Workers' Rights Attorney
Legal Aid Justice Center seeks a Workers’ Rights Attorney to provide direct representation in litigation and other forms of advocacy for low-income workers, especially immigrant workers throughout the Commonwealth to fight exploitation and injustice, and to build worker power. The attorney will also work on LAJC’s impact campaigns as we advocate for improved administrative and legislative policies regarding worker rights reform.
Job Duties:
- Litigate workers’ rights cases in federal and state courts, including but not limited to cases brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act, Virginia wage laws, the Migrant and Seasonal Workers Protection Act, and the Trafficking Victims Protection Act
- Collaborate with team members on multidisciplinary impact advocacy campaigns, with corresponding duties that will include but are not limited to legal research, drafting reports, reviewing legislation and regulations and providing recommendations regarding changes to the same, and assisting in development of our strategic campaigns
- Build relationships and develop partnerships with individuals and organizations to advance positive responses and interventions to community needs
- Assist organizers in developing grassroots organizing strategies to close the justice gap in low-wealth communities
Location:
LAJC will consider applicants who are willing to work out of our physical offices in Charlottesville, Richmond, or Petersburg. We will also consider applicants in locations where we do not have a physical office, including but not limited to Hampton Roads, the Shenandoah Valley, Southwest Virginia, the Eastern Shore, and Southside. In that instance, the attorney will work out of their home office and will need reliable access to internet. LAJC will provide all office equipment necessary to work out of the home office, and all client meetings will take place offsite. This position is not available for candidates only available to work in our Falls Church office, or work remotely from the DC/VA metropolitan area, however.
Applicants should explicitly state in their cover letter which office they want to work out of, or if remote, from which part of the state.
Salary:
Salary range is $55,000 to $70,000 based on years of relevant experience and LAJC’s formal salary scale.
Benefits:
Our mission is compelling, and our team members are passionate about their work, and so we recognize the need to provide generous benefits and encourage rest and a healthy work environment. For example, we provide:
- Generous paid time off every year, including 3 to 6 weeks of vacation, 12 days of health leave, 6 weeks parental leave, and 14 holidays (not including bonus holidays/rest days allocated as needed)
- 100% employer paid health, dental, and vision insurance, plus excellent family insurance with annual max of $2,400 premium contribution to LAJC-sponsored health plan
- 403(b) retirement plan with 4% employer contribution (no required match)
- Strong commitment to professional development
- Law school loan repayment assistance and full reimbursement for VA bar and CLE expenses
- Mileage reimbursement at IRS rates and per diem travel expenses
- Relocation package
- Spanish-language ability sufficient to represent monolingual Spanish-speaking workers without the assistance of an interpreter
- Strong commitment to social, economic, racial justice, and workers’ rights
- Virginia Bar membership, or ability to waive in, or willingness to sit for the bar exam within 6 months of hire
- Excellent interpersonal communication skills
- Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team
- Access to reliable transportation and willingness to travel statewide extensively—for litigation, community work, and worker outreach—including occasional overnight travel
- Strong oral advocacy, research, and writing skills
Preferred Qualifications:
- Minimum 2 years’ legal experience
- Mission-aligned experience (work or lived) advocating for economic and racial justice
- Prior experience working with, alongside, or on behalf of farmworkers or other immigrant workers
Email a cover letter, a relevant writing sample, and resume to Jason Yarashes at hiring@justice4all.org. If you’re able, please submit your application as a single PDF titled “[date submitted in yyyy.mm.dd format][last name][first name][position sought].” Please include "[your preferred location] Workers’ Rights Attorney” in the email subject.