Organization: Bay Area Legal Aid’s (BayLegal) mission is to provide high quality legal assistance regardless of a client’s location, language, or disability. BayLegal is the largest provider of free civil legal services to low-income residents of the San Francisco Bay Area, with six regional offices serving seven counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara. Our 100 staff members provide wraparound legal services in housing preservation, domestic violence and sexual assault prevention, economic security, consumer protection, and healthcare access.
Position: We seek an energetic, culturally sensitive attorney with a strong commitment to public interest and social justice advocacy to fill a full-time position with the General Assistance Advocacy Project (GAAP) at BayLegal. GAAP provides legal services to clients, primarily single adults without minor children, with public benefits issues related to General Assistance and CalFresh and other legal barriers to economic stability. Common legal issues include: benefit terminations, denials, overpayments, and reductions; reasonable accommodations requests; quality of life citations; fare evasion citations; and access to shelter and housing. The position requires excellent skills in negotiation, representation at administrative hearings, impact policy advocacy, and community outreach.
The attorney will also oversee a regular off-site drop-in legal clinic to ensure that some of the most vulnerable residents in San Francisco – residing in the Tenderloin and SoMa – have access to the legal information and referrals they need to obtain or maintain economic stability. The attorney will recruit, supervise, and train the volunteer law students who help staff the legal clinic.
Requirements:
Membership in good standing with the California State Bar
At least two years of experience with General Assistance, CalWORKs, CalFresh or other public benefits programs
Familiarity with General Assistance program in San Francisco and local community resources available to General Assistance recipients
Excellent communication, writing, and analytical skills
Strong organizational skills
Ability to work independently and as part of a dynamic team
Experience training and supervising law students or other legal advocates
Experience working with culturally diverse, low-income client communities
Bilingual ability in Spanish, Cantonese, or Vietnamese preferred
How to apply
Applications: Bay Area Legal Aid thrives on our diversity and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a culturally diverse workplace and strongly encourage women, persons of color, LGBTQ individuals, veterans, persons with disabilities, and persons from other underrepresented groups to apply. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Applicants are encouraged to apply before October 16, 2015. Please send cover letter, resume, and references to: David McGee, Director of Human Resources at dmcgee@baylegal.org. Please reference GAAP Attorney in your application.