Staff Attorney

Family Violence Law Center

Family Violence Law Center (FVLC) helps diverse communities in Alameda County heal from domestic violence and sexual assault, advocating for justice and healthy relationships. We provide survivor-centered legal and crisis intervention services, offer prevention education for youth and other community members, and engage in policy work to create systemic change.

OVERVIEW:

FVLC’s legal department provides the agency’s core service – assistance obtaining civil restraining orders and family law representation for survivors, with the goal of advancing safety and providing survivors and their children with the support they need to rebuild their lives. Under the supervision of the Managing Attorney with support from the Senior Staff Attorney, the Staff Attorney will provide direct civil legal services and advocacy for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking. In addition to restraining orders and family law, attorneys provide survivors with assistance in housing and Title IX matters.

Services are survivor-driven and trauma-informed. Services are also driven by the principle that many survivors live at the intersection of multiple forms of oppression and therefore advocacy needs to consider how issues like racism and poverty influence survivors’ likelihood of success.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Duties include the following (other duties may be assigned):

• Provide legal advice and counsel, paperwork preparation and case management, and/or limited or full scope representation for clients in restraining order, family law, and housing cases.
• Provide clients with legal advocacy in academic settings, including Title IX proceedings. Housing services may include legal services to survivors, focusing primarily on landlord advocacy and wrongful denial of housing subsidies, eviction defense, and restraining orders when relevant to housing needs.
• Conduct legal appointments with victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking. Prepare the necessary legal documents for clients. Maintain accurate client files and regularly update data on client contacts, case information, court hearings, and court orders obtained. Maintain ongoing communication with clients. Advocate for clients with external agencies as needed.
• Participate as Member of Legal Team: Attend and actively participate in regularly scheduled team meetings. Assist with development, training and supervision of legal interns and volunteer attorneys. Assist with ongoing development and training of legal intake workers.
• Represent FVLC in the Legal Community: Participate in community meetings as assigned. Make domestic violence, family law, and housing law related presentations to other community agencies and participate in domestic violence, family law  and housing related trainings as required.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• Licensed to practice law in California and in good standing.
• Ability to relate well with people from diverse socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds.
• Knowledge and awareness of local, regional, and national issues related to domestic violence and sexual assault.
• Ability to work independently and with a team.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills; ability to thrive in a high-volume, fast-paced environment.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

PREFERRED REQUIREMENTS:

• Bilingual, Spanish, or other.
• Experience working with domestic violence and sexual assault survivors.
• Experience representing clients in domestic violence, civil harassment, and/or family law
• matters.
• California domestic violence counselor certification (40-hour training) or sexual assault
• advocate/counselor training (SAACT).
• Knowledge of Alameda County service providers.

CLASSIFICATION:

Exempt, full-time.

COMPENSATION:

Salary range starts at is $77,868, depending on experience.

NON-DISCRIMINATION: Family Violence Law Center is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. No aspect of employment will be influenced in any matter by race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, marital status, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression (including individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, or non-gender conforming), physical disability (including HIV or AIDS), medical condition, perceived physical disability or veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by statute. Applicants belonging to any, or more than one, of these groups are urged to apply. FVLC maintains a policy of non-discrimination with respect to employees and applicants for employment in compliance with all applicable laws. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be regularly required to walk; sit; drive; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and talk or hear. The employee may be occasionally required to stand; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee may occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Consistent with our obligations under state and federal laws, reasonable accommodations will made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions except when such accommodation would cause Family Violence Law Center an undue hardship

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment may include settings of the court room, community places, and/or office environments. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Consistent with our obligations under state and federal laws, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions except when such accommodation would cause Family Violence Law Center an undue hardship.