Organization: Bay Area Legal Aid (BayLegal) ensures fairness in the civil justice system for the most vulnerable members of our community. From Silicon Valley to Napa Valley, we help clients protect their livelihoods, their health, and their families. Our clients include the working poor, families with children, foster youth, seniors, immigrants, veterans, and persons with disabilities. Through our regional county offices, our mobile advocacy clinics, and our nationally-recognized Legal Advice Line, BayLegal prevents domestic violence and sexual assault, increases economic stability, protects consumers, expands access to healthcare, and prevents homelessness. For our clients, BayLegal makes the difference between staying in poverty and thriving toward a brighter future.
Position We seek an energetic, culturally sensitive attorney with a strong commitment to public interest and social justice advocacy to become the Managing Attorney of our Napa County Office, located in Napa. The Managing Attorney will supervise a small staff of attorneys, advocates, support staff, interns and volunteers.
Responsibilities As a member of BayLegal's Management Team, the Napa County Managing attorney is responsible for:
• Promote and foster diversity and inclusion in hiring and retention.
• Providing direct supervision of the legal work of attorneys, including:
o Leading regular case reviews and consultations;
o Promulgating case acceptance guidelines and determining acceptance of individual cases;
o Conducting employee performance evaluations;
o Identifying and implementing individualized professional development goals and training plans; and
o Managing all personnel issues.
• In collaboration with BayLegal's Director of Human Resources and Executive Director participate in staff recruitment, hiring, and discipline.
• Oversee local office operations:
o Manage, direct and account for the use of the office budget in conjunction with Director of Finance;
o In collaboration with Director of Technology identify and coordinate technology needs; and
o Oversee local office facility and other operation needs.
• Lead local relationship building, partnership and collaboration with local court, government and community agencies to maintain social safety net for low-income residents of County, including:
o Participation in local taskforces and collaborations;
o Coordinate and participate in local community outreach, publicity and client education;
• In coordination with Director of Litigation, Managing Attorneys and Regional Counsels to identify issues for systemic advocacy;
• Work closely with the Director of Pro Bono on external pro bono relationships, including development of opportunities, trainings, and technical assistance for local initiatives;
• In conjunction with the Director of Grants and Contracts and the Director of Development and Communications:
o identify and pursue local funding opportunities;
o assure compliance with grant requirements; and
o assist in reporting and management of grants and other funder driven activities.
• Serve on Management Team, providing advice on organizational and policy matters.
• Maintain a reduced caseload. and
• Perform additional duties as assigned by the Executive Director.
Compensation and Benefits: Compensation is based on a competitive public interest salary scale. Generous benefits package includes medical, dental, and life insurance; long term disability; paid holiday, vacation, and sick leave; law school loan repayment; bilingual stipends; and 401k retirement plan.
Skills and abilities:
• Ability to accept responsibility and account for his/her actions.
• Ability to grasp abstract ideas and to analyze and resolve problems appropriately.
• Ability to communicate clearly, concisely and effectively, both in writing and orally, including in public presentations.
• Experience and comfort working with marginalized and diverse populations.
• Facility and transparency in communicating important information to staff and ability to motivate commitment to the firm and mission.
• Ability to work well with colleagues and community allies in a variety of settings.
• Ability to develop and articulate a clear vision of priorities and inspire others to maximum effectiveness.
• Ability to organize and supervise the case work and projects of a professional office.
• Ability to complete goals and objectives in stressful situations.
Experience and Education: Juris Doctorate Degree, active California Bar membership, and 5 or more years practice as a licensed attorney. Preference will be given to attorneys with prior managerial experience, experience in one of BayLegal's substantive priority areas and knowledge of Napa County community, service providers and service delivery network.
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 on a rolling basis, but applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Please send a cover letter, resume, and list of references to: Human Resources Department, e-mail to [email protected]. Be sure to refer to the “Napa Managing Attorney” in the title of your email.
In a separate page from your cover letter, please address the following:
BayLegal’s clients are low- and very low-income members of our communities. They include the working poor, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities. To ensure our organization is best serving these populations, BayLegal strives to promote an evolving set of behaviors and attitudes amongst our staff, as well as policies that enable us to work effectively in all cross-cultural situations, with clients, with our coworkers, and with the community. We see this as a commitment to enhance the provision of our services to all clients; to raise the level of positive client outcomes; and to create an inclusive and respectful workplace in which differences are acknowledged and valued.
How do you think your personal background or experiences, professional or otherwise, have prepared you to contribute to our commitment to cultural humility and diversity amongst our staff? Feel free to think broadly about your response to this question, applying various aspects of your life and personal experiences.