Staff Attorney – Project RAFT (Reentry Advocacy for a Fresh Tomorrow)

ANNUAL SALARY: $75,000 + depending on experience

ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION:
Mental Health Advocacy Services, Inc. (MHAS) is a private, non-profit organization whose
mission is to protect and advance the legal rights of low-income adults and children with
mental health disabilities and empower them to assert those rights in order to maximize
their autonomy, achieve equity, and secure the resources they need to thrive. MHAS
assists both children and adults, with an emphasis on obtaining government benefits and
services, protecting rights, and fighting discrimination. MHAS also serves as a resource
to the community by providing training and technical assistance to attorneys, mental
health professionals, consumer and family member groups, and other advocates. Finally,
MHAS participates in impact litigation and policy work in an effort to improve the lives
of people with mental health disabilities.

JOB DESCRIPTION:
MHAS seeks to hire an Attorney to provide free legal services to individuals with mental
health disabilities who have experienced incarceration via Project RAFT (Reentry
Advocacy for a Fresh Tomorrow). This project was established to combat employment
barriers specifically for individuals who are or who have been in the criminal justice
system and are experiencing mental health challenges. Project RAFT will help clients
overcome barriers to reentry by providing legal services and advocacy in the areas of
post-conviction relief, including expungements, as well as ancillary civil legal issues
creating barriers to reentry, including traffic ticket advocacy, access to employment and
housing, and criminal justice debt.
The ideal candidate will be expected to respond quickly to clients needing legal services
primarily in post-conviction relief, but also at times in a range of other subject areas
including mental health law, housing, employment, public benefits, and consumer
finance. Other responsibilities will include implementing and supervising quarterly legal
clinics hosted with various partner organizations to screen clinic participants for
expungement eligibility. The attorney will also take on such other client and policy work
from time to time as deemed appropriate to MHAS’ mission and client goals.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES WILL INCLUDE:
1. Providing competent legal assistance to clients through advice and counsel,
research and writing, negotiation, administrative advocacy, and court advocacy;
2. Developing expertise in post-conviction relief;
3. Maintaining a caseload in an organized and efficient manner;
4. Creating training materials as assigned;
5. Providing technical assistance and training to volunteers and stakeholders;
6. Coordinating with our partner organizations and assisting with project
administration;
7. Participating in policy advocacy projects; and
8. Assisting with other projects and tasks as identified related to MHAS’ mission.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
1. J.D. degree and membership in California State Bar.
2. Commitment and sensitivity to the rights of people with mental health disabilities
and other vulnerable populations.
3. Excellent legal research skills.
4. Excellent oral and written communication skills with attention to detail.
5. Excellent organizational skills.
6. Ability to prioritize tasks, manage time, and meet deadlines.
7. Demonstrated ability to analyze complex problems and develop creative solutions.
8. Cultural sensitivity and demonstrated ability to work well with diverse social,
economic, and ethnic groups.

FRINGE BENEFITS AND WORK CULTURE:
On January 1, 2023, MHAS proudly and permanently adopted a four-day work week.
After completing a six-month trial of a four-day work week in 2022, MHAS found what
almost all other companies that have moved to a four-day work week have found: the
four-day work week improves organization productivity and employee health, reduces
gender inequality and creates a more sustainable work environment. All full-time MHAS
employees, including this position, work four, eight-hour days per week. Candidates
seeking part-time employment may also apply. The MHAS office is closed on Fridays.
Other benefits include paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave; employee health, dental,
vision, long term disability, and life insurance; and parking/transit fare reimbursement.

MHAS is proud of its collegial, family-friendly culture that respects the work/life balance
of its employees. To that end, MHAS is willing to consider flexible work schedules on a
case-by-case basis. MHAS also provides employees with frequent wellness
opportunities, including trainings on stress management and mindfulness, group
meditations, and regular, informal staff gatherings.

MHAS attorneys work remotely with access to the MHAS headquarters office as needed.
MHAS equips all employees working from home with needed technology and other
office supplies. The Staff Attorney will be required to live in the Los Angeles area,
conduct in-person work at partner organization sites on a quarterly basis for
expungement eligibility screening legal clinics, and occasionally attend in-person
meetings as needed.

COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION:
Mental Health Advocacy Services seeks to fill all positions with people who share our
values, including our organizational commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We
encourage all interested individuals to apply – especially people of color; women; people
from low-income backgrounds; people experiencing mental health and/or physical
disabilities; people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender non-conforming,
or non-binary; immigrants; people who have been affected by mass incarceration; and
people from other underrepresented and historically marginalized groups. We believe
that the resulting diversity is both a source of program strength and a matter of
fundamental human fairness.

APPLICATION PROCESS AND DEADLINE: Submit the following to info@mhas-la.org
(state “Employment Application” in subject line):
1. Resume; and
2. Cover letter discussing any and/or all of the following:
• your motivation for seeking the position,
• your interest in working with people with mental health disabilities,
• how you meet the minimum qualifications, and/or
• how your personal background or experiences, professional or otherwise, have
prepared you to contribute to our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion

MHAS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration
without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, national origin, ancestry, age, sexual
orientation, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, mental or physical disability, or any other basis protected by law.