Opportunities From: University of Iowa

Volunteer translators at Iowa Legal Aid play an important role in helping low-income Iowans with limited English proficiency (LEP) skills gain access to justice. We are seeking bilingual volunteers to help us serve Iowa's diverse, low income communities who have limited English proficiency.

Volunteer translators may be asked to review materials such as website articles, outreach resources, legal forms, and client correspondence.

Eligible applicants include:

Language professors and academic expertsGraduate students in Translation or LinguisticsProfessional translators certified by a recognized professional translation association.

To apply, please visit our website at http://www.iowalegalaid.org/volunteer/

Iowa Legal Aid is a nonprofit law firm that provides free civil legal help and advocacy for underserved Iowans.

From tornadoes to major flooding, Iowa's frequent natural disasters leave behind complex legal challenges for vulnerable residents.

We need volunteer attorneys ready to help our communities navigate the aftermath. Make a professional impact where it matters the most. Join Iowa Legal Aid's Disaster Project and help us provide a lifeline to Iowans when they need it most.

Key responsibilities:

Assist with FEMA applications and appeals, SBA loans, insurance claims, disaster unemployment applications, food stamp applications, and other disaster assistance program applications. Assist with landlord-tenant and mobile home park issues, mortgage and foreclosure issues, real estate contracts, and other housing issues. Assist with home repair contractor issues, home repair and contractor scams, mechanic’s lien issues, municipal code enforcement issues. Assist with buyouts of flood damaged real estate, farm issues, bankruptcy, and income tax issues.

Qualifications:

Volunteers must be currently licensed to practice law in the State of Iowa or be eligible for emeritus attorney status. Disasters are unpredictable and the need for attorneys will depend on when and where the disasters happen. Volunteers will need to be flexible and able to offer assistance on short-term notice in the event of a disaster.

Training and Support:

Comprehensive training: Gain access to in-person and webinar sessions on issue-spotting and substantive disaster law before a crisis hit. Exclusive digital resources: Utilization of free online tools via Iowa Legal Aid's website, mobile app, and probono.net Expert support: Benefit from dedicated to co-counseling support available in person, via telephone or through email. Ongoing education: Receive priority notifications of all no cost legal trainings hosted by Iowa Legal Aid Full Malpractice protection: Practice with peace of mind knowing you are covered under Iowa Legal Aid's malpractice insurance.

Time Commitment:

Flexible commitment: Your involvement is based on your availability, the scale of the disaster, and current community needs.

Position Location:

Most cases are placed externally and service is provided by the volunteer attorney at his or her law office. Volunteers needing office space to perform volunteer activities or wishing to only work on in-house cases may make arrangements with a regional Iowa Legal Aid office. Iowa Legal Aid offices are located in Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Des Moines, Dubuque, Iowa City, Mason City, Ottumwa, Sioux City and Waterloo. Volunteers may be needed to staff tables at Disaster Recovery Centers and local community and agency resource fairs.

If you are interested in this volunteer position, please contact Iowa Legal Aid at 1-800-798-0311 or email vlp@iowalaw.org

For more information about Iowa Legal Aid, go to http://www.iowalegalaid.org/ and http://iowalegalaidfoundation.org/

 

Please note that all positions may not be available at all times or locations nearest you. For example, a particular position may have been filled or we may have limited capacity to engage volunteers with certain types of skills. Even though we cannot guarantee a placement to every prospective volunteer, we will do our best to match the applicants’ skills and interests with our present needs.

 

Iowa Legal Aid is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Reasonable accommodations are available to qualified applicants upon request

Auxiliary aids and services are available in alternative formats

Background: Iowa Legal Aid seeks applicants to fill AmeriCorps member positions for its regional offices in Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Des Moines, Dubuque, Iowa City, Mason City, Ottumwa, Sioux City and Waterloo, subject to funding availability. Iowa Legal Aid provides free, high quality legal education, advice and representation to low-income and elderly Iowans with civil legal problems that most dramatically affect poor and vulnerable Iowans.

 

Responsibilities: Individual AmeriCorps members will help with various projects that can include: helping seniors, veterans, and low-income Iowans get legal help; enhancing our unified client intake system; increasing outreach to underserved veteran, minority, disabled and immigrant groups; advancing legal self-help education and financial literacy, helping seniors and people with disabilities get services to live independently, recruiting and managing volunteers; improving volunteer management practices; enhancing Iowa Legal Aid’s website; marketing and public relations activities.

 

Qualifications: We seek applicants who communicate well with individuals and groups, both verbally and in writing. Applicants should also have some or all of the following:

Background working with people who are low-income, elderly, victims of domestic/sexual abuse, from other cultural and/or ethnic backgrounds, and/or have disabilities; Bi-lingual verbal and written communication skills, in one of the languages most used by low-income Iowans, including Spanish, Bosnian, Arabic, Chinese, Vietnamese, and/or ASL; Ability to use computers to organize information, update website, and/or perform research; College or community college; Background in journalism, marketing, teaching, and/or volunteer recruitment/management.

 

Opening/Closing Date: When positions are filled.

 

Salary/Benefits: Full-time AmeriCorps members receive a modest living stipend ($21,400 for 11 month, full-time term), student loan forbearance, child care benefit, and can receive an education award of $7,395. Some half-time, quarter-time, and minimum-time positions will also be available.

 

Applications: Submit letter of application, including geographic preference, resume, and contact information for at least three professional references to:

 

Josh Gaul, Managing Attorney – Iowa Legal Aid

606 Walnut St. Floor 25

Des Moines, IA 50309

americorps@iowalaw.org

515-243-2151 or 1-800-532-1275

TTY/Relay Iowa: 1-800-735-2942

 

Iowa Legal Aid is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Reasonable accommodations are available to qualified applicants upon request.

Auxiliary aids and services are available in alternative formats.