Staff Attorney II, Preventing and Ending Homelessness Project (PEHP)

For nearly 50 years, Bet Tzedek Legal Services has provided high-quality, free legal services to Los Angeles’ most vulnerable residents. In that tradition, Bet Tzedek is seeking an attorney to help staff an exciting partnership to provide comprehensive, trauma informed, wrap-around legal services designed to remove barriers faced by community members experiencing homelessness or who are at-risk of homelessness in West Los Angeles County. 

The Preventing and Ending Homelessness Project (PEHP) Staff Attorney II will provide legal representation, advice, and education in the areas of eviction prevention and defense, housing, expungement, public benefits, and other civil legal matters. The attorney will also partner with homelessness service providers in the region to deliver outreach and coordinated services to eligible clients. The essential duties and responsibilities undertaken by this Attorney II should be done with limited direction, input, or correction from, a manager commensurate with a mid-level attorney. In addition, it is expected that the scope, complexity, and sophistication of work will be commensurate with that of a mid-level attorney.

This position follows Bet Tzedek Legal Services hybrid/remote workplace type. At the discretion of the immediate supervisor, the employee may be required to work in the office or some other location to meet workload/business obligations. This requirement may be on a temporary or ongoing basis.

Requirements

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

·        Represent clients on a wide variety of legal issues that may include eviction defense, housing, expungement, public benefits, and other issues that affect access to safe, affordable housing

·        As part of the advocacy efforts undertaken in relation to client representation, engage in the following activities: intake and assessment of need for potential clients referred through partnerships; providing advice and counsel; providing informal advocacy; drafting court forms, pleadings, motions, briefs, and correspondence; representing clients in Los Angeles Superior Court matters; representing clients in administrative proceedings and other forums; and represent clients in settlement negotiations.

·        Manage a workload the includes eviction defense and non-litigation cases, participation at in-person legal clinics, know your rights presentations, and outreach events, and maintaining partnerships with various homeless service providers, unhoused individuals, and individuals at imminent risk of homelessness (local travel required);

·        Proficiently and effectively interface and collaborate with case managers, social workers, outreach workers, community service providers, government agencies, legal services providers, and other external partners and stakeholders in furthering the mission of preventing and ending homelessness;

QUALIFICATIONS

·        Active member of California State Bar in good standing, or licensed in another state and eligible to practice under CRC Rule 9.45 (required);

·        Minimum three (3) years of experience practicing law (required);

·        Minimum two (2) years of non-profit legal services experience (preferred);

·        Clearly demonstrated proficiency and experience in landlord-tenant law, eviction defense, or similar practice areas related to housing or homelessness (required);

·        Clearly demonstrated proficiency and experience in civil litigation, expungement, public benefits law, employment law, consumer law, immigration law, or administrative law (required);

·        Clearly demonstrated proficiency with regard to time management, problem solving, and case management skills (required);

·        Excellent people skills, and ability to interact calmly and patiently with individuals in distress (required);

·        Willingness to serve as a resource to colleagues (required)

·        Willingness to train and work with volunteer attorneys and students (required);

·        Ease with oral and written communication in both English and Spanish (preferred);

·        Ability to travel independently throughout Los Angeles County for required client work and outreach and education events (required), valid California driver’s license (preferred);

·        Demonstrate an understanding and commitment to Bet Tzedek’s mission of equal justice for all and Bet Tzedek’s core values of leadership, community-based advocacy, and innovation; and

·        Demonstrated commitment to applying principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion in performance of job duties.

Salary

$89,142.98-$94,878.60 (DOE/DOQ)

Benefits

BENEFITS PACKAGE

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

·        A generous number of paid holidays, vacation, and sick days annually.

·        Personal and floating holidays

·        Compensatory time for exempt employees.

·        18 weeks of paid parental leave (after 1 year of employment).

·        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 403(b) plan.

·        Healthcare and childcare flexible spending accounts.

·        Commuter transit and/or parking benefits.

HOW TO APPLY

·        Please visit https://bettzedek.org/careers/ to submit a letter of interest, resume, and writing sample for “Staff Attorney II - PEHP”) 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.