POSITION: Oregon Law Center (OLC) seeks a bilingual (Spanish/English) full-time staff attorney to provide civil legal services to low-income farmworker clients on matters related to their status as farmworkers. The position is based in Hillsboro, Oregon and serves farmworkers state-wide.
ABOUT US: OLC is a legal services program committed to achieving justice for the low-income communities of Oregon by providing a full range of the highest quality civil legal services. OLC does not receive funding from the federal Legal Services Corporation. OLC operates eleven regional offices, a state support unit, legislative advocacy unit, and statewide farmworker program. OLC works closely with Legal Aid Services of Oregon and other partners in Oregon’s coordinated civil legal services delivery system. OLC’s Hillsboro Farmworker office comprises three attorneys (including one managing attorney) and one community educator and is part of a larger Farmworker Program. The Farmworker Program sets priorities according to client need; current priorities include employment, occupational safety and health, housing, and civil rights. The majority of our clients speak Spanish or one of the indigenous languages native to Mexico and Guatemala, such as Mixteco, Triqui, Zapoteco and Akateco. They experience a wide variety of legal problems, including unpaid wages, inadequate housing, exposure to pesticides, sexual harassment and other forms of discrimination, and retaliation.
RESPONSIBILITIES: The staff attorney will handle litigation with a significant emphasis on impact work in state and federal courts. An important component of this position is to engage in intensive community outreach and education together with community educators involving educational presentations to farmworkers and community-based groups, which includes irregular hours, frequent daytime travel, home visits and other outreach with farmworkers in the evenings in various parts of the state, and occasional overnight travel.
REQUIREMENTS:
• Fluency in spoken and written Spanish.
• Demonstrated commitment to justice for low-income communities.
• A high degree of initiative and ability to independently manage a caseload.
• Desire and ability to work successfully as part of a team.
• Demonstrated ability to take direction and guidance from low-income clients and their self- identified priorities and work for solutions within the legal process.
• Excellent written and verbal advocacy skills.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills, a sense of humor, and a positive attitude.
• Admission to Oregon Bar or sitting for February 2017 exam.
• Willingness to work irregular hours to meet the needs of clients.
PREFERENCES:
• Zero to five years of experience.
• Experience representing low-income clients, especially farmworkers.
• Experience with complex, impact litigation.
SALARY/BENEFITS:
• Salary depends on experience
• Good benefits package.
HOW TO APPLY: Job open until filled. To apply, submit your resume, cover letter, and list of three references to Julie Samples, Managing Attorney, Hillsboro Farmworker Office, [email protected] or 230 NE Second Ave, Suite D, Hillsboro, Oregon 97124.