Education Rights Attorney – Northern CA
Public Counsel is proud to announce a new position in its Bay Area office for a full-time education rights attorney.
Who We Are
Public Counsel is the largest pro bono public interest law firm in the nation. Founded in 1970, Public Counsel is dedicated to advancing equal justice under law by delivering free legal and social services to the most vulnerable members of our community, including abused and abandoned children, homeless families, senior citizens, and victims of consumer fraud. Our staff of more than 90 attorneys and seven social workers, along with thousands of volunteer lawyers, law students and legal professionals, assists over 40,000 low-income children, youth, adults, and families, as well as eligible community organizations each year.
Project Description
Attorneys working in the Statewide Education Rights Project transform local reforms into statewide education solutions. Our statewide team uses legislative and policy advocacy, education, direct representation and impact litigation to create equitable educational opportunities for all students in California. Our focus areas include:
Advocating for effective, research-based reforms to end the school to prison pipeline;
Guiding foster youth to success through legislative reform and ensuring that policy reflects best practices for supporting their success;
Reforming education conditions for youth who are incarcerated;
Ending racial and other discrimination in school policies and practices; and
Expanding educational opportunities for all students.
Job Description
Public Counsel is currently seeking an attorney for the Bay Area office of the Statewide Education Rights Project. Applicant must be willing and able to work within and build diverse coalitions, analyze data, draft policy documents, survey instruments, reports and community tools, identify systemic problems and solutions, and work well independently and collaboratively. Applicants with prior community organizing and legislative advocacy experience are encouraged to apply. Understanding of California’s education, dependency, and juvenile justice systems and the legal framework that governs them is necessary. Travel is required to effectively collaborate with the Northern California communities that will be the primary focus of the work.
How to apply
Please submit a résumé, cover letter, and list of references by email, with the words Education Rights Attorney in the subject line, to:
Lilly Chen
Staff Attorney – Statewide Education Rights
2001 Center Street, 4th Floor
Berkeley, CA 94707
Public Counsel is an Equal Opportunity Employer
All qualified applicants shall receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ethnic group identification, ancestry, sex, age, marital status, political affiliation, condition of physical or mental disability, or sexual orientation, in accordance with requirements of Federal and State laws.