For 50 years, Bet Tzedek Legal Services has provided high-quality, free legal services to Los Angeles’ most vulnerable residents. With over 100 staff members and a significant volunteer base, the agency harnesses a pro bono model of service to help people of all communities and generations secure life’s necessities. Bet Tzedek uses a multifaceted approach to advance justice at the individual, community, and systemic levels through education and outreach, advice and counsel, direct representation, self-help clinics and publications, impact litigation, and policy advocacy. Staff and pro bono volunteers provide a continuum of free legal services through four core program areas: Justice for Workers, Taxpayers & Small Business Owners; Justice for Seniors, Dependent Adults, & Caregivers; Housing Justice for Tenants, Homeowners & Unhoused Individuals; and Justice for Children & Families.

Bet Tzedek seeks a dynamic, creative, and collaborative individual with significant legal and management experience to lead the agency’s legal department. In partnership with the President & CEO and each of Bet Tzedek’s Directing Attorneys, the Vice President of Legal Programs will help realize Bet Tzedek’s mission through the development and management each of the agency’s four program areas.

This position is eligible for Bet Tzedek Legal Services’ hybrid/remote workplace designation. While the primary workplace is Bet Tzedek’s offices, at the discretion of the immediate supervisor, the employee may be permitted to work remotely or may be required to work in other locations depending on workload/business obligation.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• Oversee and manage all aspects of the agency’s legal work, including leading the development and execution of the Legal Department’s yearly strategic goals and leading the design, implementation, and evaluation of each program’s advocacy and outreach strategies;
• Support the development and implementation of programmatic growth opportunities by collaborating with the agency’s directing attorneys to evaluate growth opportunities, including budgetary impact, deliverables, staffing requirements, and sustainability and exit strategies; helping set staffing structures and service delivery and outreach models; and helping establish necessary community partnerships;
• Support in establishing the agency’s impact litigation, policy, legislative, and lobbying agenda in collaboration with program staff, the Director of Impact Advocacy, and CEO;
• Support the directing attorneys to ensure grant deliverables are met;
• Supervise the agency’s directing attorneys responsible for management of individual programs and staff, including serving as back-up for direct attorneys;
• Establish, update, and oversee the implementation of the Legal Department’s policies and procedures;
• Collaborate with the Vice President of Grants Implementation and Compliance, the Director of Institutional Giving, and the Director of Data, Information, and Technology to establish and implement internal protocols related to program compliance, grant reporting, and data collection.
• Support the directing attorneys and Human Resources in the development of training and professional development opportunities, metrics, and goals for legal department staff.
• Regularly meet with local, state, and federal officials and partners to discuss community needs and the development of agency’s response to said needs; develop and manage relationships with community partners and regularly represent Bet Tzedek at partner meetings; and engaged in various media strategies,
• Work with CEO, CFO, and program staff to develop legal department budget.
• Work with CEO, External Affairs, Finance, Compliance, and Legal Department staff to support grant and fundraising efforts.

• Active member of the California State Bar in good standing (required);
• Minimum of ten years practice experience in civil litigation (required);
• Experience in the areas of law Bet Tzedek practices (e.g., employment law, elder justice, small business, tax, housing, guardianship, conservatorship, estate planning) (strongly preferred);
• A minimum of five years of significant leadership and management experience (required);
• A minimum of five years of experience supervising attorneys, paralegals, support staff, and volunteers in the delivery of civil legal services (required);
• Experience with project development and management (required);
• Demonstrated commitment to Bet Tzedek’s mission to provide free legal services to those who need them most (required);
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (required)

BENEFITS PACKAGE:

Bet Tzedek offers an excellent benefits package in addition to competitive salaries. These benefits currently include:

• A generous number of paid holidays (up to 21 per year), vacation (up to 20, depending on number of years with agency), and sick days (up to 45) annually.
• Personal and floating holidays
• Compensatory time for exempt employees.
• 18 weeks of paid parental leave (after 1 year of employment.)
• Various paid leaves
• Medical, dental, vision, chiropractic and acupuncture coverage for employees and dependents, with office visit co-pay reimbursement for HMO enrollees.
• Life/accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance, long-term disability insurance, and Employee Assistance Plan.
• Voluntary (employee-contributed) life/AD&D, accident, critical illness, hospital confinement, and pet insurance.
• Employee-contributed 401(k) plan.
• Employee-contributed 403(b) plan.
• Healthcare and childcare flexible spending accounts.
• Commuter transit and/or parking benefits.

HOW TO APPLY:

• Email letter of interest, resume, and writing sample to bettzedek.40.643@applynow.io, subject: “VP, Legal.” Please no phone calls.

Note: All positions are subject to funding; ongoing funding or employment cannot be assured.



To best serve our communities, Bet Tzedek seeks diverse staff with cultural competency reflecting our client populations. We strongly encourage candidates from traditionally underrepresented communities and historically oppressed groups to apply.

$150,000.00 - $180,000.00 (DOE/DOQ)