BayLegal seeks a family law attorney with a strong commitment to public interest and social justice advocacy to join our interpersonal violence prevention family law team. This position is based in our San Mateo County regional office in Redwood City. This position reports to the San Mateo County Managing Attorney / Family Law Regional Counsel who has decades of experience representing survivors of interpersonal violence in family law and immigration matters. The position is also part of a broader regional family law practice team who work together to protect and advance survivors’ legal interests and protections in each of BayLegal’s service counties and statewide. As a member of BayLegal’s regional practice, there may be travel within BayLegal’s broader service areas to address the regional nature of poverty and as necessary for training and broader advocacy.
As a BayLegal Staff Attorney you will have the opportunity to:
- Learn and assist with the diverse legal needs of underserved and marginalized communities throughout the Bay Area to reduce homelessness, enhance stability and address social injustice.
- Represent low-income survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in an array of family court proceedings, including dissolution, child custody and support, parentage actions, and restraining orders.
- Represent immigrant survivors of interpersonal violence in seeking and obtaining immigration relief through U Visa, VAWA, and Adjustment of Status petitions.
- Lead and supervise pro se Domestic Violence Restraining Order clinics in which survivors are assisted with the legal paperwork to apply for and obtain restraining orders, to understand legal processes and connect with information and resources for related needs.
- Supervise and mentor volunteers and interns.
- Work with colleagues to identify systemic issues and ways to improve access and legal protections for survivors of interpersonal violence.
- Co-counsel on cases and matters with and act as a resource and provide training for less experienced attorneys and advocates.
- Provide workshops and technical assistance to community partners and client communities on family law and a broad range of civil legal issues.
- Develop relationships and 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.
- Work with BayLegal's development, grants and contracts, and communications team to promote BayLegal's mission and resource development. and
- Engage in other tasks and projects that further the interest of BayLegal's mission and operations as a non-profit.
Requirements/Qualifications/About the Successful Candidate:
- Exhibits humility in working with colleagues and clients across the spectrum of diversity, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, immigrant status, religious identity, physical and mental disabilities, and/or limited English proficiency.
- Must have received or be willing to receive and maintain up to date COVID-19 vaccination (including boosters) by date of hire to be considered. Proof of vaccination required.
- Experience and/or interest in working with survivors of trauma.
- Membership in good standing with the CA Bar.
- Two or more years of relevant family law experience preferred.
- Bilingual ability in Spanish or other language spoken by BayLegal client community preferred.
- Strong personal work ethic and ability to organize time, manage diverse activities, and meet critical deadlines with minimal supervision.
- Excellent writing, editing, and proof-reading skills, with ability to be detail oriented.
- Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to work collaboratively with a dynamic team.
- Curious and self-directed with an ability to anticipate what needs to be done.
- Ability to simultaneously manage multiple projects while maintaining a firm grasp of individual project details.
COVID-19: 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 has health and safety protocols to minimize risk of exposure. BayLegal has an evolving plan to continue to safely increase in-person services and activities in our offices and community-based advocacy sites. Currently, most BayLegal employees work a hybrid model including on-site and in-person work and working 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 and in compliance with public health advisories.
Compensationand Benefits: We offer a diverse, family friendly environment, and compensation based on competitive public interest salaries along with a generous benefits package. BayLegal's benefits package includes 100% employer covered medical, dental, and life insurance for employees and up to 40-50% for dependents; BayLegal student debt reimbursement program; long term disability insurance; employee assistance program; wage differentials for multi-lingual employees whose non-English language skills are regularly used in the provision of work tasks and pass a request test of fluency and/or proficiency; dependent childcare employer contribution program; employer paid CA Bar license and/or social work license fees; and 401k retirement plan with BayLegal contribution following first year. BayLegal has a generous paid leave policy which includes sick leave; parental leave; 15 holidays each year; 3 floating holidays each year (days chosen by employee); and vacation (starting at 13 days and increasing with additional years of employment). This is a union position (Bay Area Legal Aid Workers, “BALAW”), and the salary ranges from $74,629-$93,793, depending on years of experience. The union salary scale for 2022-2026 can be found HERE.
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 providing 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 a reasonable accommodation as part of the application process, please contact BayLegal’s Human Resources Manager (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,PLEASEADDRESS 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, 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.