Employment Opportunities
We would love for you to join our team! Please see below for available employment opportunities.
Legal Council for Health Justice is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Legal Council is an Equal Opportunity Employer: We welcome and strongly encourage people of color, women, persons with disabilities, older workers, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals, and veterans to apply.
It is Legal Council’s policy to provide employment, training, compensation, promotion and other conditions or opportunities of employment without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, veteran status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.
Legal Council for Health Justice (Legal Council) seeks a passionate and mission-driven Staff Attorney to help advance health justice through policy advocacy, systems change, and strategic legal work. This attorney will work closely with Legal Council's advocacy and legal teams to support legislative, regulatory, and administrative advocacy while also providing training and community education in partnership with healthcare and social service providers.
Key Responsibilities for this Role
- Support Legal Council's policy and advocacy initiatives related to health justice: for our target populations of People living with HIV, LGBTQ+ individuals, people experiencing homelessness, and children with complex health needs, including initiatives related to access to and eligibility for: Medicaid and other health insurance programs and assistance, including health benefits for immigrants, disability rights and aging equity, Social Security disability and other public benefits; trans health, kids’ health including in school settings, and other emerging health justice issues.
- Conduct research on federal, state, and local law, regulations, and administrative policies affecting our client communities.
- Draft memoranda, briefs, legislative testimony, public comments, fact sheets, reports, and other materials to support administrative advocacy, legislation, litigation, and other strategies.
- Monitor legislative, regulatory, and legal developments and communicate their impact to staff, community partners, and the public.
- Participate in coalition work, task forces, and advocacy campaigns alongside senior policy staff.
- Help identify systemic legal issues emerging from client representation that may present opportunities for policy advocacy or impact litigation.
- Collaborate with internal staff, and community partners to advance Legal Council's health justice priorities
- Provide selected legal advice and brief services in areas including health coverage and other public benefit access and eligibility .
- Conduct community education and trainings on health-related legal issues.
- Participate in internal and external meetings to advance health justice goals.
- Assist with program development, including data entry, grant reporting, and maintaining case files.
Qualifications
- J.D. degree and admission to the Illinois Bar (or planning to test/eligibility through reciprocity).
- Recent law graduates with strong clinical, internship, fellowship, or advocacy experience are encouraged to apply.
- Demonstrated interest in public interest law and civil legal aid or health justice advocacy.
- Strong legal research, writing, analytical, and oral advocacy skills.
- Excellent organizational and communication skills, and adept at managing multiple priorities.
- Ability to work collaboratively across disciplines and with community partners.
- Spanish or other language skills are preferred.
Please click here to read the full job description.
How to Apply
Email (no phone calls, please) a resume, cover letter, and two professional references with the subject line "Staff Attorney – Health Advocacy" to: job@legalcouncil.org. In your cover letter, Legal Council invites you to share how your lived experience may make you a better advocate for the families and communities we serve.
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. Our interview process typically includes an interview with 2–3 staff members, and, if relevant, a Spanish/additional language interview. References will be contacted after interviews are complete.
Legal Council for Health Justice (Legal Council) seeks a passionate and mission-driven Staff Attorney, with at least two years of experience in either legal work or social services, to advocate for individuals and families facing barriers created by chronic illness, disability, stigma, and poverty. The attorney will provide direct legal services, community education, and advocacy in partnership with healthcare and social service providers.
Key Responsibilities for this Role
- Provide legal representation in areas including:
- Public benefits (SSDI, SSI, Medicaid, SNAP, ADAP)
- Private insurance denials
- HIV discrimination and confidentiality
- Access to gender-affirming care
- Education law—special education support services
- Represent clients before federal/state agencies, Illinois courts, and other institutions.
- Deliver trauma-informed legal services to clients.
- Provide on-site legal services at a partner hospital or health clinic.
- Conduct community education and trainings on health-related legal issues.
- Participate in internal and external meetings to advance health justice goals.
- Assist with program development, including data entry and maintaining case files.
Qualifications
- J.D. degree and admission to the Illinois Bar (or eligibility through reciprocity). We will consider recent law graduates who are taking the July 2026 bar exam, and have prior work experience.
- Two or more years of relevant work experience in legal or social services setting.
- Strong legal research, writing, and oral advocacy skills.
- Excellent organizational and communication skills.
- Spanish or other language skills preferred.
Please click here to read the full job description.
How to Apply:
Email (no phone calls, please) a resume, cover letter, and two professional references with the subject line "Staff Attorney" to: job@legalcouncil.org. In your cover letter, Legal Council invites you to share how your lived experience may make you a better advocate for the families and communities we serve.
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. Our interview process typically includes an interview with 2-3 staff members, and, if relevant, a Spanish/additional language interview. References will be contacted after interviews are complete.
Legal Council for Health Justice will not be hosting a fellow in 2026. We anticipate hosting a fellow in September 2027. Please monitor this space beginning in April 2027 for more information.
Please note: all summer internship spots for 2026 have been filled.
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Legal Council for Health Justice seeks 1L and 2L law student interns to join us this summer. Students are expected to work full-time for 8 to 10 weeks. We do provide hybrid work options, but at least two weekdays per week of on-site work is required.
We’re looking for dynamic applicants dedicated to racial justice, trauma-informed advocacy, and health policy to join our team.
Legal Council is home to three projects:
- The AIDS Legal Council program provides legal assistance in cases where an individual’s HIV
status—real or perceived—is the cause of their legal difficulties. - The SSI Homeless Outreach Project specializes in providing trauma-informed, legal advocacy to persons who are experiencing homelessness and have disabling medical conditions, many of whom are survivors of significant adverse childhood experiences and other traumas.
- The Chicago Medical-Legal Partnership for Children partners with pediatric medical providers and uses legal advocacy to improve access to a full-range of social, educational, developmental, medical, and income-support services, removing systemic barriers for patients with significant health challenges.
Our work centers the voices of our clients through direct legal services, community engagement and education, and policy advocacy targeted at systemic injustice. You can learn more about our work here.
To Apply:
All applicants are required to submit a resume and a cover letter expressing their interest in contributing to our work. Please specify in your cover letter which program(s) you’re applying for (if you have a preference). Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Law student summer interns may be eligible for funding through PILI and therefore we strongly encourage all interested students to apply through that program by submitting their cover letter and resume through the PILI website.
Interested applicants who have secured funding to support their summer or who plan to seek course credit may apply to Legal Council either through PILI or by emailing a cover letter and resume to: PILIapplication@legalcouncil.org.
Legal Council is dedicated to diversity, inclusion, and accommodation. We strongly encourage people of color, women, persons with disabilities, older adults, LGBTQ+, and veterans to apply. We also invite you to share how your lived experience may make you a better advocate for the families and communities we serve.
Pro bono legal experts and other volunteers are essential to advancing Legal Council’s mission of using the power of law to secure dignity, opportunity, and well-being for people facing barriers due to illness or disability.
Legal Council for Health Justice partners closely with Pro Bono Network on our pro bono initiatives. For more information on Pro Bono Network, please click here.
To share interest in pro bono legal opportunities, please email Katie Shelton at kshelton@legalcouncil.org.
