Shriver Supervising Staff Attorney- Homelessness Prevention Project

ABOUT PUBLIC COUNSEL

Public Counsel is a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to advancing civil rights and racial and economic justice, as well as to amplifying the power of our clients through comprehensive legal advocacy. Founded on and strengthened by a pro bono legal service model, our staff and volunteers seek justice through direct legal services, promote healthy and resilient communities through education and outreach, and support community-led efforts to transform unjust systems through litigation and policy advocacy in and beyond Los Angeles.

Public Counsel operates eight legal projects: Children’s Rights, Community Development, Consumer Rights & Economic Justice, Homelessness Prevention, Immigrants’ Rights, Veterans’ Rights, the Audrey Irmas Project for Women & Girls’ Rights, and our impact litigation project, Opportunity Under Law. 

Public Counsel has a full-time staff of over 150. We are committed to building a diverse staff and encourage applications from people of color, people with disabilities, and people of all gender identities, gender expressions, and sexualities.

ABOUT HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION LAW PROJECT

Public Counsel’s Homelessness Prevention Law Project (HPLP) serves individuals who are at high risk of becoming homeless or are currently unhoused. HPLP assists unrepresented low-income litigants in unlawful detainer (eviction) actions, and provides pre-litigation counsel and advice to tenants who are involved in a landlord-tenant dispute. HPLP also provides pro bono representation to homeless individuals and families to help remove legal barriers to obtaining permanent housing. In addition, we run several community clinics to connect low-income Angelinos with free legal advice, and provide educational workshops in collaboration with community-based organizations. 

In addition to our homelessness prevention and anti-displacement efforts, our recent work includes: 

• Supporting local tenants in their successful efforts to obtain and preserve COVID-related eviction protections;
• Working with community-based organizations to provide know-your-rights presentations and workshops to tenants on new and constantly-changing housing laws;
• Teaming up with other non-profit legal services providers, tenant organizers and community-based organizations throughout Los Angeles County to push forward the implementation of a Right to Counsel for all tenants in eviction proceedings.

JOB SUMMARY

The Supervising Staff Attorney position is a full-time position based at Public Counsel’s 610 S. Ardmore office. The Supervising Staff Attorney will oversee Public Counsel’s Shriver Housing Project. The Shriver Housing Project is a project authorized under the Shriver Civil Counsel Act (AB 590) to demonstrate the benefits of providing counsel to clients in high-stakes civil litigation such as the possible loss of housing. Although not a pure civil Gideon project, the Shriver Housing Project assists thousands of unrepresented low-income litigants in unlawful detainer actions each year. This position will oversee a team of three or more Staff Attorneys and three paralegals dedicated to this effort. 

The Supervising Staff Attorney will also help maintain and grow   relationships with funders and community partners, and manage the administrative aspects of the project. This position may involve off-site clinics and workshops, and will require court appearances throughout Los Angeles County as needed. The Supervising Staff Attorney will report to HPLP’s Directing Attorney.

The position has the following responsibilities:

• Supervision of direct services staff and casework;
• Maintaining a caseload as balanced with other supervisorial and administrative duties; 
• Training, mentoring and professional development of staff; 
• Providing litigation support to staff;
• Collaborate with the Directing Attorney and team members to assist with program design, development, oversight and administration; 
• Grant reporting, billing, and outcome tracking; 
• Developing and maintaining relationships with internal and external partners; 
• Act as a resource regarding unlawful detainer cases and other housing issues for community-based organizations and partner agencies
• Train and provide support to pro bono volunteers;
• Coordinating and participating in community outreach, including trainings, coalition meetings and special projects as assigned; 
• Other duties as assigned.

JOB TYPE AND BENEFITS

• Full-time, Exempt position
• Position is created with designated funds and is contingent on ongoing funding for the program
• Bargaining
• A supervisor supplement of $7,500. (candidates with more than 10 years of experience  will still be considered)
• Public Counsel offers a competitive benefits package including:
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage with both HMO and PPO options, 
• The option to enroll in a Flexible Spending Account,        
• A 403(b) retirement plan with elective contribution and a discretionary employer contribution after a year of employment,        and 
• Employer-paid life insurance and disability plans.
• Generous paid time off 
• On-site parking or public transportation reimbursement available

HOW TO APPLY

We value lived experiences and experiences working with clients across a range of settings. Please consider discussing such experiences in your cover letter, especially if they are not reflected in your resume.  

PUBLIC COUNSEL VACCINATION POLICY   AND COVID-19 PROTOCOLS

Public Counsel requires vaccination against COVID-19 for all employees, including new hires. Pursuant to federal and state laws, Public Counsel will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified employees with disabilities or sincerely held religious beliefs,   unless doing so would pose an undue hardship.

Public Counsel is generally office-based and will be an effective hybrid-workspace as of June 6, 2022. As such, employees with Public Counsel will be required to work in the office at least one day per week, at the discretion of the head of department. This policy is subject to redesign by leadership. Public Counsel will work in a manner consistent with public health and local and state emergency orders. 

PUBLIC COUNSEL EEO POLICY

Public Counsel is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate against employees or prospective employees on the basis of union membership or activity, race, religious creed, religious observance, ethnicity, color, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information or predisposition, military service, military and veteran status, pregnancy, child birth and related medical conditions, marital and family status, national origin, ancestry, age, medical conditions as defined by state or federal law, or disability, or any other basis prohibited by law.

All qualified applicants with criminal histories will be considered in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Los Angeles   Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring.

Our leadership team is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities discipline, discharge and general treatment during employment.