The Organization: Founded in 1969 and headquartered in Oakland, California, Centro Legal de la Raza (Centro Legal) is a comprehensive legal services and advocacy organization protecting and advancing the rights of immigrant, low-income, and Latino communities through bilingual representation, education, and advocacy. We combine quality legal services with know-your-rights education, affirmative litigation, and youth development, ensuring access to justice for thousands of individuals and families each year throughout Northern and Central California.
Centro Legal’s workers’ rights practice advances the rights of low-wage and immigrant workers through direct legal services, community education, and policy initiatives. The workers’ rights practice represents and assists workers in low-wage industries where wage theft, discrimination, retaliation, and other violations are widespread. Centro Legal also works closely with low-wage worker organizers and worker centers to offer legal services and legal rights education in support of collective efforts to improve working conditions.
The Position: Centro Legal is seeking an experienced workers’ rights attorney to assist in the provision of workers’ rights legal services. Duties will include:
- Directly representing low-wage workers in wage and hour, retaliation, and discrimination claims before state administrative agencies.
- Working together with Centro Legal’s Litigation Director to advance affirmative litigation in state and federal court, including employment class actions, multi-plaintiff wage and hour cases, and discrimination lawsuits.
- Assisting workers at legal services clinics by providing advice and counsel and offering pro per support to help workers pursue remedies through state and federal agencies.
- Developing and strengthening relationships with worker centers and other community partners to provide legal education, outreach, and direct legal services.
- Supervising volunteer attorneys and law student interns in providing legal services.
- Assisting in identifying and sharing case stories for use in reports, advocacy materials, public education, and media work.
- Supporting Centro Legal’s workers’ rights policy advocacy at the state and local levels.
Qualifications: First and foremost, the applicant must profoundly share Centro Legal’s mission and vision of social justice. Below are additional qualifications.
- Rising 3L or JD, admitted and in good standing with the California Bar, awaiting bar results, or planning to take the California bar exam upon graduation.
- Excellent writing, research, analytical, and verbal communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively on projects with lawyers, other staff members, and with diverse community organizations.
- Demonstrated commitment to diversity within the office and a personal approach that values all individuals and respects differences regarding race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, ability, socio-economic circumstance, immigration status, and record of arrest or conviction.
- Fluency in Spanish required.
- Experience in plaintiff-side employment litigation preferred.
Compensation and Benefits: Salary commensurate with background and experience plus medical, dental, FSA, and 401(k) benefits. Generous vacation and holiday package.
Applications: Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Submit via email only: 1) cover letter, 2) resume, and 3) a list of three professional references to [email protected]. Place the following words in the subject line: “Workers’ Rights Staff Attorney.”
Centro Legal de la Raza is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, disability, gender, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited category. Centro Legal de la Raza is an affirmative action employer and strongly encourages women, people of color, immigrants, LGBTQ, older persons, persons with disabilities, and all qualified persons to apply.
Qualifications: First and foremost, the applicant must profoundly share Centro Legal’s mission and vision of social justice. Below are additional qualifications.
- Rising 3L or JD, admitted and in good standing with the California Bar, awaiting bar results, or planning to take the California bar exam upon graduation.
- Excellent writing, research, analytical, and verbal communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively on projects with lawyers, other staff members, and with diverse community organizations.
- Demonstrated commitment to diversity within the office and a personal approach that values all individuals and respects differences regarding race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, ability, socio-economic circumstance, immigration status, and record of arrest or conviction.
- Fluency in Spanish required.
- Experience in plaintiff-side employment litigation preferred.
Applications: Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Submit via email only: 1) cover letter, 2) resume, and 3) a list of three professional references to [email protected]. Place the following words in the subject line: “Workers’ Rights Staff Attorney.”