Job Description

MASSACHUSETTS' LEADING ORGANIZATION ADVOCATING FOR HEALTH CARE JUSTICE IS HIRING LAW CLERKS FOR THE SUMMER OF 2021.

ABOUT HLA

Health Law Advocates (HLA) is a dynamic non-profit, public interest law firm whose mission is to provide pro bono legal services to Massachusetts residents in low-income situations who are having difficulty accessing or paying for health care. Founded in 1996, HLA provides individual representation and advice for hundreds of clients annually. HLA also engages in system-wide litigation, public policy advocacy, and educational programming to advance its goals. For more information visit https://www.healthlawadvocates.org/.

HLA is committed to diversity in its workforce. A crucial part of HLA's vision is supporting cultural and linguistic competence, as well as ensuring diversity of staff and volunteers, so clients can be best served. Persons of color, women, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals, and people who speak English as a second language are encouraged to apply.

THE OPPORTUNITY

HLA's Summer Law Clerk program aims to contribute to the development of law students into public interest attorneys serving people in low-income situations. Clerkships are available in our GENERAL LEGAL PRACTICE and our MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY PROGRAM FOR KIDS (MHAP for Kids).Candidates who apply to both MUST STATE THEIR PREFERENCE in their cover letter.

All HLA staff will work remotely, as we have been since March 2020, until at least the end of June 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the Winter and Spring of 2021, we will consider what our working arrangement will be for the Summer of 2021. HLA ran a highly successful remote Law Clerk program in the summer of 2020.

ABOUT OUR GENERAL LEGAL PRACTICE

HLA's General Legal Practice consists of our direct representation and policy advocacy on behalf of clients experiencing a range of health care access barriers. Many matters within our General Legal Practice involve helping our clients resolve health insurance-related barriers to health care. Our attorneys challenge coverage denials for specific health services by Medicaid (MassHealth) and private insurance, and challenge denials of enrollment in these types of insurance as well. We also defend our clients against illegal medical billing and debt collection practices.

Our General Legal Practice also protects certain populations facing systemic barriers to health care. Our attorneys have extensive expertise in overcoming health care barriers to immigrants, transgender people, people with disabilities requiring in-home health services, and adults with mental illness.

THE SUMMER LAW CLERK: RESPONSIBILITIES

Health Law Advocates (HLA) seeks two Law Clerks to work full-time for 10 weeks with HLA's General Legal Practice during the summer of 2021. The General Legal Practice Law Clerks will work with the program's attorneys in a variety of ways. They will assist attorneys with the representation of individual clients with duties such as conducting legal research; analyzing health, health insurance and medical billing records; assisting attorneys' advocacy with health insurers and health care providers; and communicating with clients and key collaterals. Law Clerks will also conduct legal research on issues that pervade HLA's General Legal Practice client matters to strengthen our practice program-wide and participate in advocacy to reform public policies.

THE SUMMER LAW CLERK: QUALIFICATIONS

All HLA employees are expected to have the skills to:

• Work both independently and as an effective team member
• Communicate clearly and professionally
• Demonstrate empathy and sensitivity while working directly with clients encountering crises
• Maintain confidentiality
• Demonstrate intellectual curiosity and openness, with the desire and ability to listen and learn
• Understand and believe in the mission of the organization
• Embody the values of the organization, including a commitment to decreasing inequity in society
• Capably use Microsoft office suite program, e.g. Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint

In addition, requirements specific to this position are:

• Completion of 1L or 2L year in law school.
• Demonstrated interest in public interest law.
• Excellent legal research and writing skills.
• Knowledge of health care/insurance system and systemic barriers to health care.
• Bilingual ability (preferred)

COMPENSATION

THIS POSITION PAYS $6,000 (PRE-TAX) FOR A FULL-TIME 10-WEEK CLERKSHIP.

TO APPLY

Go tohttps://www.healthlawadvocates.org/about/career-opportunitiesand follow the instructions there.Applications submitted by any other means will not be considered.

Please include a cover letter. Applications without cover letters will not be considered.

APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED ON A ROLLING BASIS UNTIL THE POSITIONS ARE FILLED.

Health Law Advocates is an AA/EO Employer. People of color, LGBTQ identified people, gender nonconforming people, individuals with disabilities, veterans and people who speak a language in addition to English are encouraged to apply.