Attorney (DOORS Reentry Program)
Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA) is the frontline law firm for low-income people in Los Angeles and is currently accepting applications for the position of Attorney. The position will provide legal assistance to reentry individuals in various substantive areas including but not limited to housing, benefits, and criminal justice related issues. This position will be co-located at the DOORS Community Reentry Center in South Los Angeles and require working collaboratively with community-based organizations and county agencies to provide holistic services to re-entry individuals. The position will also provide workshops and/clinics at the Community Reentry Center.
The Organization: LAFLA (www.LAFLA.org) is a nonprofit law firm that protects and advances the rights of the most underserved – leveling the playing field and ensuring that everyone can have access to the justice system. Every year, LAFLA helps more than 100,000 people in civil legal matters by providing direct legal representation and other legal assistance for low-income people across the Greater Los Angeles region. Our unique combination of neighborhood offices, self-help centers at courthouses, and domestic violence clinics puts LAFLA on the frontlines in communities at the forefront of change. LAFLA has over 100 employees with over 70 attorneys. LAFLA operates five neighborhood offices and several off-site locations. For more information, please visit www.lafla.org.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Active membership in the California State Bar;
- Prefer experience working in diverse poverty law issues such as housing, benefits advocacy, etc.;
- Some knowledge of criminal justice related barriers to employment such as driver’s license reinstatement is preferred;
- Ability to work effectively with a large caseload and function professionally within a highly stressful environment;
- Demonstrated commitment to serving the needs of low-income and homeless individuals;
- Ability to work effectively as part of a team including other attorneys, support staff, volunteers, and community partners;
- Excellent writing and public speaking skills; and
- Willingness to work beyond a minimum 7.0 hour workday, including evening and weekend meetings and events, and workweeks in excess of 35 hours when caseload or other obligations so necessitate.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Interview and counsel clients on various legal issues;
- Work collaboratively with case managers from criminal justice related community based organizations to provide holistic services;
- Represent individuals in hearings on various legal issues;
- Assist clients with government benefits applications and appeals;
- Remove legal barriers to employment such as expungement of criminal records, sentence reduction, citation defense, and other post-conviction/criminal record related work;
- Provide workshops/clinics and other community outreach projects on various relevant legal topics;
- Learn various legal areas to remove clients’ legal barriers to housing and benefits; and
- Other duties as assigned.
Please submit a cover letter and resume online to jobs@lafla.org. Include “Attorney –DOORS Reentry Project” in the subject line.
Probationary Period: A one-year probationary period will be required.
An Equal Opportunity Employer: Selection will be based solely on merit and will be without discrimination because of race, color, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship, creed, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, age, religion, genetic information, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military or veteran status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition, marital or registered domestic partners status, or any other legally protected status.
*NOTE – This position is part of a special program created using designated funds. There is no assurance of ongoing funding or employment beyond the three-year period for which the funds are obtained.