Disability Rights Wisconsin

Location: Anywhere in Wisconsin. If the employee lives close to DRW’s
Milwaukee, Madison, or Rice Lake office, they will have the option to work
fully in-office or under a hybrid work arrangement. If the employee does not
live close to one of these offices, they will work fully remotely. Must be a
Wisconsin resident.

Application
Instructions:  Submit resume AND cover letter detailing your qualifications and experience
as they relate to the minimum and preferred qualifications.

For priority consideration apply online at http://www.disabilityrightswi.org/careers

Application deadline: 4:00 PM February 17, 2022. Position will remain
open until filled

What
is DRW? 

Disability Rights
Wisconsin is the state’s Protection and Advocacy system, charged with
protecting the rights of individuals with disabilities and keeping them free
from abuse and neglect. Employing a variety of means, our advocates and
attorneys use individual casework and systems advocacy to achieve positive
changes in the lives of people with disabilities and their families.  We
are seeking employees who value this work. In turn we treat our employees well,
offering a supportive environment, talented colleagues, excellent benefits, and
generous leave.

DRW arose out
of a disability civil rights movement demanding that the abuse of people with
disabilities end and that people with disabilities be included in life, school,
workplaces, and communities. Our core values include Diversity, Dignity,
Independence, Accessibility, Inclusion, Human Rights, and Liberation.

One of our
core values is diversity. A diversity-based approach to disability rights
recognizes the intersectional nature of oppression experienced by people with
disabilities from underprivileged and underserved communities. We strive to
create a welcoming and inclusive environment at DRW. We work to specifically
address disability-related injustices at the intersections of disability and
race, disability and gender, disability and gender-based violence, and more.

Job Summary

The
Staff Attorney for Employment/Civil Rights provides legal advice and advocacy
to end the disability employment gap in Wisconsin (the disparity in employment
opportunity between people with disabilities and their non-disabled peers) and
to advance the civil rights of individuals with disabilities.

The
attorney will primarily provide legal advice and advocacy to individual clients
who are making reasonable accommodation requests, responding to discriminatory
employment decisions, or attempting to access vocational rehabilitation
services from the state. Additional responsibilities will include conducting
outreach to the community and trainings on employment and civil rights laws.
The team covers a broad scope of civil rights laws. As need or interest arises,
the attorney may also conduct advocacy on issues of fair housing, education,
access to places of public accommodation, or the accessibility of state and
local government services.

Key Responsibilities

1.   Direct Legal Services to Individuals (80%)

·        
Provide
effective, empathetic, and timely legal advice, self-advocacy guidance, and/or
legal representation to individual clients with disabilities on reasonable
accommodations, employment discrimination, access to vocational rehabilitation
services, and other employment or civil rights laws

·        
Refer clients
to other legal and community resources on issues that are not eligible for
self-advocacy guidance or direct representation

·        
Maintain
current, professional, empathetic, and informed legal practices

2.  
Outreach,
Training, and Systems Advocacy (10%)

·        
Educate the
public, service providers, and community groups about the services provided by
Disability Rights Wisconsin and the process for seeking assistance on
employment and civil rights issues

·        
Train public and
private groups on reasonable accommodation law, employment anti-discrimination
protections, access to vocational rehabilitation services, and other employment
or civil rights laws

·        
Identify and
advocate for systemic changes related to barriers that have frequently surfaced
during individual direct legal services

3.   Programmatic and Administrative (10%)

·        
Collaborate
with colleagues across issue areas by providing individual consultation within
your areas of expertise, weekly team consultation, contribution to internal
committees or workgroups, and legal guidance for non-attorney advocates

·        
Assist in
preparation of annual program reporting required under federal grants

·        
Adhere to all
organizational policies, such as policies on confidentiality, records maintenance
and retention, and case opening and closing

·        
Perform other
duties as needed to achieve the administrative and programmatic objectives of
the team

·        
Some travel
will be required when the organization returns to in-person operations, such as
for trainings, meetings, or advocacy activities

Qualifications

Required:

·       
Law degree and license to practice law in
Wisconsin or ability to become licensed within six months of start date

·       
Ability to provide accurate, timely, and
empathetic legal advice and representation to clients experiencing stressful
circumstances

·       
Demonstrated commitment to racial justice,
economic justice, social justice, and/or disability justice

·       
Familiarity with laws governing reasonable
accommodation, employment discrimination, or other disability-based civil
rights protections, and ability to quickly develop working knowledge necessary
to provide legal advice and/or representation  

·       
Experience/direct contact with persons of
culturally diverse background

·       
Ability to fulfill administrative and
programmatic requirements, such as recordkeeping using basic computer skills

·       
Ability to pass federal background
investigation required by grant terms within six months of start date

Preferred:

• One-to-five
  years (or more) of experience providing legal advice and/or representation
• Personal
  or professional experience assisting people with disabilities in requests
  for reasonable accommodation
• Personal
  or professional experience assisting people to access vocational
  rehabilitation services, career development services, assistive
  technology, and/or other support systems or services
• Experience/familiarity
  with federal or state laws pertaining to reasonable accommodation,
  employment discrimination, and/or vocational rehabilitation
• Experience/familiarity
  with other civil rights laws, such as laws pertaining to fair housing,
  special education, access to places of public accommodation, and/or access
  to state and local government services
• Experience
  conducting trainings, community outreach, or policy advocacy, especially
  on issues related to civil rights, disability, or employment
• Affinity
  with or connections to underserved communities that experience barriers to
  equal opportunity

Benefits

Disability Rights Wisconsin places a
high value on the well-being of our staff. We offer the following benefits for
permanent employees working at least 20 hours per week: health, vision, dental,
and life insurance; short- and long-term disability; 401(k) retirement savings
plan with employer contribution, and flex spending plan. Paid time off includes
generous holiday, vacation, personal and medical leave, as well as time for
volunteering and voting.

During
the COVID-19 pandemic, DRW staff are working from their homes. Staff will return
to working in our office locations on February 28, 2022.

A COVID-19 vaccine mandate is in place
for all employees. A copy of the policy can be requested by emailing hr@drwi.org

EEO/AA | We're an equal opportunity employer. All
applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color,
religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran,
or disability status.