Position Description: Staff Attorney – HIV/AIDS Legal Services Program
Salary Range: $72,000 – 80,000 – Exempt
Location: San Diego, California
OCCUPATIONAL SUMMARY:
The Staff Attorney for San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program’s HIV/AIDS Legal Services Program provides top-quality, culturally sensitive, and trauma-informed legal services to low-income San Diegans living with HIV/AIDS. The Staff Attorney assists clients on a variety of civil legal matters that impact their ability to maintain the care and treatment they need to stay healthy and achieve long-lasting viral suppression. Common legal matters include public benefits appeals, Social Security Disability hearings, estate planning, and disability discrimination in housing.
SDVLP is a pro bono organization. Therefore, the Staff Attorney is responsible for recruiting, mentoring, training, and supervising pro bono attorneys to represent SDVLP clients. They are also responsible for performing community outreach and education to the public, legal community, and local social service providers; as well as supervising the work of non-attorney staff.
ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION:
Established in 1983, San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program, Inc. (SDVLP) is the oldest and most comprehensive pro bono legal services program in San Diego County. SDVLP’s mission is to provide equal access to the justice system by serving as a bridge between indigent and other disadvantaged people in San Diego County and the volunteer lawyers who are willing to donate their time and resources. Our team of talented and passionate advocates is collegial, supportive, and committed to providing top-quality legal services to indigent, vulnerable San Diegans.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
- Must be a member in good standing of the California Bar.
- Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Must have excellent mentorship and teaching skills.
- Must have excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to successfully work as part of a team, and with the public, volunteers, court personnel, government agencies, and partner organizations.
- Ability to work independently and follow through on assignments with accuracy and minimal direction.
- Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends as required by events and deadlines.
- Excellent Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint skills.
- Demonstrated commitment to serving low-income and disadvantaged people through a pro bono model of legal services.
DESIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
- Experience serving people living with HIV, people with disabilities or other marginalized community groups, preferred.
- One year of experience in housing, public benefits, disability rights, or consumer law, preferred.
- Fluency in written and spoken Spanish, preferred.
ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES:
The Staff Attorney will be responsible for:
- Mentoring, training, and supervising pro bono attorneys providing representation to SDVLP clients in HIV-related matters, such as Social Security disability appeals, disability discrimination, and advance health care directives.
- Recruiting new pro bono attorney volunteers through community outreach and attendance at networking events.
- Developing and maintaining written training materials for pro bono attorneys.
- Interviewing prospective clients and issue-spotting potential civil legal issues.
- Providing advice and brief legal services at our various legal clinics throughout the county.
- Maintaining a small representation caseload in HIV/health-related matters.
- Maintaining detailed and accurate case notes in case management system (LegalServer).
- Maintaining knowledge of other legal and social services programs to provide tailored referrals for issues outside the scope of SDVLP programs, especially those serving the HIV-affected community.
- Engaging in outreach and community education initiatives and building relationships with HIV consumer groups and service providers.
- Delivering services, and training pro bono attorneys on how to deliver services, through a culturally sensitive, trauma-informed care framework.
- Training and supervising non-attorney staff.
- Managing and compiling statistical data and assisting with the drafting of narrative reports to funding sources.
- Engaging in other tasks and projects as needed to further SDVLP’s mission.
HYBRID WORK ENVIRONMENT:
- This position is a hybrid position requiring ability to work in SDVLP’s main office a minimum of 2-3 days per week.
- Ability to travel to court hearings and SDVLP’s other offices throughout San Diego County as necessary.
SALARY & BENEFITS:
- Salary range is $72,000 – $80,000, DOE.
- Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits; ability to participate in 401(K) with employer contribution.
- Sick, vacation, and holiday pay provided.
- No billable hours requirement.
SDVLP is an Equal Opportunity Employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, and any other status protected by state or federal law.