Staff Attorney – Farmworker Program

Legal Aid Services of Oregon (LASO) seeks a bilingual (Spanish/English) full-time staff attorney for the Woodburn office of its Farmworker Program.

LASO is a non-profit organization that gives free legal assistance to low-income clients in civil (non-criminal) 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.

The Farmworker Program consists of a director, four attorneys (including a supervising attorney), two paralegals and an office manager located in three different offices. The majority of our clients speak Spanish or one of the indigenous languages native to the southern states of Mexico, such as Mixteco, Triqui or Zapoteco. They experience a wide variety of legal problems, including unpaid wages, poor working conditions, unsafe housing, sexual harassment and other forms of discrimination and retaliation for the exercise of their legal rights.

Woodburn is located in the mid-Willamette Valley in Marion County, Oregon’s leading agricultural producer. An ethnically diverse community of 20,000, Woodburn is 30 miles south of Portland; 17 miles north of Salem, Oregon’s capital; and less than two hours’ drive from the scenic Oregon coast and the Cascade Mountains.

The staff attorney will 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 community education and outreach to migrant labor camps and community-based groups, which may include flexible and irregular hours and occasional overnight travel.

Salary based on experience. Additional compensation for bilingual ability. Full benefits package including health insurance and 401(k) plan.