Description

WHO WE ARE: Founded in 1966, CRLAs mission is to fight for justice and individual rights alongside the most exploited communities of our society. Through a network of field offices and cross-cutting programs, CRLA provides legal services to tens of thousands of low-income people annually. Our work impacts farmworkers, indigenous populations, individuals with disabilities, immigrant populations, LGBTQ communities, women, children, and low-income families in rural areas.

• Position: Directing Attorney (RJU)
• Experience: 3 years
• Application Deadline: Open until filled
• Location: Watsonville office
• Term of Employment: Regular, Full-Time
• Other: FLSA Exempt, Non-Union Position 

Position Description

Reporting to the Rural Justice Unit (RJU) Legal Director, the Watsonville Directing Attorney will lead a dynamic team of staff attorneys, community workers, and support staff to implement creative advocacy strategies to address community-identified issues affecting low income people communities. The Directing Attorney is responsible for developing the office's advocacy vision and tone and leading the office in delivering high-quality legal services commensurate with that vision. The Directing Attorney should have substantive experience in the RJU priority legal areas including housing, employment, health/public benefits, and education and is responsible for maintaining their caseload in addition to their leadership role. 

The office serves low income communities in Santa Cruz County, San Benito County, South Santa Clara County (Morgan Hill, San Martin and Gilroy), and northern parts of Monterey County. The position will involve traveling to these locations and working direclty in these communities to provide high quality legal services, outreach to these areas, and involvement with the community groups that serve these communities.
The RJU Program utilizes both direct services as well as systematic approaches to address the specific, discrete, and systemic issues facing low income communities. The model calls for creative, innovative advocacy that uses a multipronged approach to address the issues and their systemic roots. Including using various advocacy approaches such as community leadership development and advocacy around policies.

Essential Responsibilities

Supervision of Office Staff and Advocacy

• Supervise and guide staff’s advocacy work, including assessing the community’s legal needs.
• Ensure that case handling complies with CRLA policies, Legal Services Corporation regulations, the ABA Standards for the Provision of Civil Legal Services, and ethical obligations.
• Conduct weekly case review meetings with staff to assess new intakes’ eligibility, determine the level of service to be provided, and ensure all cases progress with the provision of quality legal services.
• Guide staff development, including evaluating staff and developing and implementing professional development plans.

Advocacy 

• Maintain an active caseload. 
• Litigate impact cases as lead or co-counsel and/or work on systemic advocacy. 
• Oversee the planning of community education and outreach activities to raise awareness of diverse advocacy areas in local communities.
• Raise awareness of the specific issues low income communities and CRLA’s work through media, participation in conferences, and collaboration with other organizations, agencies, and issue- and community-based coalitions.

Office Management

• Develop and implement the annual office work plan that serves as a guide for systemic advocacy and sets out a results-oriented vision that blends various advocacy approaches to impact change.
• As needed, work with administrative departments including the Development and Finance teams to evaluate grant opportunities.
• Understand, monitor, and deliver grant deliverables and necessary outcomes, including timekeeping and other LSC requirements.

Organizational Responsibilities

• Collaborate with other CRLA programs, supervisors, and staff to improve CRLA’s organizational effectiveness and capacity.
• Support the establishment of policies and programs that promote a desirable organizational culture and vision.
• Model appropriate leadership behavior and take swift action to mitigate behavior that compromises CRLA values. In collaboration with Human Resources, ensure a culture of knowledge sharing and continued learning.
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum of three (3) years of experience practicing law, preferably with a social justice focus in low income communities in the areas of housing, employment, health/public benefits, and/or education 
• Ability to organize and supervise the casework and advocacy of team members.
• Knowledge and commitment to community lawyering principles. 
• Demonstrated ability to interact constructively and maintain positive relations with diverse populations and team members.
• Demonstrated commitment to working with low-income, marginalized and diverse populations.
• Admitted to the California Bar, or any other State Bar and willingness to take the next California Bar Exam.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in a non-profit legal services environment.
• Experience supervising a team. 
• Experience in obtaining grants and managing them through to completion.
• Fluency in another language, preferably Spanish or an Indigenous Language from Mexico.

This job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice. 

Compensation & Benefits:

We offer a diverse, family-friendly environment and compensation based on competitive public interest salaries; the estimated starting annual salary range for this position is: $88,000 - 115,000 (placement in range is primarily determined by years of related experience). Generous benefits package which includes 100% employer-covered medical, dental, vision, life, and short & long-term disability insurance for employees and up to 50% for dependents coverage; and 401K retirement plan with CRLA contribution effective immediately. Some professional dues are paid by CRLA (Bar Fees) and, if qualified, up to $6,000 law school Loan Reimbursement Assistance Program (LRAP). Generous paid leave policy which includes; 15 days of sick leave, 15 holidays each year, and vacation (accrue 15 days for the first year of service and 20 days after one year of service at CRLA).CRLA requires that all employees be Fully Vaccinated, defined as a CDC-approved COVID vaccination and one booster shot. This offer is contingent on meeting this requirement. The complete vaccination policy, including the process for reasonable allowable accommodations, is available for your review upon request.

Qualifications