, including providing advice and brief services; representing clients regularly in First City and Second City Courts and assisting with staffing the Eviction Help Desks; defending against subsidy terminations; as well as, assisting with case compliance and reporting, supporting advocacy goals, and other duties as needed. This position is in the SLLS New Orleans.
The ideal candidates will be able to demonstrate:
Full-time staff attorney positions require admission to practice law in Louisiana. Starting salary is $54,563 - $81,563, based on years of experience, e.g., 0-1 years and increases on the candidate’s experience. Spanish-English bilingualism receives extra compensation. Fifteen years is the maximum starting salary. Additional compensation for bilingualism, the additional language must be needed for the program.
SLLS full-time employees are prohibited from engaging in the outside practice of law.
SLLS does offer reimbursement of moving expenses.
To apply, send a cover letter and resume to Shannan Latino, SLLS Human Resources Manager, at slatino@slls.org.
SUMMER LAW CLERK – RtC PROGRAM
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE STAFF ATTORNEY, Baton Rouge
This Staff Attorney will handle cases for domestic violence survivors and family law cases.
The ideal attorney candidates will be able to demonstrate:
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
J.D. or LL.B. degree from an accredited law school
Licensed to practice law in Louisiana
These positions will be full-time with a salary range of $54,563 - $81,563, depending on experience, e.g., 0-1 years, and increases on the candidate’s experience. Fifteen years is the maximum starting salary. Additional compensation for bilingualism, the additional language must be needed for the program.
SLLS full-time employees are prohibited from engaging in the outside practice of law.
SLLS does offer reimbursement of moving expenses.
Full-time staff attorney positions require admission to practice law in Louisiana. Starting salary is $54,563 - $81,563, based on years of experience, e.g., 0-1 years is $50,000 and increases on the candidate’s experience. Spanish-English bilingualism receives extra compensation.
To apply, send your resume to Shannan Latino, HR Manager, at SLatino@slls.org.
STAFF ATTORNEY – HOUSING, New Orleans
This Staff Attorney will service clients in the following parishes: Orleans, Jefferson, and St. Bernard. Handling housing-related cases such as eviction, and assisting staff at the eviction desks.
The ideal attorney candidates will be able to demonstrate:
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
J.D. or LL.B. degree from an accredited law school
Licensed to practice law in Louisiana
These positions will be full-time with a salary range of $54,563 - $81,563, depending on experience, e.g., 0-1 years, and increases on the candidate’s experience. Fifteen years is the maximum starting salary. Additional compensation for bilingualism, the additional language must be needed for the program.
SLLS full-time employees are prohibited from engaging in the outside practice of law.
SLLS does offer reimbursement of moving expenses.
To apply, send your resume and a cover letter to Shannan Latino, HR Manager, at SLatino@slls.org.
STAFF ATTORNEY – HOUSING AND EVICTION, Baton Rouge
This Staff Attorney will handle Baton Rouge eviction cases for clients at Baton Rouge City Court and Justice of the Peace Courts. In addition, throughout the Greater Baton Rouge area cases involving landlord and tenant disputes.
The ideal attorney candidates will be able to demonstrate:
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
J.D. or LL.B. degree from an accredited law school
Licensed to practice law in Louisiana
These positions will be full-time with a salary range of $54,563 - $81,563, depending on experience, e.g., 0-1 years, and increases on the candidate’s experience. Fifteen years is the maximum starting salary. Additional compensation for bilingualism, the additional language must be needed for the program.
SLLS full-time employees are prohibited from engaging in the outside practice of law.
To apply, send your resume to Shannan Latino, HR Manager, at SLatino@slls.org.
CONTRACT ATTORNEY – Child in Need of Care (CINC) Unit
SLLS is seeking CINC contract attorney(s) for up to 25 hours per week to represent children in court in abuse/neglect proceedings in the following parishes:
Terrebonne (Houma), Lafourche (Thibodaux), Jefferson, St. Bernard, St. John, St. Charles, St. James, Ascension, and Assumption.
Contract attorney positions require admission to practice law in Louisiana and for the attorney to be in good standing with the Louisiana State Bar Association. The selected candidate must be certified to handle CINC cases which requires a six-hour training offered online and on-demand before any cases can be assigned. Additional training will be offered by SLLS and/or other partners. CINC cases are different than any other area of law and are governed by the children’s code. CINC attorneys directly represent the wishes of the child to the other parties/stakeholders in cases. Contract attorneys are paid for time spent in training, handling cases, reporting information, time spent on administrative duties, and time spent for travel back and forth to court. The hourly rate is $35 per hour for CINC attorneys. Mileage is excluded from the hourly rate.
To apply, please send a resume to Shannan Latino at slatino@slls.org. In an e-mail, please indicate which parish(es) you will accept CINC case referrals per the above list.
HOUSING SOCIAL WORKER - Baton Rouge
The Housing Law Unit Social Worker provides social work services for greater Baton Rouge and Hammond tenants in collaboration with the SLLS Housing Law Unit defense team. SLLS’ Housing Law Unit provides intensive, individualized and holistic representation to clients facing eviction, termination from housing assistance programs, and/or other housing instability with the goal of preventing eviction/loss of housing, helping stabilize families, and ensuring access to safe and healthy housing. The social worker assists attorneys in diverting eviction, preventing homelessness, and supporting housing stability.
This position will be in the Baton Rouge office, meet with clients in the Hammond office, and be eligible for remote-hybrid schedule.
Qualifications required:
Must have a master’s degree in social work from an accredited school of social work and two years of professional direct social service experience, Licensure as a Licensed Master’s Social Worker (LMSW) or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) by the Louisiana State Board of Social Work Examiners.
Preferred qualifications:
The salary range for SLLS Social Worker is $45,469 - $76,875 depending on licensure and experience. Additional compensation for fluency in one or more languages other than English and regularly used in the position.
To apply please email your resume to the SLLS H.R. Manager, Shannan Latino, at slatino@slls.org.
STAFF ATTORNEY – DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS, N.O./FJC
This position will be in New Orleans at the Family Justice Center, serving domestic violence victims through a grant from the City of New Orleans. The attorney will handle protective orders, divorce, and/or custody cases for domestic violence survivors in Orleans, Lafourche, or Terrebonne Parishes.
The ideal candidates will be able to demonstrate:
Full-time staff attorney positions require admission to practice law in Louisiana. Starting salary is $54,563 - $81,563, based on years of experience, e.g., 0-1 years is $54,563 and increases on the candidate’s experience. Spanish-English bilingualism receives extra compensation.
SLLS full-time employees are prohibited from engaging in the outside practice of law.
To apply, please send your resume to Shannan Latino, slatino@slls.org
VETERANS & INNOVATIVE PROJECTS UNIT – STAFF ATTORNEY, New Orleans
Staff attorney will provide legal representation, advocacy and community legal education to veterans impacted by Hurricane Ida in the greater New Orleans area. This new staff attorney will work closely with SLLS' Veterans Justice Fellow and our veteran service agencies who refer veterans to SLLS for legal services. The new attorney will help support our VA Medical Center Medical-Legal Partnership, our outreach efforts with partners, and building relationships with potential partners.
SUPERVISION RECEIVED:
Staff Attorneys supervise the support staff on work the attorney assigns to them, and as delegated by the Managing Attorney.
The ideal attorney candidates will be able to demonstrate:
Full-time staff attorney positions require admission to practice law in Louisiana. Starting salary is $54,563 - $81,563, based on years of experience, e.g., 0-1 years is $54,563 and increases on the candidate’s experience. Spanish-English bilingualism receives extra compensation.
SLLS full-time employees are prohibited from engaging in the outside practice of law.
To apply, send a resume to Shannan Latino, Human Resources Manager, at slatino@slls.org