Attorney (Housing and Communities Workgroup)
The 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. LAFLA seeks to achieve equal justice for poor and low-income people in greater Los Angeles. We change lives through direct representation, systems change, and community education.
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.
The Housing and Communities Workgroup: LAFLA’s Housing and Communities Workgroup consists of cross-substantive areas presently including housing, civil rights and community economic development (providing capacity-building support to community-based organizations). We often coordinate our advocacy with other legal services programs, non-profits, and community-based organizations to help our clients gain the best results both through a model of integrated advocacy using direct legal services, impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community engagement as well transactional legal assistance to meet client needs. Each attorney is expected to maintain an appropriate caseload of various direct services, impact cases, and policy matters consistent with LSC regulations.
- Active membership in the California State Bar;
- Five to eight years of experience as an attorney preferred, though applications from a range of experienced attorneys, including those with judicial clerkships, will be considered;
- Litigation experience in Superior and Federal Courts;
- Demonstrated knowledge of at least one of four key substantive areas: housing, civil rights, community economic development or environmental justice matters;
- Public policy advocacy and/or community lawyering experience is considered a plus;
- Excellent written and verbal communication;
- Experience with diverse client population;
- Experience handling a variety of legal matters impacting poor and low income populations;
- Ability to manage multiple active cases simultaneously;
- Bilingual in Spanish a plus; 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.
- Serve as lead counsel on cases that include complex advocacy and direct services, commensurate with experience;
- Develop case strategies and work plans for matters assigned;
- Draft pleadings, legal documents, trial memoranda, appellate briefs and community education materials;
- Actively participate in community groups and coalitions on issues impacting service-eligible populations;
- Investigate, develop and litigate high-impact cases at the trial and appellate level in federal and state courts; and
- Work on public policy issues impacting low income individuals and communities.
Please submit a cover letter and resume online to jobs@lafla.org. Include “Attorney-Housing and Communities” 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.