Community Legal Services

Now Hiring: Public Interest Attorney position with the flexibility to work partially remote and part-time!                                        Community Legal Services of Philadelphia (CLS) is seeking a highly driven attorney to help support and advance exceptional legal representation for low-income Philadelphians. This new position of Legal Compliance Attorney will work closely with the Deputy Director of Legal Practice and focus on ensuring CLS practices and procedures support all advocates in meeting obligations to clients and meeting other compliance requirements. This role is important because it allows us to grow and evolve to support the emerging needs of our clients. As we innovate and find creative solutions to the legal problems our clients face, the person in this role will provide vital assistance to ensure we continue to provide effective legal services of the highest quality. The Legal Compliance Attorney will assist in the following types of projects: developing systems for certain practice, ethics, and compliance topics; presenting related trainings, resolving ethics questions; reviewing and managing potential professional liability issues; developing standards for and reviewing certain categories of minor and contracts that CLS has with consultants, researchers and occasionally vendors etc. This position will have the flexibility to be partially remote and could be part-time. Ideal candidates are licensed in PA, have an interest in supporting legal services work, and possess strong legal research, writing, problem-solving and communication skills. https://lnkd.in/ewfCJeFS

At this past Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, Inc. Statewide Conference NLS attorney Cathy Martin joined Community Legal Services and North Penn Legal Services attorneys Alfonso Madrid, John Byrd, and Monty Wilson for a presentation on bankruptcy titled "How to use Ch. 13 to Save Your Client's House".

CLS's Raegen Selden, as a parent advisor to the Automatic Benefit for Children Coalition, has been using her perspective as a parent to speak out in favor of a permanent Child Tax Credit (CTC), recently appearing on CBS, NPR, and other national media.   The Child Tax Credit is a step toward the goal of a guaranteed income for children, which would reduce poverty, advance racial and economic equity, improve child well-being, and help families afford the essentials that children need to thrive.   We need an accessible, regular, and meaningful child allowance for all children, no strings attached. https://lnkd.in/eWbwVFxj Image Description: Raegen Selden advocating for a permanent Child Tax Credit on CBS Evening News. The chyron says: "Harris and Trump both push for Child Tax Credit hike."

We’re so grateful to everyone who came to the 2024 Criminal Record Advocacy Conference last week. This was our first time hosting in Philadelphia, and we were thrilled to welcome people from 19 different states around the country! Criminal records advocacy is at the heart of much of what we do at CLS. So many people have been held back from jobs, housing, and opportunities for decades because of over policing and based on records that don't define who they are. It’s exciting to gather with people working to build momentum and ensure thousands of people with criminal records are no longer shut out of opportunity and can move forward in their lives. Thank you to our wonderful hosts, Ballard Spahr LLP, for sponsoring this event. Their generosity made this conference possible. Thank you also to Francis Mailman Soumilas, P.C. for sponsoring Friday's Lunch & Learn.

It was such an honor to be invited to speak at Community Legal Services Criminal Record Advocacy conference last week. I’m excited for the future of research in this area and glad that my colleagues and I could share what we’re learning in the field!

I appreciate the invitation from Brandon Wallace DeShields and Community Legal Services to participate in last week's Criminal Record Advocacy Conference. A lot of folk doing incredible, important work to create a pathway to a second chance for those burdened by the criminal legal system. Also, ht Laura E. Chavez, PhD and The Clean Slate Initiative for building a research base and for innovating policy in this space.

PHILADELPHIA - Several members of LASP's Community Engagement Unit (CEU) are attending Community Legal Services's annual Criminal Record Advocacy Conference on Sept. 26-27, 2024 at Ballard Spahr LLP's Philadelphia office. The conference is a gathering of advocates from around the country to facilitate discussion and share expertise, best practices, and innovative models for record clearing and record advocacy. Pictured are Megan Reinprecht (at left), CEU Staff Attorney; Laurel Anderson, CEU Staff Attorney; Erica Briant, Director of Community Engagement & Training; and Noelle Gambale, CEU Staff Attorney.

CLS is excited to welcome Juan P. Madrigal as our Independence Foundation Fellow in the Employment Unit! Prior to law school, Juan was a director at Goodwill helping justice-impacted people with disabilities obtain and maintain employment in Northeast PA through vocational rehabilitation services. Juan’s fellowship project will aim to increase CLS’s presence in Kensington, protecting the rights of workers and helping to clear criminal records for people living in the greater Kensington area. “[Kensington] is ripe with workers from many walks of life, a lot of whom are vulnerable to exploitation and injustice. It is also an area of Philly with potential! I look forward to being a source of information, reassurance, and resolution for Kensington residents struggling with workplace violations. Ultimately, I hope my services help CLS clients feel understood, respected, hopeful, and relieved.” After interning with CLS two years ago, Juan is happy to be returning to a place he believes in so strongly. “CLS walks the talk! It provides direct representation to clients that need it the most while also advocating for client-centered policy changes at all levels of government with remarkable success. Speaking as a member of the Employment Unit, Clean Slate is a perfect example of a CLS movement that has spread across the nation.” We’re so glad he has returned and can’t wait to see the progress he helps bring about in our city. Welcome back, Juan! Image description: “New Staff Spotlight” graphic featuring a photo of Juan over a salmon and burgundy colorblock background. Text under the photo reads “Juan P. Madrigal, Independence Foundation Fellow.” Text next to the photo reads: “What makes CLS special?” below the question is his answer: “CLS walks the talk! It provides direct representation to clients that need it the most while also advocating for client-centered policy changes at all levels of government with remarkable success. In addition, my colleagues are some of the most intelligent, kind, and devoted people I have ever met. They truly care, and it shows. I am honored to be a part of CLS!”

A beautiful evening at the Hispanic Bar Association of PA’s Legal Education Fund dinner honoring the amazing Brenda Marrero with Community Legal Services colleagues Rachel Gallegos Gustavo Cardona (He, Him, His) Esther Alvarez Tanya Rambert Lexi Ortiz Kristen Dama

Thank you to Asian Americans United for inviting us to table at the Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival this past weekend! Mark Maher, attorney in the SSI Unit, and Vincent Fang, Esq., attorney in the Homeownership and Consumer Rights Unit, had a great time celebrating and connecting with the community. Image description: Mark Maher and Vincent Fang, both wearing sunglasses and CLS t-shirts, sit at a table with a CLS banner on it and piles of paper with oranges on them at the Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival.