Managing Attorney (Youth Justice)
BayLegal seeks an attorney with a strong commitment to public interest and social justice to become the Managing Attorney (MA) of our Youth Justice team. As a member of BayLegal's senior management team, you will report to the Director of Program & Advocacy and work in collaboration with BayLegal's Directors, Managing Attorneys and Regional Counsels, among other staff throughout the firm. You will be responsible to further develop and implement the vision and direction of BayLegal’s Youth Justice work. You will be responsible for the overall effectiveness and quality of the client services throughout our service area and for directing the team’s strategic systemic advocacy to effectuate broader impact for young people. This position is based in our Oakland office and involves traveling throughout the Bay Area as necessary to best manage the team’s work and engage in advocacy for youth. See COVID-19 Temporary Remote work below.
As Managing Attorney of the Youth Justice team, you will have the opportunity to:
- Develop and implement the vision and direction of BayLegal’s youth justice work;
- Lead in operationalizing racial justice and diversity, equity and inclusion principles, practices, and goals within the Youth Justice team’s current and future work;
- Work closely with the Youth Justice Supervising Attorney to provide supervision, training, mentoring, evaluation, and professional development of team staff;
- Develop, design and oversee projects and delivery systems to serve youth;
- Manage youth projects to serve youth, including budget and staffing, timely and effective implementation, and reporting in compliance with funder requirements;
- Work closely with BayLegal's development, grants and contracts, and communications teams, and with funders, to promote the work of the Youth Justice team, BayLegal's mission, and resource development;
- Develop/grow key relationships and collaborations with a range of community partners, including governmental agencies, courts, and community-based organizations, to support the team’s provision of services and address systemic barriers facing low-income youth in the Bay Area;
- Engage the team in annual planning, periodic reviews of priorities, and responses to emerging issues in the client community;
- Oversee and coordinate the delivery of high-quality legal representation; and
- Engage in other tasks and projects that further BayLegal's mission and operations as a non-profit.
- Membership in good standing in the California State Bar;
- 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;
- Seven or more years’ practice as a licensed attorney;
- Strong personal work ethic and ability to organize time, manage varied activities, and meet critical deadlines;
- Experience representing youth who are experiencing homelessness, trafficking, justice system involvement, and/or abuse and neglect, and/or work in related fields of policy, organizing, or impact litigation, preferred;
- Knowledge of best practices in representing systems-involved young people, including trauma-informed legal representation, preferred;
- Experience and knowledge of issues facing individuals who are low-income, homeless, impacted by the criminal legal system or other public systems and institutions, and/or violence;
- Demonstrated commitment to racial justice and ability to lead a team in prioritizing racial justice practices and goals;
- 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;
- Ability to recognize, address, and resolve interpersonal conflicts;
- Ability to identify professional development opportunities and work with staff on setting and achieving goals for professional growth;
- Knowledge of issues impacting public interest attorneys and social workers such as secondary trauma and burnout, and demonstrated commitment to policies and practices that promote sustainability and well-being for staff;
- Experience developing and leading projects, including defining scope of work, overseeing compliance and progress, evaluation, and reporting;
- Ability to communicate clearly, concisely, and effectively with colleagues, funders, partners and stakeholders, including in writing, meetings, and public presentations;
- Ability to track, maintain, and report data, statistics, project progress, and client stories to funders and stakeholders;
- Ability to organize and supervise the case work and projects of a professional office;
- Strong personal work ethic and ability to organize time, manage varied activities, and meet critical deadlines;
- A sense of humor and hopefulness; and
- A radical mindset about justice and social change.
Temporary COVID-19 remote work: Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, all BayLegal employees are currently working remotely. While BayLegal has implemented detailed health and safety protocols to minimize risk of exposure and has an evolving plan for reopening our local offices, we anticipate remaining primarily remote at least throughout the rest of 2020. All employees are expected to be able to primarily work remotely until BayLegal determines it is safe to reopen offices. 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 space and furnishings. Due to the COVID-19 crisis and its impact on personal lives, BayLegal is open to providing flexibility regarding work schedules and part-time or full-time employment to the extent feasible for the position.
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, persons of color, LGBTQ individuals, veterans, persons with disabilities, and persons from other underrepresented groups to apply. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Please send (1) cover letter including response to question below (no page limit), (2) resume, (3) references, and (4) writing sample to: Human Resources Department, e-mail to jobs@baylegal.org. Please reference “Youth Justice Managing Attorney” in the subject of your email.
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 people of color, LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, seniors, people with lived experiences of homelessness, veterans, people with disabilities, and people from other underrepresented groups. BayLegal is committed to enhancing the provision of our services to all clients, increasing positive client outcomes, and creating an inclusive and respectful workplace in which differences are acknowledged and valued. BayLegal promotes and supports policies that enable us to work effectively in cross-cultural situations with our clients, coworkers, and the community.
How do you think your personal background or experiences, professional or otherwise, have prepared you to: (1) serve our diverse client base effectively, (2) work effectively with colleagues from different backgrounds than your own, (3) acknowledge the systemic barriers that our clients face, and (4) contribute to our efforts to fight for racial justice? Feel free to think broadly about your response to this question, provide examples, and apply various aspects of your life and personal experiences.