BayLegal seeks
a Temporary Staff Attorney witha strongcommitmenttopublicinterestandsocialjusticeadvocacy. As the legal needs of our Veteran clients encompass multiple practice areas, the attorney will provide legal assistance and coordinate with other BayLegal staff to assist in the following practice areas: Veteran's benefits, SSI/SSDI, General Assistance, CalFresh, and other public benefits; housing law; and other civil legal practice areas. Responsibilities will also include collaboration and coordination of referrals with partner organizations, tracking of project data, and outreach and education.
This position is based in our Oakland office. This position serves clients in Alameda and Contra Costa counties and will require frequent travel to locations in both counties to best serve our low-income clients and as necessary for training and broader advocacy. This is a 6-month temporary position.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Learn and advocate for the diverse legal needs of communities affected by systemic and structural inequities in Alameda County and Contra Costa County to reduce homelessness, enhance stability and address social injustice;
- Represent low-income Veterans in administrative hearings and appeals for Veterans benefits, SSI/SSDI, and other public benefits;
- Advise and represent low-income Veterans in housing cases and other civil legal practice areas;
- Provide workshops and technical assistance to community partners and client community on Veterans benefits and other public benefits, and a broad range of civil legal issues;
- Supply workshops and technical help to community partners and client community on Veterans benefits and other public benefits, and a broad range of civil legal issues;
- Engage in collaboration with a range of public and private community partners, including governmental agencies, courts, and community-based organizations, to ensure integrative services and address systemic barriers facing BayLegal's client community; and
- Engage in other tasks and projects that further BayLegal's mission and operations as a non-profit.
Requirements/Qualifications/About the Successful Candidate:
- Humilityin working with colleagues and clients across the spectrum of diversity, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, immigrant status, religious identity, physicalandmentaldisabilities, and/or limited English proficiency;
- Must have received or be willing to receive and keep up to date COVID-19 vaccination by date of hire to be considered.
- Experience and abilitytoorganizetime, manage diverse activities,andmeetcriticaldeadlineswith minimal supervision.
- Excellent writing, editing,andproof-reading skills, withabilitytobemeticulous.
- Strongpeople skillsand an abilityto work collaborativelywith a dynamicteam.
- Curiousandself-directedwithan ability towork independently and as part of a team.
- Abilitytosimultaneouslymanage multipleprojects while keeping a firm grasp ofindividualprojectdetails.
- Commitment to complying with all California Rules of Professional Conduct, BayLegal funding requirements, and firm standards, policies, and practices.
- Current proficiency, and ability to improve proficiency, in technological equipment, hardware and software necessary to perform duties of the position.
HYBRID WORK OPTION:
BayLegal is committed to the health and safety of our staff, clients, and community. Being accessible to our client communities and reducing barriers for them to access our services is integral to our mission and commitment as a direct services community-based law firm.
BayLegal employees are expected to work on-site and in-person at a BayLegal office or community-based advocacy site at least three (3) days per week and may work remotely from home on a part-time basis. Employees are expected to reside in California and at a distance allowing them to commute to their physical BayLegal base location, and to other service delivery locations as needed, during the standard work week.Compensation and Benefits:
Compensation and Benefits:
We offer a diverse, family friendly environment, and compensation based on competitive public interest salaries along with medical and dental benefits, 15 paid holidays, and sick leave. Compensation is based on experience and competitive public interest salaries. The
estimated annual salary range is $77,000 - $100,000 (placement in range determined primarily by years of related experience).This is a temporary position and is expected to last at least 6 months.Application Instructions: BayLegal thrives on our diversity, and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a culturally diverse workplace and strongly encourage women, LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Intersex, Asexual) and QTBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) individuals, veterans, individuals who have been impacted by the criminal justice system, persons with disabilities, and persons from other underrepresented groups to apply. We are committed to equal employment opportunity and supplying reasonable accommodations to qualified candidates and employees pursuant to applicable law.
We value and encourage diversity and solicit applications from all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, gender, sex, age, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military and veteran status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. If you require reasonable accommodation as part of the application process, please contact BayLegal’s Human Resources Manager at (510) 250-5225. BayLegal will begin reviewing applications upon receipt and continue until the position is filled. Please submit (1) cover letter including response to question below (no page limit), (2) resume, (3) references, and (4) writing sample through BayLegal’s career application portal.
As part of your cover letter, please address the following:
BayLegal’s clients are low-income and very low-income members of our communities. They include LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Intersex, Asexual) and QTBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) individuals, the working poor, seniors, people who are limited English proficient, veterans, persons with disabilities, survivors of abuse and exploitation, individuals impacted by the criminal justice system, and people who are experiencing or at risk of homeless, and persons from other underrepresented groups.
To ensure our organization is best serving these populations, BayLegal strives to promote an evolving set of behaviors and attitudes amongst our staff, as well as policies that enable us to work effectively across cultures, with clients, with our coworkers, and with the community. We see this as a commitment to enhance the provision of our services to all clients; to raise the level of positive client outcomes; and to create an inclusive and respectful workplace in which differences are acknowledged and valued.How do you think your experiences, professional or otherwise, have prepared you to serve our diverse client base effectively, work effectively with colleagues from different backgrounds than your own, and to contribute to our commitment to humility, inclusion, and diversity
?
Feel free to think broadly about your response to this question, applying various aspects of your life and personal experiences.
