Supervising Attorney

The Law Foundation of Silicon Valley (LFSV) invites attorneys with a strong commitment to social justice and advancing the rights of underrepresented individuals in Santa Clara County to apply for the Supervising Attorney position on our Housing team. Applicants should have experience managing direct service client caseloads, impact litigation, and advocacy work. This is a flexible, hybrid position with an expectation to be in the office a minimum of two days per week.

Who We Are

The Law Foundation of Silicon Valley advances the rights of historically excluded individuals and families across Santa Clara County through legal services, strategic advocacy, and educational outreach. We serve over 10,000 individuals and families each year through our Housing Program, Children & Youth Program, and Health Program. Our attorneys, social workers, and advocates use legal advocacy as a tool for social change by crafting inventive solutions to the legal issues facing low-income people in our region.

With a staff of 90 employees, we are the largest provider of free legal services in the South Bay region of the Bay Area. Our work is collaborative and meaningful and includes plenty of opportunities for professional growth. As a staff, we actively engage in discussions about race, equity, and inclusion, and are actively working towards a Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC)-centered legal services practice that incorporates community and movement lawyering.

What You’ll Do

The Law Foundation of Silicon Valley is seeking a full-time Supervising Attorney for its Housing Department. The Supervising Attorney will supervise a team of attorneys and advocates in preventing the displacement of low-income individuals and communities of color through direct legal services, including unlawful detainer defense, and system change work, including impact litigation and policy advocacy. This role will require direct service and systematic advocacy work. The Supervising Attorney will report to the Directing Attorney and will work closely and collaboratively with the other Supervising Attorney and Supervising Community Housing Advocate.

Requirements

Primary Duties

• Supervision of all housing work, including unlawful detainer defense
• Hiring, training, mentoring, and professional development of staff
• Collaboration with other Law Foundation team members to assist with program design, development, oversight, and administration of the Housing Department
• Manage the Law Foundation’s systemic change efforts in the housing context, including policy advocacy and impact litigation
• Direct representation of clients in unlawful detainer, affirmative, or impact litigation
• Support program and organization-wide initiatives, including race equity
• Oversee and participate in education and outreach to community about legal issues confronted by low-income tenants
• Train and establish training protocols for attorneys
• Advance a community lawyering strategy in the housing practice
• Develop and maintain public relations with government agencies, decision-makers, and the community
• Oversee and manage contracts
• Provide support to the pro bono housing program
• Participate in fundraising activities including events and grant writing and reporting

Who You Are

This role is a good fit for you if you have:

• Deep commitment to and passion for the vision and mission of the Law Foundation
• Minimum of five years of experience in public interest law or advocacy services
• Legal supervision experience
• Litigation experience, specifically unlawful detainer defense experience
• Experience in policy advocacy
• Experience managing and assigning work to a team
• Ability to effectively supervise legal work in a fast-paced and high-volume environment
• Ability to effectively develop a team and collaborate with other entities, both internal and external to the Law Foundation
• Ability to work with community-based organizations, government agencies, and decision-makers such as City Council
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to create a culture of feedback and continual improvement
• Experience in community lawyering and willingness to incorporate community lawyering into the housing practice
• Commitment to Race Equity work and incorporating race equity principles into systemic change work
• Demonstrated commitment and ability to work with underrepresented communities, including people living with mental health disabilities, HIV/AIDS, or other disabilities and clients of diverse ethnic, cultural and linguistic backgrounds
• Strong organizational skills
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• California Bar Membership or ability to practice law in California

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of relevant state and federal constitutional and civil rights laws
• The ability to manage a litigation docket effectively and lead a litigation team
• Bilingual capabilities (Spanish or Vietnamese and English)

What We Offer

The salary scale for this position is $115,000 – $128,000/year with generous benefits, including:

• 19 paid holidays per year
• 3-5 weeks of vacation per year
• 12 days of sick leave per year
• Up to 6 months of parental leave
• Fully paid medical, dental, and vision insurance premiums
• A robust Employee Assistance Program that includes free/discounted mental health therapy and wellness services for employees and their dependents
• A 401(k)-retirement plan with employer contributions
• A sabbatical after 5 years of employment
• An annual budget for professional development
• The option to work a hybrid schedule

Location

Law Foundation is a hybrid workplace and staff will be required to commute to our San Jose offices 2+ days per week. If staff can meet the requirements above, including commuting at their own expense, staff may live anywhere in California. Due to logistical challenges regarding taxes, insurance, and time zones, we are not able to consider staff in other states at this time.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Law Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer. We encourage people of color, womxn, people living with disabilities, older people, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people to apply. It is the policy of the Law Foundation to prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type and to afford equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants, without regard to race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, pregnancy, medical condition or genetic information, veteran status, national origin, disability, marital or other protected status. The Law Foundation will conform to the spirit, as well as the letter of all applicable laws and regulations.

ADA Accessible Facility – Equal Opportunity Employer – Drug-Free Workplace