Bilingual Staff Attorney (Farmworker Program)
Legal Aid Services of Oregon (LASO) seeks a bilingual (Spanish/English) full-time staff attorney in its Farmworker Program. The position will provide services to agricultural workers in Eastern Oregon. LASO staff are currently working entirely remotely. This position will be eligible for a partial remote work option once the office reopens. The position can be based in either the Woodburn or Pendleton office.
Background
LASO is a non-profit organization that represents low-income clients in civil cases. LASO’s eight regional offices serve the general low-income population throughout the state and two specialized statewide programs provide services to farmworkers and representation on Native American issues. LASO is an effective, high-quality legal services program that is committed to advocacy strategies having the broadest possible impact on client community problems.
The Farmworker Program consists of eight staff, including attorneys and paralegal/outreach workers. The majority of our clients speak Spanish or one of the Mesoamerican indigenous languages such as Mixteco. We emphasize areas of the law that community members tell us are most important to them and where representation and advocacy can achieve long term change. We work together with our clients to overcome the challenges they face including systemic racism, unpaid wages, poor working conditions, unsafe housing, and other forms of discrimination and retaliation for the exercise of their legal rights. We use strategies including community education, legal representation and systemic advocacy.
Responsibilities
The staff attorney will work with our team to represent agricultural workers in federal and state courts and before administrative agencies. The caseload, involving a combination of impact litigation and service cases, consists primarily of employment, housing, health and safety, civil rights, unemployment and tax cases. The staff attorney will also be involved in advocacy, community education and outreach to migrant labor camps and community-based groups.
Salary/Benefits
Salary range is $61,000 to $100,000 based on experience. Additional compensation for bilingual ability. Full benefits package including individual and family health, vision and dental insurance coverage; 6% employer retirement contribution; generous paid holidays, vacation and sick leave; and paid moving expenses.
Closing date
Open until filled. Review of applications to begin on December 1, 2021.
We seek applicants who have:
- a demonstrated commitment to justice for low-income communities;
- excellent legal and interpersonal communication skills;
- a high degree of initiative and willingness to both work independently and collaboratively;
- ability to speak, read and write Spanish;
- membership in the Oregon bar, eligibility for reciprocity or a willingness to take the next bar exam;
- willingness to flex their work schedule to work occasional evenings and weekends as needed; and
- a valid driver’s license and access to a vehicle to travel.
Preferences
We prefer applicants who:
- live or are willing to live in Eastern Oregon and be based in the Pendleton office; and/or
- have contacts with communities in Eastern Oregon; and
- lived or other meaningful experience with people living in poverty, persons of color, immigrant, indigenous or agricultural worker communities.
Send resume and cover letter describing relevant experience to:
Laurie Hoefer, Program Director
Legal Aid Services of Oregon
397 N. First St.
Woodburn, OR 97071
farmworkerjobs@lasoregon.org
We celebrate diversity
LASO is committed to being an organization that reflects the communities we serve and is diverse in race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, ancestry, national origin, or sensory, mental and physical abilities, work background, experience and education. We believe that the outcome of such diversity is our greatest strength and a matter of basic human fairness. It is to this end that we strongly encourage applications from people of color and people from any other underrepresented and historically marginalized group to apply for this position.