Managing Attorney
BayLegal seeks an attorney with a demonstrated commitment to public interest and social justice to become the Managing Attorney (MA) of our San Francisco Regional Office. As a member of BayLegal's senior management team, you will report to the Director of Program and Advocacy and work in collaboration with BayLegal's Executive Director, Directors, Managing Attorneys and Regional Counsels, and staff throughout the firm.
Responsibilities & Duties - As a Managing Attorney you will have the opportunity to:
- Learn about and engage with the diverse legal needs of low-income communities in the broader Bay Area and contribute to BayLegal’s work and mission to reduce homelessness, enhance stability, break systemic cycles of poverty, and address social injustice.
- Lead in operationalizing racial justice and diversity, equity and inclusion principles, practices, and goals within the office’s current and future work.
- Oversee and coordinate the delivery of high-quality legal representation and services.
- Engage in, develop, and grow relationships and collaborations with a range of community partners, including governmental agencies, courts, and community-based organizations, to support the provision of services and address systemic barriers facing low-income populations in the city and county of San Francisco.
- In coordination with staff, the Director of Litigation, Director of Program and Advocacy, and Regional Counsel, identify issues for systemic advocacy and oversee office advocacy efforts.
- Provide supervision, mentorship, evaluation, and professional development of staff including:
- Lead regular team case reviews to collaboratively identify issues, case acceptance, case strategy and identification of systemic advocacy issues;
- Conduct employee performance evaluations and individualized professional development goals and training plans; and
- Manage personnel issues.
- In collaboration with BayLegal's Human Resources Manager and Executive Director, participate in staff recruitment, hiring, and discipline.
- Oversee local office operations, including managing office budget, identifying technology needs, and overseeing office facility and other operation needs.
- Engage the office in annual planning, periodic reviews of priorities, and responses to emerging issues in the client community.
- Manage client services projects and grants, including developing scope of work and project design, and overseeing budget and staffing, timely and effective implementation, and reporting and compliance with funder requirements.
- Work with BayLegal's development, grants and contracts, and communications teams, and with funders, to promote the work, BayLegal's mission, and resource development.
- Serve on Management Team, engage in the development and furtherance of organizational policies and procedures to improve systems and performance.
- Work with BayLegal's Pro Bono Director on developing and maintaining external pro bono relationships, including development of opportunities, trainings, and technical assistance for local initiatives.
- Engage in other tasks and projects that further BayLegal's mission and operations as a non-profit.
Compensation and Benefits: We offer a diverse, family friendly environment, and compensation based on competitive public interest salaries along with a generous benefits package. The estimated starting annual salary range for this position is: $110,000 - $130,000 (placement in range determined primarily by years of related experience). BayLegal's benefits package includes 100% employer covered medical, dental, and life insurance for employees and up to 40-50% for dependents; long term disability insurance; stipends for bilingual employees whose language skills are used in the provision of work tasks; student debt repayment program; dependent childcare employer contribution program and 401k retirement plan following first year. Paid leave policy includes sick leave; parental leave; 14 holidays each year and vacation (starting at 13 days and increasing with additional years of employment).
Requirements/Qualifications/About the Successful Candidate:
- Must have received or be willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccination by date of hire to be considered. Proof of vaccination required.
- Humility in working with colleagues and clients across the spectrum of diversity, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, immigrant status, religious identity, physical and mental disabilities, and/or limited English proficiency.
- Membership in good standing in the California State Bar or admitted to practice in another state and eligible to practice in California for 3 years under the California State Bar rules for the Registered Legal Services Attorney Program and willing to take the bar exam at the next available sitting.
- Ten or more years of practice as a licensed attorney.
- Five or more years of supervision or equivalent experience.
- Experience and knowledge of issues facing individuals who are low-income, unhoused, impacted by the criminal legal system or other public systems and institutions, and/or violence.
- Experience developing and leading projects, including defining scope of work, overseeing compliance, progress and tracking, meeting deadlines, evaluation, and reporting.
- Demonstrated commitment to racial justice, diversity, equity and inclusion and skills to lead a team in prioritizing these values.
- Positive attitude, sense of humor and proactive problem-solver.
- Experience with inter-agency collaboration and a demonstrated history of working well with public, nonprofit, and private partners, including non-legal community-based organizations and service providers.
- Experience leading a diverse, dynamic team with varied communication styles, learning styles, and levels of professional experience and identifying and professional development opportunities and work with staff on setting and achieving goals for professional growth.
- Experience recognizing, addressing, and resolving interpersonal conflicts.
- Knowledge of issues impacting social justice advocates such as secondary trauma and burnout and demonstrated commitment to policies and practices that promote sustainability and well-being for staff.
- Skilled in clear, concise, and effective communication with colleagues, funders, partners, and stakeholders, including in writing, meetings, and public presentations.
COVID-19 remote work: BayLegal is committed to the health and safety of our staff, clients, and community. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, most BayLegal employees remain primarily working remotely. BayLegal has implemented detailed health and safety protocols to minimize risk of exposure and has an evolving plan for expanding local receptions hours to the public and increased in-person activities in our offices and community-based advocacy sites. Employees are expected to reside in California and at a distance allowing them to commute to their physical BayLegal base location and service delivery locations as needed and in compliance with public health advisories.
While BayLegal remains primarily remote, all employees are issued BayLegal computers and provided appropriate supplies. BayLegal has implemented and continues to explore additional technologies to make working remotely as efficient and connected as possible. All employees receive a flat-rate monthly amount to reimburse for work-related use of personal IT equipment, including internet, and home. Due to the COVID-19 crisis and its impact on personal lives, BayLegal is open to providing flexibility regarding work schedules to the extent feasible for the position.
Applications: BayLegal thrives on our diversity, and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a culturally diverse workplace and strongly encourage women, LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Intersex, Asexual) and QTBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) individuals, veterans, individuals who have been impacted by the criminal justice system, persons with disabilities, and persons from other underrepresented groups to apply. We are committed to equal employment opportunity and providing reasonable accommodations to qualified candidates and employees pursuant to applicable law. We value and encourage diversity and solicit applications from all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, gender, sex, age, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military and veteran status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. If you require reasonable accommodation as part of the application process, please contact BayLegal’s Human Resources Manager at (510) 250-5225.
BayLegal will begin reviewing applications upon receipt and continue until the position is filled. Please submit (1) cover letter including response to question below (no page limit), (2) resume, (3) references, and (4) writing sample through BayLegal’s career application portal located: https://bayarealegalaid.applytojob.com/apply.
As part of your cover letter, please address the following:
BayLegal’s clients are low- and very low-income members of our communities. They include LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Intersex, Asexual) and QTBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) individuals, the working poor, seniors, people who are limited English proficient, veterans, persons with disabilities, survivors of abuse and exploitation, individuals impacted by the criminal and juvenile justice systems, and people who are experiencing or at risk of homeless, and persons from other underrepresented groups. To ensure our organization is best serving these populations, BayLegal strives to promote an evolving set of behaviors and attitudes amongst our staff, as well as policies that enable us to work effectively in all cross-cultural situations, with clients, with our coworkers, and with the community. We see this as a commitment to enhance the provision of our services to all clients; to raise the level of positive client outcomes; and to create an inclusive and respectful workplace in which differences are acknowledged and valued.
How do you think your experiences, professional or otherwise, have prepared you to serve our client base effectively and to contribute to our commitment to humility, inclusion, and diversity? Feel free to think broadly about your response to this question, applying various aspects of your life and personal experiences.