Staff Attorney, National Origin and Immigrants’ Rights

The Organization

Legal Aid at Work (LAAW) partners with people to help them understand and assert their workplace rights, and advocates for employment laws and systems that empower low-paid workers and marginalized communities.

LAAW has seven core program areas: (1) Community Legal Services; (2) Disability Rights; (3) Gender Equity & LGBTQ Rights; (4) National Origin and Immigrants’ Rights; (5) Racial Economic Justice; (6) Wage Protection; and (7) Work and Family. Through these programs, LAAW:

• Provides free, individualized legal advice and counsel throughout California to thousands of low-income workers;
• Pursues targeted enforcement and impact litigation to strengthen and clarify the law;
• Conducts community outreach and education for workers, their advocates, their families, and their health and social service providers; and
• Advocates for laws, regulations, and policies at the local, state, and national levels to strengthen civil and workplace rights.

As a social justice organization, Legal Aid at Work’s mission is rooted in the firm belief that all people deserve respect, dignity, and self-determination at work, at school, and in their communities. Structural and systemic racism—with the oppression of Black and Indigenous people at its core—and other forms of injustice shape the society and the civic, political and legal systems in which we work and live. Legal Aid at Work is committed to developing and nurturing an organizational culture that will dismantle systems of oppression and uplift people from underrepresented communities and create a workplace that is truly equitable and inclusive. As such, we strongly encourage candidates from BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities to apply.

The Program

The National Origin and Immigrants’ Rights (NOIR) Program advocates for the workplace rights of persons who face discrimination because of their national origin, ethnicity, immigrant status, or the languages they speak.  The Program carries out its mission through litigation, limited representation, policy work and community education.

In its litigation efforts, the Program has taken on cases that have resulted in precedent-setting victories for immigrant workers who have confronted retaliation for asserting their workplace rights, who have sought the full protections of the law despite their immigration status, and who have been required to suppress central aspects of their identities as a condition of employment.

In addition to bringing cases in federal and state court, the National Origin and Immigrants’ Rights Program works to achieve progress by partnering with governmental agencies to make policy changes that strengthen and expand the rights of immigrant workers and workers of color, and joining in coalition with other immigrant workers’ advocates to push for reform.  The Program also conducts “know your rights” trainings for workers, nonprofit organizations and social service providers, and creates educational materials designed for use by workers and their advocates.

The Position

Legal Aid at Work seeks a Staff Attorney in its NOIR Program who will engage in all aspects of its work advocating for the rights of low-wage immigrant workers and workers of color, including litigation in federal and state courts, limited direct services, community education, and policy advocacy.  With regards to litigation, the Staff Attorney will work on cases from initial fact investigation through complaint drafting, motion practice, discovery, trial and appellate work. The Staff Attorney may also assist in litigating cases or in other forms of advocacy in other LAAW program areas.

With support from and in collaboration with the Program Director, the Staff Attorney will be involved in all aspects of the Program’s activities, including but not limited to:

• Investigating, developing and litigating law reform, impact, and enforcement cases;
• Assisting with the Program’s direct services work, including advising workers and representing them in administrative agency proceedings;
• Assisting the Program Director and other NOIR team members with developing strategy for the program;
• Engaging in federal, state and local policy advocacy (typically in coalition with other organizations);
• Conducting community outreach and education in collaboration with community partners;
• Using legal strategies to support worker centers and other community partners;
• Supervise and mentor law clerks, fellows and junior attorneys.

Requirements

The following list of core competencies and experiences is provided to share insight into the requirements of the role and the general level of experience we seek in candidates. We encourage all qualified candidates and those with relevant or transferable experience to apply, even if you do not bring experience in all of the areas noted below.

This position requires a dedicated civil rights and social justice attorney who will thrive in a mission-driven environment that highly values collaboration both internally and externally with community partners.  A demonstrated commitment to the rights of immigrant workers is a prerequisite. Candidates must also have a strong interest in developing and undertaking litigation and policy strategies, and collaborating with community allies.  Strong preference will be given to applicants with personal or professional experience working with impacted communities.

Candidates must be active members of the California State Bar or be willing to take the next California Bar Examination if currently a member of another state bar. This person may be located anywhere in the state of California. Legal Aid at Work offers employees the flexibility to work primarily from home, contingent on business needs and professional responsibilities.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Deep commitment to social justice and civil rights work;
• A passion for Legal Aid at Work’s mission of seeking justice for low-wage workers;
• 5 to 7 years of relevant legal experience, most preferably in the area of workers’ rights;
• Experience with investigation, case development, and litigation including discovery, motion practice, hearings, trials and/or appeals in federal or California courts required;
• Demonstrated skill in working and communicating with clients, and with client-centered lawyering;
• Superior legal research, writing and analytical skills;
• The ability to think creatively about the law as a dynamic tool of social change, and to identify opportunities for law reform;
• Fluency in Spanish strongly preferred;
• The ability to work collaboratively in a small team of attorneys and paralegals;
• Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously, and balancing competing deadlines;
• Ability and willingness to develop projects on their own initiative;
• The ability to think strategically about the role of a legal nonprofit in supporting grassroots organizing efforts;
• A commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and the ability to hold and foster difficult and necessary conversations about race, sex, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, and other protected identities;
• A commitment to racial equity work and incorporating racial equity principles into legal advocacy;
• Ability to use tact and diplomacy when dealing with sensitive issues and to maintain confidentiality;
• Strong interpersonal skills, initiative, leadership, and organizational abilities;
• The ability to travel as necessary within California and to other parts of the country for litigation, speaking events, meetings, and conferences.

Compensation

Legal Aid at Work offers salaries that are competitive in the Bay Area public interest law community. Benefits include health plans, long-term disability and life insurance, 403(b) retirement plan with employer match and contribution, and generous paid vacation and holidays. There is a language bonus for bilingual client-facing staff members. As a unionized organization, LAAW believes in the importance of employees organizing to improve their working conditions.  This position is included in the bargaining unit represented by ESC Local 20. The current negotiated salary scale for the position can be found here. The salary for Staff Attorney ranges from $93,600 to $179,868 depending on years out of law school.

To Apply

All applications must include: (1) a cover letter explaining your interest in this position and the ways in which you satisfy the qualifications specified above, (2) a résumé, (3) 2-3 legal writing samples, preferably of 10 pages or longer, and (4) three professional references. All application materials should be submitted to:

NOIR Staff Attorney Search Committee

Email:  jobs@legalaidatwork.org

Legal Aid at Work is committed to a diverse, multicultural work environment. LAAW is an equal opportunity, fair chance, and affirmative action employer. Our complete EEO and DEI statements as well as further information concerning the organization and its programs can be found at www.legalaidatwork.org.  Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, Legal Aid at Work will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment.