About Swords to Plowshares
Founded in 1974, Swords to Plowshares is a community-based not-for-profit organization that provides counseling and case management, employment and training, housing, and legal assistance to veterans in the San Francisco Bay Area. We promote and protect the rights of veterans through advocacy, public education, and partnerships with local, state, and national entities. Believing that war causes wounds and suffering that last beyond the battlefield, our mission is to heal the wounds of war and to restore dignity, hope, and self-sufficiency to all veterans in need, and to end homelessness and poverty among those we serve. To learn more about Swords to Plowshares, please visit our website at www.swords-to-plowshares.org.
About our Legal Services Program
Our Legal Services have been a core component of Swords to Plowshares’ work since its founding. Swords to Plowshares is one of the few organizations in the country that provides free legal consultation and attorney representation to veterans seeking assistance with Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits and military discharge upgrade cases. Our attorneys play an essential role by helping veterans remove unjust legal barriers to VA benefits. Our services are targeted to address the needs of homeless and low‐income veterans. All services are free of charge. We are a passionate and dynamic team. We employ a legal empowerment approach that allows for creative solutions to ensure access to crucial VA benefits. We are committed to tireless advocacy and quality representation.
Summary
Swords to Plowshares invites applications for a Staff Attorney position. The position will be responsible for case management, including initial interviewing and providing outreach, advice, and representation to claimants before the Veterans Benefits Administration, Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, military Discharge Review Boards, and Boards for Correction of Military Records. This is a full‐ time exempt position working within the Legal Services Program at Swords to Plowshares Main Office in the SOMA district of San Francisco.
Responsibilities
• Provide the following services to veterans in need of legal assistance with VA benefits claims and military discharge upgrades: (1) outreach; (2) brief legal advice and assessment; and (3) direct legal representation
• Develop and necessary evidence, including military records, medical & mental health records, court‐martial transcripts, witness statements, and/or non‐governmental documents, to assist in case evaluation, preparation, and representation
• Conduct legal research and draft legal briefs
• Represent clients at hearings before the VA Regional Office, Board of Veterans Appeals, and military corrections boards as required
• Coordinate within legal team on case strategies
• Perform in‐depth research and prepare written materials relating to legal issues faced by veterans
• Submit reports, attend meetings, and perform administrative tasks, as required
• Work with other program providers to integrate services within Swords to Plowshares’ continuum of care
• Perform other duties as required by Legal Director
• Employee must be able to perform all essential job requirements and responsibilities within what would be considered reasonable accommodation
Experience
• Two (2) to five (5) years of relevant experience in veterans, military, or administrative law strongly preferred
• Demonstrated experience with or sensitivity to the needs of homeless veterans, veterans with disabilities, or with particularly vulnerable populations
Qualifications
• Must be admitted to bar of any U.S. jurisdiction, or awaiting results
• Must be able to communicate effectively with a variety of personalities and be comfortable working with an at‐risk client population, including embracing the agency’s Cultural Humility Initiative
Skills
• Excellent legal research and writing skills
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Ability to work independently and in a team‐oriented environment
• Patience
• Creativity
• Attention to detail
• Strong organizational skills
(No calls please)
Review of candidates will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Please email a cover letter, resume, three references and a writing sample to jobs@stp‐sf.org and include the title “Staff Attorney” in the subject line. To learn more about the Swords to Plowshares’ work, please visit www.swords‐to‐plowshares.org.
Deadline to Apply: Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. Applicants are encouraged to submit materials as soon as possible.
Veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. Women, people of color, people with disabilities and LGBTQ individuals are also encouraged to apply. Please note that Swords to Plowshares will make reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities.
Swords to Plowshares is an inclusive employer and we are proud of the rich diversity among our staff. Please join us!