Staff Attorney - Yakima

WHO WE ARE

TeamChild achieves impact through three main program strategies: civil legal services, community engagement, and policy advocacy. Our broad impact goals include (1) decriminalization, decarceration, and abolition, (2) expanding and investing in community-led and community-based alternatives and resources, (3) increasing equitable access to education, healthcare and housing supports, and (4) shifting power and repairing harm in BIPOC communities.

At the core of our work is our legal services program, which reaches youth 12-24 years old in four of Washington’s largest counties as well as youth incarcerated in our state’s juvenile prison and detention facilities. Our clients are youth and young adults entangled in our juvenile court and child welfare systems who deserve quality civil legal advocacy to achieve housing security, access education and employment, and get their basic health and other needs met.

THE ROLE

TeamChild is seeking a full-time staff attorney in our Yakima County office. The Community Staff Attorneys in King, Pierce, Spokane, and Yakima counties work as part of a collaborative statewide team that is dedicated to youth-centered legal advocacy and working to continually reflect and improve our client services, office, and program practices. Primary job duties include providing holistic civil legal representation to youth who are involved in the juvenile court system or highly at risk for involvement. Advocacy involves breaking down legal barriers to a wide array of community-based services and support, prioritizing education and stable living situations, and including behavioral health care, postconviction (record sealing/restitution), and other civil rights issues. Activities include legal advice and/or representation in administrative or judicial proceedings, negotiations or other dispute resolution processes, advocacy in juvenile court in partnership with public defenders to promote alternatives to secure detention, and collaboration with and referrals to community providers. The staff attorney is also responsible for developing a network of local partnerships with social service programs, juvenile court staff, and community advocates/leaders. The attorney participates in other advocacy activities, including community training, outreach, and policy work on behalf of our client base.

An essential part of the role is to have multiple in-person (not virtual) contacts with clients, community partners, stakeholders, and other partners in your community on a weekly and monthly basis. That can include appearing at court hearings for clients, attending in-person community meetings, creating meeting opportunities with key partners, stakeholders, and resource providers, presenting trainings or outreach about our work, and other opportunities that allow for the community to know you as the community staff attorney, know our work at TeamChild, and for our staff to know and understand the nature of our collaborators and partners.

There is flexibility in this position for remote work from another location in Washington State or hybrid remote/work from our Yakima Office. This position involves regular travel to meet with clients and the community. If living elsewhere, traveling to Yakima would be at least weekly. Reimbursement for travel is available.

TO APPLY

Please email a concise letter of interest, resume, and a legal writing sample to jobs@teamchild.org using the following file naming convention: “[Last Name] - Letter” and “[Last Name] - Resume” and “[Last Name] -Writing Sample.” Please write “Attorney—Yakima County.” Also, please note if you will be located in Yakima or prefer to work remotely from elsewhere, and how you learned of this opportunity. Position open until filled, with review of all submitted applications beginning on August 20, 2025.

Please see the website for full job description including responsibilities, qualifications desired, and benefits. https://www.teamchild.org/work-with-us

All interested individuals, including people of color, women, persons with disabilities, and persons who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or intersex are particularly urged to apply. TeamChild is an Equal Opportunity Employer. TeamChild is committed to promoting an environment free of barriers and discriminatory practices for its clients, Board, and staff.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

This is a full-time salaried, exempt position that is not eligible for overtime pay. TeamChild’s work week is 35 hours.

TeamChild is committed to providing employees with a competitive salary and benefits package. Compensation is based on the TeamChild Attorney salary scale and the candidate’s years of relevant experience. The salary range is $80,000 to $110,000. For example, a candidate with 0 years of relevant experience would start in this position at $80,000 per year, and a candidate with 10 years of relevant experience would start in this position at $98,750 per year. The place where a candidate starts on the salary scale may be increased based upon their lived experience with systems of oppression reflective of our clients’ experiences.

TeamChild offers full benefits including medical, dental, vision, employee assistance program (EAP), generous paid time off, long- and short-term disability, life insurance, and options to set-up a flexible spending account (FSA) and 403b retirement account. TeamChild typically offers an annual well-being benefit of $1,000/year. We offer a pay bump for Spanish language fluency. If someone relocates for this position, we can offer $5,000 to assist with relocation expenses. Additionally, TeamChild is a qualifying employer for the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program