Staff Attorney (AVOCAT Project)
Join the Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County (NLSLA) and become part of an energetic team of advocates that provides a wide-range of legal services aimed to address issues that disproportionately impact the poor. These services include litigation, providing training and technical assistance, and community education.
NLSLA is seeking a Staff Attorney for our Antelope Valley Online Community Assistance Team (AVOCAT) project, an innovative project that uses technology to remotely connect pro bono attorneys, law school students and other professionals in the Greater Los Angeles area to clients in the Antelope Valley. AVOCAT, will leverage pro bono volunteers to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline by protecting the educational rights of students and removing the barriers to employment for justice-involved adults. The candidate will play a significant role in implementing this newly funded project. The ideal candidate will be a skillful attorney who can excel in a fast-paced, dynamic anti-poverty law practice, and is capable of fiercely advocating on behalf of NLSLA clients in multiple forums. The candidate must have a demonstrated passion and commitment to public interest law and will preferably have prior experience advocating for the educational rights of low-income students in public schools. The ideal candidate must possess strong research and organizational skills, the ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing, and well-developed analytical skills. Of critical importance is that the candidate be self-motivated with the ability to work independently.
Position:
Staff Attorney, NLSLA AVOCAT Project
Availability:
Open Immediately.
Compensation:
Salary Starting $60,000.00 - Salary commensurate with experience. Excellent Benefits which include: choice of medical, dental, vision; life and disability insurance plans;125 plan; 403(b) with employer contribution, loan reimbursement, bilingual pay supplement, sick and vacation pay, and 13 employer-paid holidays.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Teach, train, and supervise clinical law students, legal fellows, and volunteer attorneys at workshops and clinics that provide community members with assistance on special education and school discipline issues. Represent system-involved young people in school discipline proceedings and related special education administrative hearings. Provide advice, counsel, and limited scope representation to youth and families on a range of education-related issues, including but not limited to IEP advocacy, school enrollment, truancy, bullying, school staff misconduct, and access to services for English learners. Complete administrative tasks, such as those related to grant management and reporting. Participate in ongoing professional development to improve client services and student supervision.
About NLSLA:
NLSLA is one of Los Angeles County's leading public interest law offices and has been the primary legal aid program serving the cities of Burbank and Glendale and the San Fernando and Antelope Valleys for more than 50 years and the city of Pasadena and San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys since 2001. The NLSLA staff of 135+, including 50 lawyers, provides legal assistance to low-income individuals, families and groups in the areas of family law and domestic violence, housing, health care, education, public benefits, economic and job development, immigrant rights, consumer rights and environmental justice. The NLSLA headquarters is located in Glendale, CA with branch offices in Pacoima, and El Monte.
Through a combination of individual representation, high impact litigation, self-help services and public policy advocacy, NLSLA combats the immediate and long-lasting effects of poverty and expands access to health, opportunity and justice in Los Angeles’ diverse neighborhoods. Founded in response to the nation’s War on Poverty, each year NLSLA provides free assistance to more than 80,000 individuals and families through innovative projects that address the most critical needs of impoverished communities.
Must be licensed and eligible to practice law in California with two or more years of experience in working with low-income individuals and client groups. Knowledge of, and ideally experience in, special education and school discipline law preferred. Strong interest in law student supervision and clinical teaching.
Ability to manage a demanding case load; excellent time management, priority-setting and organizational skills. Excellent written and oral advocacy skills. Strong interpersonal skills, flexibility, and demonstrated ability to work well independently and as part of a team.
Please send a cover letter, resume list of references and a writing sample to:
Elizabeth Brown, Director of Human Resources
Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County
1102 E. Chevy Chase Drive
Glendale, CA 91205
Fax: (818) 291-1790 E-mail: employment@nlsla.org
NLSLA is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at NLSLA are based on organizational needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to age, race, color, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, disability status, family or parental status, or any other status protected by federal and CA state laws. NLSLA will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics.