Staff Attorney - Opportunity Under Law

Staff Attorney - Opportunity Under Law

Los Angeles, CA

Description

ABOUT PUBLIC COUNSEL

Public Counsel is a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to advancing civil rights and racial and economic justice, as well as to amplifying the power of our clients through comprehensive legal advocacy. Founded on and strengthened by a pro bono legal service model, our staff and volunteers seek justice through direct legal services, promote healthy and resilient communities through education and outreach, and support community-led efforts to transform unjust systems through litigation and policy advocacy in and beyond Los Angeles.

Public Counsel operates eight legal projects: Child, Youth & Family Advocacy, Community Development, Consumer Rights & Economic Justice, Homelessness Prevention, Immigrants’ Rights, Veterans’ Advancement, Gender Justice, and our impact litigation project, Opportunity Under Law.

Public Counsel has a full-time staff of approximately 160. We are committed to building a diverse staff and encourage applications from people of color, people with disabilities, and people of all gender identities, gender expressions, and sexualities. We recognize the essential role of staff in achieving our goals, and we have set a long-term intention to provide competitive compensation, benefits, training, mentorship, and overall workplace wellness, making Public Counsel a leader among nonprofit law firms.

ABOUT OPPORTUNITY UNDER LAW

Public Counsel’s Opportunity Under Law (OUL) was formed in 2014 to expand Public Counsel’s longstanding economic justice and impact litigation practice. OUL combats economic and racial injustice in all its forms using a model of community-based, strategic campaigns combining impact litigation, organizing, and communications. These campaigns affect large groups of people within California and nationwide and address structural inequities and discrimination on the basis of race, wealth, disability, gender, and immigration status. Current areas of focus include education equity, children’s rights, combatting homelessness, immigrants’ rights, criminalization of poverty, and low-wage workers’ rights, although this list is by no means exhaustive. OUL’s cases often pursue novel claims meant to address intersectional issues of economic and racial justice.

Some of OUL’s recent litigation is below:

Educational Equity:

Mae M. v. Komrosky is an ongoing lawsuit challenging the Temecula Valley Unified School District’s censorship of concepts that conflict with their ideological viewpoints, including the history of the LGBTQ rights movement and the existence of systemic racism. The suit, filed in August 2023, is a first-of-its-kind case that seeks to invalidate the Board’s curriculum censorship and affirm students’ right to comprehensive, fact-based education in California’s public schools.

Cayla J. v. State of California is a lawsuit filed against the State of California for failing to meet its constitutional obligation to ensure basic educational equality during remote learning. As a result of the state’s in ability to provide adequate support (such as a lack of digital connectivity, access to devices, ineffective remote instruction, and a lack of academic and mental health support), the suit filed in November 2020 alleged that low-income California students of color were deprived of their fundamental right to a free and equal education. In one of the largest education-related settlements in U.S. history, the State of California agreed to dedicate at least $2 billion in funding to help students who fell behind during the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding will go towards evidence-based programs proven to increase student outcomes.

Housing Rights:

Powers v. McDonough is an ongoing lawsuit challenging the federal government’s failure to provide housing and healthcare to Los Angeles veterans with disabilities. As a direct result of the government’s inaction, nearly 3,500 veterans are homeless in Los Angeles in any given night. The lawsuit seeks to (1) require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to fulfill its commitments to provide appropriate Permanent Supportive Housing to disabled veterans and (2) prohibit the VA from entering or continuing unlawful land use agreements.

Child Welfare:

Ocean S. v. LA County is an ongoing lawsuit filed in August 2023 against the State of California and LA County on behalf of young people in foster care. The suit challenges the governments’ systemic failure to provide safe, stable housing and necessary support services for transition age foster youth currently in the foster care system.

JOB SUMMARY

Reporting to the Supervising Attorney of Public Counsel’s Opportunity Under Law Project, the new Staff Attorney will:

• Join the OUL team in litigating complex federal and state impact cases to promote civil rights and economic justice.
• Work on existing cases and campaigns and develop new impact litigation opportunities in collaboration with the Directing Attorney, Supervising Attorney, OUL staff, staff in Public Counsel’s other projects, and volunteer attorneys.
• Conduct effect and efficient legal research and prepare sound written analysis on novel and/or complex legal issues.
• Produce polished and near-final quality written work with minimal supervision.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Juris Doctor degree and licensed in California is preferred, but we will consider attorneys licensed in other state(s) willing to sit for the next California bar;
• At least four to six years of relevant litigation experience strongly preferred (including clerkships and fellowships), including at least two years of experience litigating complex civil rights cases in federal and state court;
• Demonstrated ability to litigate independently and under pressure, preferably in a civil rights or public interest context;
• Experience and competence in working closely with community-based organizations and people of diverse cultural, geographic, and economic backgrounds, including individuals who are low-income and racially diverse;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills;
• Excellent negotiation and conflict management skills;
• Excellent judgment and focus, and ability to remain calm under pressure;
• Ability to travel for work, including out of state as needed;
• Demonstrated commitment to trauma-informed advocacy, economic, racial, and social justice, and community lawyering;

Requirements

JOB TYPE AND BENEFITS

• Full-time/exempt
• Salary range for an attorney with 4–6 years of experience is $84,300–$87,100.
• Bargaining
• Probationary period: 9 months

Public Counsel offers a competitive benefits package including:

• Medical coverage with an option for 100% employer-paid employee and dependent child(ren)’s premiums; buy-up options are available for other HMO and PPO coverage
• Dental and vision coverage
• Option to enroll in a Flexible Spending Account
• Employer-paid life insurance and disability plans

Generous paid time off (per year):

• 15 accrued vacation days that increase to 20 days after 3 years of employment
• 12 accrued sick days that may be used for physical and mental health needs
• 2 personal observance days
• 11 paid holidays plus 2 one-week office closures (during the summer and winter)
• Up to 60 hours of compensatory time per calendar year (for exempt staff only)

Additional benefits:

1. 5 hour work week for all full-time employees

• 403(b) retirement plan with an elective employee contribution, and after a year of employment a discretionary employer contribution
• Free on-site parking or public transportation reimbursement
• $45 per pay period for employees who use non-English language skills to perform work duties
• Up to 6 months of parental leave
• Organizational and team wellness activities to build team cohesion and camaraderie
• Professional development support and opportunities
• Centrally located headquarters in the heart of Koreatown, a vibrant neighborhood with easy access to public transportation, diverse dining options, and cultural attractions.

HOW TO APPLY

We value lived experiences and experiences working with clients across a range of settings. Please discuss such experiences in your cover letter, especially if they are not reflected in your resume.

Please submit two PDFs, one containing your cover letter and resume and the other containing your writing sample (no longer than 25 pages).

PUBLIC COUNSEL VACCINATION POLICY AND COVID-19 PROTOCOLS

Public Counsel requires vaccination against COVID-19 for all employees, including new hires. Pursuant to federal and state laws, Public Counsel will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified employees with disabilities or sincerely held religious beliefs, unless doing so would pose an undue hardship.

Public Counsel is generally office-based, but remote work has been permitted during the pandemic. All employees with Public Counsel are required to work in the office at least one day per week, at the discretion of the head of department. Some positions require additional in-office days. This policy is subject to redesign by leadership. Public Counsel will work in a manner consistent with public health and local and state emergency orders.

PUBLIC COUNSEL EEO POLICY

Public Counsel is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate against employees or prospective employees on the basis of union membership or activity, race, religious creed, religious observance, ethnicity, color, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information or predisposition, military service, military and veteran status, pregnancy, child birth and related medical conditions, marital and family status, national origin, ancestry, age, medical conditions as defined by state or federal law, or disability, or any other basis prohibited by law.

All qualified applicants with criminal histories will be considered in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring.

Our leadership team is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities discipline, discharge and general treatment during employment.