Staff Attorney

Position Summary:

San Luis Obispo Legal Assistance Foundation (SLOLAF) is seeking a full-time Staff Attorney for its Domestic Violence prevention work (“Staff Attorney”). The Staff Attorney will manage their own caseload under the supervision of SLOLAF’s Senior Staff Attorney and with the support of our bilingual legal assistants. The Staff Attorney provides trauma-informed legal services ranging from advice and referrals to full representation depending on the circumstances. The Staff Attorney has autonomy, with input from the Senior Staff Attorney, in determining the level of services to be provided factoring in SLOLAF’s mission, funding, and capacity. SLOLAF’s Domestic Violence Prevention program is currently serving only survivors of intimate partner violence, sexual assault and stalking with domestic violence restraining orders and related custody orders. The position can be based in SLOLAF’s San Luis Obispo or Paso Robles office, with some remote work opportunity and will require travel throughout the County for court appearances, meetings, and community outreach.

SLOLAF is a non-profit legal aid organization with a mission to provide legal services and resources to people in need. SLOLAF has served thousands of those in our community in the greatest need, including low-income residents, seniors, veterans, disabled adults, and other vulnerable populations, regardless of immigration status. Areas served include housing, eviction defense & tenants’ rights, elder abuse prevention and restraining orders, planning for incapacity for seniors, government benefits appeals, conservatorships and guardianships of the person, consumer finance and debt issues and family law services.

As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, SLOLAF is considered a qualifying employer for purposes of higher education loan forgiveness programs. Please visit https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service for more information including the requirements for qualification.

In furtherance of our commitment to supporting a healthy work-life balance for our employees while providing high quality legal services to our diverse clientele, SLOLAF is proud to offer our employees a generous array of benefits. We encourage our team to nurture their mental and physical health to serve clients most effectively. We value community involvement and allow our staff time in their workday for approved professional development. SLOLAF recently achieved Platinum status with the San Luis Obispo Chamber of Commerce’s Family Friendly Workplace program.

SLOLAF prioritizes diversity and inclusivity, and maintains an equitable workplace where all clients, employees and volunteers feel valued and respected, regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation or identity, religion, political affiliation, education or disability. We are committed to a nondiscriminatory approach and provide equal opportunity for employment and advancement in all our departments and programs.

Core Responsibilities:

• Interview prospective clients
• Provide trauma-informed legal advice and help evaluating level of services to offer ranging from advice only to full representation
• Represent clients in all phases of court litigation, including research, drafting pleadings and briefs, trial, and on appeal
• Attend community meetings, community education events and community workshops
• Develop positive relationships with clients, co-workers, and community partners
• Handle an increasingly complex caseload
• Participate in relevant and required legal training in family law legal matters and trauma-informed services on an ongoing basis
• Assist in the training and supervision of advocates, law students and volunteers as appropriate
• Develop creative methods, litigious and non-litigious for dealing with recurring client problems
• Use appropriate software in the performance of professional legal work including Clio, Westlaw, and Microsoft Office
• Comply with all program and grant requirements
• Participate in weekly meetings with Senior Staff Attorney
• Participate in biweekly legal team meetings
• Participate in monthly staff meetings
• Other functions as deemed necessary or as directed by the Senior Staff Attorney

Qualifications/Skills:

• Licensed to practice law in the State of California
• Family Law experience desired but not required
• Bilingual Spanish/English (preferred but not required), knowledge of the Mixteco dialect a plus
• Excellent problem-solving skills and critical thinking
• Ability to meet deadlines and perform multiple tasks while maintaining attention to detail
• Excellent public speaking skills and ability to convey what SLOLAF does to the general public
• Excellent oral and written advocacy, legal analysis, and legal research skills
• Current California Driver’s License, automobile registration and vehicle insurance (required); must have reliable transportation to travel to court, meetings, and outreach events

Characteristics:

• Passion for SLOLAF’s mission & serving those in need
• Ability to work with clients of all ages and backgrounds who are experiencing difficult circumstances and trauma
• Demonstrated cultural competency and awareness in dealing and communicating with diverse populations
• Ability to handle sensitive issues with discretion and confidentiality
• Compassionate, empathetic, non-judgmental
• Must work well with others and have a good sense of humor

Salary and Benefits:

Salary starts at $80,500-$94,875 annually, depending on experience (exempt)

Benefits included with this position include:

• Fourteen (14) paid holidays
• Paid vacation (starting at two weeks per year, increases to three weeks after two years and four weeks after five years)
• Paid Sick Leave: Eighty (80) hours annually (prorated if starting mid-year)
• Insurance Coverage (employee-only coverage, but employees are welcome to add dependents to their medical, dental and vision plans at their own expense):
  • Medical insurance: SLOLAF currently pays $750 toward an Anthem Blue Cross medical insurance policy of your choice from the plans available to SLOLAF
  • Dental insurance paid 100% by SLOLAF
  • Vision insurance paid 100% by SLOLAF
  • Life insurance ($50,000 benefit) paid 100% by SLOLAF (employee only)
  • Long-term Disability Insurance paid 100% by SLOLAF (employee only)
  • Professional liability insurance paid 100% by SLOLAF
• Simple IRA retirement plan with a guaranteed 2% of gross pay contributed by SLOLAF each payperiod and capacity to make additional pre-tax deductions from your paycheck
• California State Bar annual dues paid 100% by SLOLAF
• San Luis Obispo County Bar Association annual dues paid 100% by SLOLAF
• Cell phone allowance of $25 per month
• Relevant and necessary continuing legal education fees for online or in-person training and/or conferences that are pre-approved by management.

To apply:

• No calls please
• Email cover letter (required), resume and professional references, in PDF format, to SLOLAF Human Resources at hr@slolaf.org

Position is available immediately and posting will remain open until filled.