Open Positions at Florida Legal Services

Job Description: 

• Status: Full-time, exempt

• Location: Hybrid Remote serving clients statewide with physical offices in Newberry, FL and Orlando, FL. Ability to meet with clients, conduct community outreach, and attend hearings regularly is required.

• Education Requirements: Juris Doctorate Degree

• License/Certification Requirements: Admission to Florida Bar

Job Summary: 

Florida Legal Services (FLS) is currently seeking a highly skilled and motivated attorney to represent families and children facing barriers to safety-net public benefits, including health coverage, Food Assistance, TANF, and SSDI & SSI benefits for individuals with disabilities.

The Public Benefits attorney provides a wide range of civil legal assistance to families at risk of losing safety-net benefits intended to meet basic needs and provide economic stability, including legal advice and assistance with determining eligibility and applying for services, assistance with navigating the enrollment process and accessing entitled benefits, and representation in the agency appeal process for benefits wrongly denied. Services are provided throughout Florida both remotely and in person.  

Key Responsibilities:

Direct Legal Assistance:

• Provide high-quality legal representation to families with children facing barriers to safety-net public benefits.

• Conduct client interviews, assess legal needs, and develop appropriate legal strategies.

• Handle a caseload of matters, including appeals of benefits eligibility decisions through the appropriate agency review process.

Volunteer Coordination and Community Education:

• Develop and strengthen relationships with partners, community organizations, and impact communities serving families in need of safety-net public benefits .

• Prepare and deliver “know your rights” information to families eligible for safety-net public benefits.

• Conduct legal screening and legal analysis to determine cases best suited for pro bono placement.

• Place cases with pro bono attorneys and build relationships between Florida Legal Services and the pro bono community.

• Develop and maintain pro bono resources, sample filings, and practice guides.

Required Qualifications: 

• Juris Doctorate Degree with 1-3 years legal experience, experience with appeals of administrative agency actions or demonstrated experience with public benefits work preferred.

• Admission to The Florida Bar.

• Excellent oral advocacy, legal research and writing skills.

• Bilingual (English/Spanish), preferred.

• Demonstrated commitment to advocating for clients in a respectful and empowering way.

• Highly organized and innovative thinker.

• Strong oral advocacy, legal research, and writing skills.

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work with diverse populations.

• Problem-solving and analytical skills.

• Effectively manage multiple projects and meet deadlines.

• Ability to work independently, be adaptable and reliable in adversarial systems.

• Initiative to work independently and ability to collaborate as part of a team.

• Valid driver’s license.

• Ability to travel, including overnight travel.

• Knowledge of low-income issues.

• Experience using LegalServer (or similar computer-based case management system) and Google Suite software platform is a plus.

• Commitment to work and learn in a technology-based distributed office environment.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary: Salary will be sent depending on experience, very competitive with public interest opportunities.

FLS offers an excellent benefits package including 17 paid holidays a year, generous paid time off and family leave policies, and fully-paid medical, dental, life, and vision insurance for employees.

Florida Legal Services, Inc. (FLS) seeks a Fair Housing Outreach Advocate to join our energetic and enthusiastic team working on housing discrimination issues. While we work across the entire state, our fair housing work is focused on counties in North Central Florida. FLS is a statewide non-profit legal aid program providing free civil legal assistance to clients across Florida. FLS is a leader in advancing economic, social, and racial justice. We advocate for poor, vulnerable, and hard to reach people through impact litigation, legislative and administrative advocacy, education, and strategic partnerships.

Status: Exempt, Full-time Staff Member

Location: Flexible; Remote with work from office locations in Newberry, FL and Orlando, FL

Supervisor: Fair Housing Supervising Attorney

Language Requirements: Bilingual, Fluency in Spanish

Education Requirements: Bachelor’s Degree

JOB SUMMARY: Provides advocacy support for the FLS Fair Housing Project by developing community partnerships, conducting fair housing outreach and education, and interacting with potential victims of housing discrimination.

RESPONSIBILITIES include:

• Facilitating and conducting fair housing outreach and education (in English and Spanish), with a focus on immigrant communities

• Conducting intake interviews of persons alleging housing discrimination

• Assisting with drafting and referring housing discrimination complaints to HUD or substantially equivalent agencies, DOJ, attorneys, and other enforcement agencies

• Assisting with drafting and revising training, education, and outreach materials, in English and Spanish

• Distributing printed fair housing materials, such as brochures or flyers, to project partners, community partners, housing providers, and the general public

• Participating in regular Fair Housing Project meetings 

• Assists with the development of project partners and collaborative efforts such as co-hosting workshops and community outreach events.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:

• Salary will be set depending on experience, very competitive with public interest opportunities. 

• Opportunities for seniority and leadership are commensurate with experience and more experienced applicants are encouraged to apply.

• FLS offers an excellent benefits package including 17 paid holidays a year, generous paid time off and family leave policies, and fully-paid medical, dental, life, and vision insurance for employees.

To apply:

If you are interested in working with us, please submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and three professional references. Please include your salary requirements. Submissions should be in PDF format or Google Docs format (sent to us as a link) to work@floridalegal.org. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, but to receive full consideration you are encouraged to submit your application no later than June 30, 2026.

Florida Legal Services, Inc. (FLS) seeks a Fair Housing Testing Coordinator to join our energetic and enthusiastic team working on housing discrimination issues. While we work across the entire state, our fair housing work is focused on counties in North Central Florida. FLS is a statewide non-profit legal aid program providing free civil legal assistance to clients across Florida. FLS is a leader in advancing economic, social, and racial justice. We advocate for poor, vulnerable, and hard to reach people through impact litigation, legislative and administrative advocacy, education, and strategic partnerships.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Status: Exempt, Full-time Staff Member

Position: Full-Time 

Location: Flexible; Combination of Remote Work and Office locations in Newberry, FL and Orlando, FL

Supervisor: Fair Housing Supervising Attorney

Language Requirements: Fluency in Spanish preferred

Education Requirements: Bachelor’s Degree preferred

JOB SUMMARY: 

The coordinator will be based remotely, but will be able to work as needed from our offices in Newberry and Orlando, Florida. The position is funded by a fair housing grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The Testing Coordinator’s primary duty is designing, planning, coordinating, and evaluating fair housing testing investigations and maintaining all documentation relating to complaint allegations and investigations. The Coordinator will conduct community outreach to provide information about fair housing rights; recruit fair housing testers; design and conduct tester trainings; design systemic and complaint-based tests; and analyze test reports. The Coordinator will maintain detailed case records and assist with grant-writing and reporting. The Coordinator must be available to travel throughout the service area and work outside normal business hours to conduct outreach and to debrief testers.

RESPONSIBILITIES include:

Tester Recruitment, Training and Management: 

• Conduct community outreach and related strategies to provide information about fair housing rights, gain support for the project, and recruit fair housing testers 

• Organize and conduct tester trainings utilizing approved methodologies for testing for possible housing discrimination 

• Coordinate tester schedules to ensure availability to complete assignments 

• Develop and implement initiatives that engage and otherwise encourage tester retention  

• Recruit and maintain a diverse pool of fair housing testers 

Test Coordination: 

• Investigate individual and systemic cases of housing discrimination

• Coordinate systemic, audit, and complaint-based tests 

• Coordinate fair housing tests by assigning appropriate, qualified and trained testers, designing the tests using approved methodology, debriefing the testers, maintaining and evaluating test data, and reporting test results 

• Maintain detailed case records; prepare and present accurate and reliable summaries of findings, recommendations, and relevant statistical data 

• Work with legal staff to enhance responses to discrimination complaints 

• Develop a working knowledge of mapping software and other methods to identify sites for systemic fair housing investigations 

Additional Responsibilities: 

• Create and update tester training and reporting materials as necessary 

• Conduct intake of suspected cases of housing discrimination; advise clients on housing rights and make appropriate referrals 

• Research property owners, tax records, corporate ownership, and other related items as necessary to complete an investigation for enforcement proceedings 

• Provide testimony, if needed, at deposition or at trial regarding all aspects of the testing investigation 

• Identify emerging issues and develop programs to appropriately address them 

• Keep informed of developments in federal, state, and local laws, regulations, guidelines, and court cases 

• Share in organization’s development and administrative tasks and events as needed 

• Maintain data systems, meticulous records of activities, and prepare periodic activity reports for funders 

• Assist with document preparation in legal proceedings as required 

• Attend appropriate training for fair housing/other skills development 

• Attend community meetings to recruit potential fair housing testers and network with other community groups for referrals and testers 

• Conduct community-based education and outreach activities for target geographic areas or constituencies, as needed 

• Other projects as determined by the Fair Housing Project Director or the Executive Director 

Qualifications: 

• Demonstrated commitment to fair housing and civil rights; ability to engage in constructive approaches to persistent problems of discrimination and segregation 

• Ability to strategize, plan and implement programmatic initiatives 

• Consistent, high-quality attention to detail and the ability to prioritize and meet deadlines

• Commitment to going above and beyond to meet all contractual deadlines. 

• Experience in working effectively and respectfully with individuals from diverse backgrounds; skill in dealing with confidential and sensitive issues 

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; effectiveness with facilitation and training for varied audiences 

• Initiative to work independently and ability to collaborate as part of a team.

• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to exhibit consistent patience, tact, and professional composure 

• Experience using LegalServer (or similar computer-based case management system) and Google Suite software platform is a plus

• Commitment to work and learn in a technology-based distributed office environment

• Bachelor’s Degree preferred 

• Experience in conducting investigations, volunteer coordination, or housing or legal advocacy preferred. Fair housing testing experience highly desirable 

• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred, but not required 

• Familiarity with the communities of North Central Florida preferred, but not required 

• This position will require non-traditional work hours for training sessions, agency related meetings, contact with fair housing testers (i.e. evenings and weekends) and attending occasional overnight conferences throughout the United States.

• Must have a valid license, reliable transportation and be willing to travel within the Project’s service area for tester recruitment, training sessions, testing site decisions, tester debriefing and other enforcement activities

• Must be able to work remotely and out of FLS office locations in Newberry and Orlando, Florida, as needed.  

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:

• Salary will be set depending on experience, very competitive with public interest opportunities. 

• Opportunities for seniority and leadership are commensurate with experience and more experienced applicants are encouraged to apply.

• FLS offers an excellent benefits package including 17 paid holidays a year, generous paid time off and family leave policies, and fully-paid medical, dental, life, and vision insurance for employees.

To apply:

If you are interested in working with us, please submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and three professional references. Please include your salary requirements. Submissions should be in PDF format or Google Docs format (sent to us as a link) to work@floridalegal.org. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, but to receive full consideration you are encouraged to submit your application no later than June 30, 2026.

Florida Legal Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer

It is the policy of FLS to seek and employ qualified persons, to provide equal opportunities in all aspects of employment, and to administer all personnel activities in a manner that will not discriminate against any person because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, marital status, pregnancy, military status, genetic information, or any other consideration prohibited by law.

About Us:

Florida Legal Services, Inc. (FLS) is a statewide leader in advancing economic, social, and racial justice. We advocate for poor, vulnerable, and hard to reach people through impact litigation, legislative and administrative advocacy, education, and strategic partnerships. Our Housing Justice team operates a program dedicated to providing free legal services to low-income residents facing eviction and housing insecurity in sixteen Florida counties. Our mission is to ensure access to justice for all, regardless of economic status, by offering comprehensive legal assistance and advocacy. We are seeking a dedicated and passionate Outreach Paralegal to join our team and help us extend our services to the community.

Position Summary:

The Outreach Paralegal will work under the supervision of attorneys to conduct community outreach and education about the legal services provided by FLS. This role involves both group presentations and one-on-one interactions with residents facing eviction or housing insecurity. The ideal candidate will have strong communication skills, a commitment to social justice, and the ability to work effectively with diverse populations.

Key Responsibilities:

Community Outreach and Education:

• Plan, coordinate, and conduct outreach events and presentations in the community to raise awareness about the services offered by FLS.

• Develop and distribute informational materials, such as flyers, brochures, and social media content, to inform residents about their legal rights and available resources.

• Collaborate with local community organizations, social service agencies, and government entities to identify and reach residents in need of legal assistance.

Client Engagement:

• Conduct initial screenings and intake interviews with potential clients to determine eligibility for services.

• Provide information and referrals to other resources as appropriate.

• Assist clients in understanding their legal rights and the processes involved in eviction and housing insecurity cases.

Support to Attorneys:

• Gather and organize case-related documents and information for attorney review.

• Maintain accurate and confidential client records and databases.

• Assist in preparing legal documents and correspondence under the supervision of attorneys.

Advocacy and Community Building:

• Build and maintain relationships with community leaders, housing advocates, and other stakeholders to support collective efforts in addressing housing insecurity.

• Participate in community meetings, forums, and coalitions to advocate for policies and practices that support housing stability.

Qualifications:

Education and Experience:

• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Paralegal Studies, Social Work, or a related field; or equivalent work experience.

• Previous experience in community outreach, legal assistance, or a related field is preferred.

Skills and Abilities:

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, both written and oral.

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

• Demonstrated commitment to social justice and serving low-income communities.

• Proficiency in Google Workspace.

• Bilingual ability (English/Spanish or other relevant languages) is a plus.

Additional Requirements:

• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation for travel within Alachua County.

• Flexibility to work occasional evenings and weekends as needed for community events.

Salary and Benefits:

• Salary will be set depending on experience, very competitive with public interest opportunities.

• Opportunities for seniority and leadership are commensurate with experience and more experienced applicants are encouraged to apply.

• FLS offers an excellent benefits package including 17 paid holidays a year, generous paid time off and family leave policies, and fully-paid medical, dental, life, and vision insurance for employees.

To apply:

If you are interested in working with us, please submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and three professional references. Please include your salary requirements. Submissions should be in PDF format or Google Docs format (sent to us as a link) to work@floridalegal.org. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, but to receive full consideration you are encouraged to submit your application no later than June 30, 2026.

Florida Legal Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Florida Legal Services provides a fair and equal employment opportunity for associates and job applicants regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, Veteran status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. FLS does not condone or tolerate an atmosphere of intimidation or harassment of any form and requires the cooperation of all staff in maintaining a discrimination and harassment-free atmosphere. If accommodation is needed in order to participate in the application process, please email us at work@floridalegal.org.

Florida Legal Services (FLS) seeks a dynamic attorney with vision, initiative, and a demonstrated commitment to public interest law to fill a full-time attorney position. The FLS Survivor Advocacy Project serves victims of crimes including Domestic Violence, Intimate Partner Violence, and Human Trafficking. Our Project attorneys and paralegals  operate a Statewide Domestic Violence Hotline that serves as a primary source of client intakes. We provide extended services to clients through our Holistic Survivor Services and Human Trafficking projects. Our advocacy is supported by the Florida Department of Children and Families, the Florida Attorney General through Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grants, and Funding Florida Legal Aid which provides IOTA grants. The Survivor Advocacy Attorney will primarily provide direct legal assistance to survivors of domestic violence through the hotline. The position will also include the opportunity to provide more extended direct services to survivors and to advocate for systemic change to ensure that eligible survivors can obtain fair and uniform access to services. This will be predominantly a remote position, but requires physical presence in Florida and the ability to travel within the state on occasion.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide statewide legal assistance by telephone to survivors of domestic violence on various civil legal needs;

• Provide training to other DV advocates on a range of civil legal issues affecting survivors of DV;

• Refer clients for appropriate extended services, both within and outside of the organization;

• Identify and conduct advocacy on systemic issues impacting survivors of DV;

• Assist with building and maintaining relationships with outside referral agencies and organizations;

• Any other duties as assigned by the attorney’s supervisor.

Job Qualifications:

• Attorney in good standing with The Florida Bar;

• Demonstrated commitment to social, racial, and economic justice;

• Previous experience working with DV survivors and trauma-informed advocacy;

• Previous experience in one or more substantive areas including: family law, immigration, injunctions, housing, victim rights enforcement, public benefits or health access;

• An understanding of the dynamics of domestic and intimate partner violence; 

• An understanding of root causes of violence against women and oppressed groups is preferred;

• Fluency in Spanish both oral and written strongly preferred; 

• Valid driver’s license;

• Excellent communication and time management abilities;

• Experience using LegalServer (or a similar computer-based case management system) and Google Workspace a plus;

• Commitment to work and learn in a technology-based distributed office environment.

Salary/benefits:

• Salary will be set depending on experience. Opportunities for seniority and leadership are commensurate with experience and more experienced applicants are encouraged to apply.

• FLS offers an excellent benefits package including 17 paid holidays a year, generous paid time off and family leave policies, and fully-paid medical, dental, life, and vision insurance for employees.

How to Apply:

If you are interested in working with us, please submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and three professional references. Please include your salary requirements. Submissions should be in PDF format or Google Docs format (sent to us as a link) to work@floridalegal.org