Pro Bono Program Legal Fellow

About Swords to Plowshares

Founded in 1974, Swords to Plowshares is a community-based not-for-profit organization that provides counseling and case management, employment and training, housing, and legal assistance to veterans in the San Francisco Bay Area. We promote and protect the rights of veterans through advocacy, public education, and partnerships with local, state, and national entities. Believing that war causes wounds and suffering that last beyond the battlefield, our mission is to support veterans as they navigate the challenges of post-military life, and to prevent and end veteran homelessness through wrap-around care and informed advocacy. To learn more about Swords to Plowshares, please visit our website at www.swords-to-plowshares.org.

Job Title: Pro Bono Program Legal Fellow

Location: San Francisco

Schedule: 9-5pm M-F

Reporting Type: Hybrid schedule (mandatory in-office days are Wednesday + Thursday)

Employment Type: Exempt, full-time

Salary Range: $78,000-$80,000

Summary:

Swords to Plowshares invites applications for a full-time Pro Bono Program Legal Fellow to join our Legal Unit. The Pro Bono Program Legal Fellow will work with the Pro Bono Manager & Senior Staff Attorney in the administration of Swords’ Pro Bono Program as well as carry their own client case load.

The Legal Unit at Swords to Plowshares provides legal assistance and representation to the low-income and homeless veteran population of the Bay Area. In addition, we address systemic causes of our clients’ inability to access benefits and relief through policy efforts and impact litigation. We practice federal administrative law before the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense, and we focus our assistance on veterans experiencing PTSD and other mental health conditions and those with less than honorable discharges.

The Pro Bono Program at Swords connects low-income and/or unhoused Bay Area military veterans with volunteer attorneys from local law firms to represent them in their military discharge upgrade cases. A discharge upgrade is a process whereby a veteran petitions the Department of Defense to change their discharge characterization from a less-than- honorable discharge to an honorable one, which can increase their access to veterans’ benefits, employment prospects, and heal dignitary harms, especially for those unjustly kicked out. In addition, the Pro Bono Program Legal Fellow will provide direct legal services to veteran clients in VA benefits claims and appeals.

This is a one-year fellowship, with the possibility of on-going employment dependent on grant funding. Please submit a detailed cover letter describing your interest in the position along with your resume at this site: https://secure6.saashr.com/ta/6154276.careers?ShowJob=671489608.

Responsibilities

• Work with the Pro Bono Manager in administering the various aspects of the Swords to Plowshares Pro Bono Program to include providing Continuing Legal Education (CLE) trainings, mentoring pro bono attorneys by fielding case strategy questions and reviewing draft briefs, providing legal assistance at monthly Discharge Upgrade legal clinics, and assisting with pro bono case placement such as intaking clients, requesting and reviewing records, and coordinating with pro bono law firms;

• Provide legal advice and representation to veteran clients, to include conducting legal research; requesting and reviewing military, medical, and mental health treatment records; developing supportive evidence; writing persuasive advocacy briefs; and representing clients at hearings before the VA Regional Office, the Board of Veterans Appeals, and Department of Defense Discharge Review Boards;

• Work with other program providers to integrate services within Swords to Plowshares’ continuum of care;

• Perform other duties such as develop trainings and self-help materials, attend legal clinics, conferences, and law firm events, and other duties as required by Pro Bono Manager and Legal Director;

• Employee must be able to perform all essential job requirements and responsibilities within what would be considered reasonable accommodation.

Desired Qualifications

Education

• Juris doctor from an ABA-accredited law school

• Active bar membership in the United States, or awaiting bar exam results. (California bar membership is not required.)

• Previous knowledge of veterans’ law is not required. (Substantive legal training on VA benefits and Discharge Upgrades will be provided by Swords’ Legal Team.)

Experience

• Experience with or sensitivity to the needs of legal clients who are homeless, trauma survivors, experience mental health symptoms, and/or live with disabilities

• Familiarity with veteran issues is preferred

• Familiarity with public benefits advocacy is preferred

• Veterans strongly encouraged to apply

Qualifications

• Sound professional judgment

• Administratively self-sufficient

• Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively and remain calm under pressure

• Commitment to the mission of Swords to Plowshares

• Performing some tasks outside the office, such as attendance at legal clinics, meetings, and hearings

Skills

• Strong written and oral communication and advocacy skills

• Excellent legal research and writing skills

• Ability to work independently and in a team-oriented environment

• Proficient in using technology, such as Microsoft Word and case management software

• Must be able to communicate effectively with a variety of personalities and be comfortable working with an at-risk client population, including embracing the organization’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiative

Comprehensive Benefits Package:

Employees who are regularly scheduled to work 20 hours or more per week are eligible for all benefits.

• 100% employer sponsored medical, vision, acupuncture, and dental coverage. Swords to Plowshares covers partial dependent coverage cost. (Agency paid annual medical deductible paid via Navia HRA Card)
• Employee Assistance Program: 20 mental health counseling appointments available to all employees, regardless of Full-time status, at no cost to employees.
• 403(b) retirement plan immediate enrollment
• Generous annual paid time off
  • 10 sick days
  • 13 holidays
  • 17 vacation days in the first year & progressive afterwards
• Access to third party legal benefits, employee discount program, pet insurance, and Commuter Benefit.
• 1-hour paid lunch period, professional development reimbursements, and annual education allowance available to all employees.

*Employees who work on-call, in a temporary position, or less than 20 hours per week regularly are only eligible for our Employee Assistance Program, paid lunch hour, and San Francisco sick time. Vacation and sick time are pro-rated based upon full-time equivalent percentage.*

Organizational Values Statement of Intent:

Swords to Plowshares is fully committed to the ongoing work of upholding our values and fostering a supportive culture for all staff and veteran clients. For us, this is a process and not a destination. We embrace the principles of cultural humility to create spaces where all people feel welcome, heard, and valued.

We stand against injustice and discrimination of all kinds. We understand that the veteran community encompasses a multitude of identities, and we believe that our staff and board should as well. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

At Swords to Plowshares, we believe in creating an inclusive and welcoming environment for all. We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or status as a protected veteran. We are committed to compliance with all state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.

We are dedicated to affirmative action and providing equal employment opportunities for everyone. We strive to ensure that all individuals—regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or veteran status—are treated fairly and have access to the same opportunities in alignment with federal regulations (Executive Order 11246, Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974).

If you need assistance or accommodation due to a disability, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at employeesupport@stp-sf.org. We’re here to help.