Staff Attorney-Public

Job Description

The Law Project of the Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness is seeking a mid-level Attorney to join our Law Project team to advocate for people experiencing homelessness in Illinois through both direct representation and policy advocacy with a focus on state and federal public benefit programs and to work to advance racial equity. Reasonable accommodation will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness (CCH) is a 45-year-old systematic advocacy organization. CCH develops campaigns and initiatives to address the causes of homelessness – lack of affordable housing, lack of access to health care and services and lack of jobs paying a living wage. We place much emphasis on organizing and developing leaders who have experienced homelessness to become spokespersons and leaders of our various initiatives.

CCH does its work in accordance with its organizational values – collaboration, integrity, strategic action, compassion, and intersectionality. We recognize that homelessness is a problem that stems from systemic racism and that biases and prejudices are embedded in the fabric of society, and thus permeate organizations like ours. CCH is committed to advancing racial equity in the workplace, through the work of our racial equity committee, and through the campaigns and initiatives we choose.

Provide civil legal services to people experiencing homelessness or at‑risk of homelessness. Areas of focus include access to public benefits, including initial applications, appeals and redeterminations. Public benefits areas of focus include Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Security Income (SSI). In particular, assist clients in navigating recent changes to public benefits programs such as work requirements and assist clients in obtaining exemptions to such requirements (if eligible).

Other areas of law may include access to identification documents, family and housing law, consumer and credit issues, education, criminal records relief and other civil legal services.

Conduct weekly community outreach at various shelters and drop‑in centers, schools, health centers, street‑based and other community locations, including maintaining at least two regular legal clinic sites. Attorneys are expected to provide outreach in the community at least three times per month.

Co‑manage the Street Medicine Legal Clinic on behalf of CCH.

Participate in the Law Project’s impact litigation to address systemic issues related to homelessness, including civil rights cases. Develop and implement strategies to identify systemic barriers to public benefits and access to physical and mental health care that are identified through direct services. Monitor changes to public benefits programs at the federal and state level and communicate those changes to CCH staff, external partners and people experiencing homelessness.

Collaborate with the CCH Policy Department and local and state‑level coalitions and campaigns to create and promote policies and laws that increase access to public benefits for people experiencing homelessness. Develop relationships with caseworkers IDHS and SSI as needed, including attending meetings with IDHS and SSI and other public benefit advocates.

Assist Law Project staff on other projects as needed, including providing support, training and supervision to Law Project interns. Develop and conduct training for attorneys, interns and other professionals on access to health care and public benefits for people experiencing homelessness. Create and maintain outreach materials on public benefits, including updating the Illinois Homeless Youth Handbook.

Work in collaboration with all CCH departments—C