Supervising Attorney(s)
Position: Oregon Law Center (OLC) seeks two full-time supervising attorneys to provide civil legal services to low-income clients as well as to assist the managing attorney in providing leadership for the Hillsboro Regional Office, serving five counties in Oregon’s northwest coastal region. Hillsboro is a city of 106,000 located about 45 minutes west of Portland, and serves clients throughout the northwest region of Oregon, including coastal, urban, and agricultural communities. From historic Astoria, Oregon’s “Hollywood North,” to the spectacular beaches of the north coast, wineries of the western Willamette Valley, international cuisine and minor-league baseball, this region of Oregon has a lot to offer.
Background: OLC is a legal services program committed to achieving justice for the low-income communities of Oregon by providing a full range of the highest quality civil legal services. OLC operates eleven offices around the state. It has a litigation support unit, legislative advocacy unit, and statewide farmworker program.
OLC’s Hillsboro Regional Office has locations in three communities (Hillsboro, McMinnville, and St. Helens). It comprises nine staff attorneys, seven paralegals, and two supervising attorneys, in addition to the managing attorney. Office priorities are set according to client need; current priorities are housing, family, public benefits, seniors, civil and immigrant rights. The office serves clients living in Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook, Washington, and Yamhill Counties, requiring occasional evening work and overnight travel.
Responsibilities: The supervising attorneys will be responsible for supervising and mentoring assigned staff; assisting in the management of sites and projects; working with the Managing Attorney to create and maintain high-quality services with impact focus; maintaining a varied caseload, including strategic impact litigation; promoting mutual respect, acceptance, and teamwork among a diverse staff, and challenging and inspiring others to achieve positive results and grow professionally.
OLC is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a healthy work environment for a diverse staff. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds and communities to apply.
- Demonstrated commitment to justice for low-income communities.
- A high degree of initiative and demonstrated ability to work collaboratively.
- Strong interpersonal communication skills, self-awareness, and sense of humor.
- Experience with complex, impact litigation.
- Demonstrated ability to think creatively about how to address low-income clients’ legal issues.
- Demonstrated ability to mentor individuals and facilitate effective team interactions.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills and attention to detail.
- Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills, and a high degree of initiative and resilience.
- Proficient use of Microsoft Office Suite (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), Adobe, and web-based video conferencing and learning platforms (e.g., Zoom, Microsoft Teams).
- Member of Oregon State Bar or successful completion of the next exam.
- Experience representing low-income clients, especially non-English-speaking communities.
- Leadership and supervision training and/or experience.
- Ability to speak Spanish or another language spoken by our client communities is helpful
Salary/Benefits: The salary scale ranges from $70,500 to $107,250 and placement on the scale is determined by years of relevant experience as an attorney. Additional compensation for bilingual ability. Competitive benefits package includes individual and family health, vision and dental insurance coverage, employer retirement contribution, generous paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave, and paid moving expenses, among others.
Application: Send resume, cover letter, and list of three references to Michael Pijanowski, Managing Attorney, mpijanowski@oregonlawcenter.org. Open until filled. Review of resumes to begin September 6, 2022.
As part of your cover letter, please address the following:
OLC is committed to achieving justice for the low-income communities of Oregon. Our client communities include people of color, farmworkers, LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, seniors, people with lived experiences of homelessness, veterans, people with disabilities, and people from other underrepresented groups. It is essential to our work to serve clients that we also work to create an inclusive and respectful workplace in which differences are acknowledged and valued.
How do you think your personal background or experiences, professional or otherwise, have prepared you to: (1) serve our diverse client communities effectively, (2) work effectively with colleagues from backgrounds different than your own, (3) acknowledge the systemic barriers that our clients and some colleagues face, and (4) contribute to our efforts to achieve racial justice? Feel free to provide examples and apply various aspects of your life and personal experiences, as you respond to this question.