Temporary Family Law Staff Attorney

BayLegal seeks a family law attorney with a strong commitment to public interest and social justice advocacy to join our team.  While this position will be based in one of BayLegal’s regional offices (to be determined with input from the chosen candidate), the attorney may handle cases and client services in another one of BayLegal's service counties, which will necessitate some travel for client meetings, court appearances, and other work.  It is anticipated that this temporary position will primarily focus on services in Napa and Contra Costa counties with some cases throughout BayLegal’s other service areas.

As a BayLegal Staff Attorney you will have the opportunity to:

• Learn and assist with the diverse legal needs of underserved and marginalized communities throughout the Bay Area to gain safety, reduce homelessness, enhance stability, and address social injustice;
• Represent low-income survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in an array of family court proceedings, including dissolution, child custody and support, parentage actions, and restraining orders;
• Represent immigrant survivors of interpersonal violence in seeking and obtaining immigration relief through U Visa, VAWA, and Adjustment of Status petitions;
• Conduct Domestic Violence Restraining Order Clinics, both in-person and remote,) assisting self-represented litigants with preparing forms and understanding legal processes, supervising, and mentoring volunteers and interns, and identifying systemic issues and ways to improve access;
• Provide workshops and technical assistance to community partners and client communities on family law and a broad range of civil legal issues;
• Engage in collaboration with a range of public and private community partners, including governmental agencies, courts, and community-based organizations, to ensure integrative services and address systemic barriers facing BayLegal's client community; and
• Engage in other tasks and projects that further BayLegal's mission and operations as a non-profit.

Requirements/Qualifications/About the Successful Candidate:

• A commitment to fostering inclusivity and equity, as well as humility when working with clients and colleagues at the intersection of multiple identities, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, immigration status, religion, physical and mental disability, and/or limited English proficiency.
• Must have received or be willing to receive and maintain up to date COVID-19 vaccination by date of hire.
• Member of CA Bar in good standing or admitted to practice in another state and eligible to practice in California for 3 years under the California State Bar rules for the Registered Legal Services Attorney Program, preferred.
• Experience and/or interest in working with survivors of trauma.
• Minimum two years relevant family law experience
• Bilingual ability in a language commonly spoken by our client population preferred;
• Commitment to complying with all California Rules of Professional Conduct, BayLegal funding requirements, and firm standards, policies, and practices.  
• Current proficiency, and ability to improve proficiency, in technological equipment , hardware and software necessary to perform duties of the position.  
• Experience and skills maintaining organization of time, managing diverse activities, and meeting critical deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Excellent writing, editing, and proof-reading skills, with ability to be detail oriented.
• Experience and commitment to working collaboratively with a dynamic team.
• Curious and self-directed with an ability to anticipate what needs to be done.
• Ability to simultaneously manage multiple projects while maintaining a firm grasp of individual project details.
• Sense of humor and proactive problem-solver.
• A driver’s license and access to a car.

HYBRID WORK OPTION: BayLegal is committed to the health and safety of our staff, clients, and community. Being accessible to our client communities and reducing barriers for them to access our services is integral to our mission and commitment as a direct services community-based law firm.  BayLegal employees are expected to work on-site and in-person at a BayLegal office or community-based advocacy site at least three (3) days per week and may work remotely from home on a part-time basis.  Employees are expected to reside in California and at a distance allowing them to commute to their physical BayLegal base location, and to other service delivery locations as needed, during the standard work week.

Compensation and Benefits: We offer a diverse, family friendly environment, and compensation based on competitive public interest salaries along with medical and dental benefits, paid holidays, and sick leave. Compensation is based on experience and competitive public interest salaries. The estimated annual salary range for attorneys is $77,000 - $100,000 placement in range determined primarily by the years of related experience.

Applications: BayLegal thrives on our diversity, and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a culturally diverse workplace and strongly encourage women, LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Intersex, Asexual) and OTBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) individuals, veterans, individuals who have been impacted by the criminal justice system, persons with disabilities, and persons from other underrepresented groups to apply. We are committed to equal employment opportunity and providing reasonable accommodations to qualified candidates and employees pursuant to applicable law. We value and encourage diversity and solicit applications from all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, gender, sex, age, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military and veteran status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. If you require a reasonable accommodation as part of the application process, please contact BayLegal’s Human Resources Manager (510) 250-5225.

BayLegal will begin reviewing applications upon receipt and continue until the position is filled. Please upload the following attachments: (1) cover letter – that includes response to the question below (no page limit), (2) resume, (3) references, and (4) writing sample through BayLegal’s career application portal.

As part of your cover letter, please address the following:

BayLegal’s clients are low-income and very low-income members of our communities. They include LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Intersex, Asexual) and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) individuals, the working poor, seniors, people who are limited English proficient, veterans, persons with disabilities, survivors of abuse and exploitation, individuals impacted by the criminal justice system, and people who are experiencing or at risk of homeless, and persons from other underrepresented groups. To ensure our organization is best serving these populations, BayLegal strives to promote an evolving set of behaviors and attitudes amongst our staff, as well as policies that enable us to work effectively across cultures, with clients, with our coworkers, and with the community. We see this as a commitment to enhance the provision of our services to all clients; to raise the level of positive client outcomes; and to create an inclusive and respectful workplace in which differences are acknowledged and valued.

How do you think your experiences, professional or otherwise, prepared you to serve our diverse client base effectively, work effectively with colleagues from different backgrounds than your own, and to contribute to our commitment to humility, inclusion, and diversity? Feel free to think broadly about your response to this question, applying various aspects of your life and personal experiences.

Powered by JazzHR

We offer a diverse, family friendly environment, and compensation based on competitive public interest salaries along with medical and dental benefits, paid holidays, and sick leave. Compensation is based on experience and competitive public interest salaries. The estimated annual salary range for attorneys is $77,000 - $100,000 placement in range determined primarily by the years of related experience.