Civil Survival organizes system-impacted people, provides legal representation, and advocates for policy
reform to restore opportunity to communities harmed by the criminal legal system. We envision a world
without incarceration, where people are not limited by their past and are valued for their humanity. Civil
Survival was founded by people harmed by the criminal legal system to advocate for each other. Our
foundational commitment to build an organization made up of members of the communities remains at the
core of our identity. Most of Civil Survival’s staff identify as people of color and most have been arrested or
incarcerated.
Civil Survival’s commitments to anti-racist and trauma-informed principles are centered in every aspect of
our work. We offer regular race-equity and trauma-informed leadership training to all staff and ground all
organizational decision-making in an anti-racist, equity-focused lens. Our leadership philosophy is rooted in
the recognition that we all are continuing to grow and learn, and that can only be accomplished with regular
feedback, especially from staff to leadership. We are deeply committed to transparent decision-making that
centers the perspectives of all members of our team.
These values and commitments have allowed us to increase access to opportunity for those harmed by the
criminal legal system. We have done this by:
• Organizing mass assistance days that provide legal financial obligation relief to hundreds of clients in
a single day. During Civil Survival’s mass assistance day in Pierce County, the courts waived over
$2.3 million in criminal legal debt.
• Leading systemic advocacy to make reentry legal relief accessible and automatic. Civil Survival
recently led a coalition of organizations to improve Washington’s mandatory legal financial
obligations (LFOs) motion, allowing the motion to provide relief to thousands of additionalWashingtonians. Civil Survival also led the effort to pass HB 1412 and HB 1169, which allowed for
restitution relief in over 100,000 cases and eliminated $600 in mandatory LFOs for every felony
conviction.
• Hosting weekly Game Changer groups that provide justice-involved individuals a place to learn how
to advocate for systemic change, overcome their own reentry barriers, and provide peer support.
• Providing free criminal history reports for anyone with a criminal record in the state of Washington.
• Supporting bills that expand legal rights for justice-involved individuals. Civil Survival was closely
involved in securing the passage of the New Hope Act, which made significant improvements to
Washington’s criminal record vacation process.
Job Description
The Staff Attorney will represent clients in a variety of legal areas, including LFO remission, relief under
State v. Blake, criminal record vacation, and registration relief for people convicted of sex offenses.
Although direct client representation will comprise most of the Staff Attorney’s role, the Staff Attorney will
spend a significant amount of time on other types of work. The Staff Attorney will lead larger projects, such
as Civil Survival’s clinic at Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women, mass assistance days, or intern
hiring and supervision. They will also present periodic trainings to impacted communities and legal
professionals on a variety of reentry legal aid topics.
Civil Survival is committed to balancing individual client representation with systemic advocacy to expand
opportunities for people harmed by the criminal legal system. Accordingly, in collaboration with the broader
legal team, the Staff Attorney will identify opportunities for and engage in systemic advocacy, such
appellate litigation, legislation review, court rule reform, etc.
The ideal candidate will be excited to directly assist clients with reentry legal aid needs, while also creating
and managing systems, such as mass assistance days, that offer opportunities for wide-scale relief.
Experience in reentry legal aid is preferred, but not required. Strong candidates will have experience
managing legal assistance programs and relationships with key external stakeholders, including court
personnel, other attorneys, and communities directly affected by the criminal legal system. The ideal
candidate will be motivated to help those most frequently disadvantaged by the criminal legal system
including those with disabilities, people of color, and individuals who face the greatest barriers to self-advocacy.
• Lived experience within the criminal legal system is preferred.
• Member, in good standing, of the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA); or ability to quickly
obtain APR 8(c) admission, with full WSBA admission by Winter 2024.
• The ability to independently and efficiently learn new legal practice areas and offer representation
with a high level of competence.
• Experience in some or all the following practice areas is preferred: legal financial obligation relief,
criminal record vacation, relief under State v. Blake, relief from registration for those convicted of
sex offenses, impact litigation, and appellate advocacy.
• Strong legal research and writing skills.
• Experience creating self-help materials and presenting self-help trainings to impacted communities is
preferred.
• An ability to identify systemic barriers to reentry and create impact litigation, appellate advocacy,
policy, or rulemaking strategies to address those barriers.
• Policy advocacy and organizing skills are preferred, including the ability to analyze legislation, court
rules, and administrative procedures.
• Strong organization skills. The Staff Attorney should be able to manage multiple projects, ensuring
that tasks are completed in a timely manner and lower-priority items do not slip through the cracks.
• Ability to take a project from conception through planning to completion. Ability to balance taking
the initiative with ensuring that internal and external stakeholders are included in program
discussions.
• Familiarity and strong relationships with local policymakers, community leaders, and marginalized
communities are preferred, especially in rural counties.
• A deep commitment to growth in a trauma-informed, anti-racist organization.
• An understanding and empathy with the stresses experienced by clients who are impacted by
poverty, mental illness, disabilities, unstable housing, substance use disorder, domestic strife, and
other barriers. Ability to help these clients engage in their own representation through the principles
of harm-reduction—meeting clients where they are, in a way that is responsive to their specific
needs.
• Demonstrated cultural competence and sensitivity in working with diverse clients, communities, and
colleagues.
• Strong ability to work collaboratively is required. The successful applicant will have strong conflict
management skills and be able to tactfully engage with external partners.
• Full professional proficiency in Spanish is preferred.
Please submit the following to Corey Guilmette at [email protected] by Tuesday, August 29 at 11:59 pm. Applications submitted through LinkedIn, Indeed, or any job posting site will not be accepted. The email subject line should clearly reference “Civil Survival Staff Attorney.”
• Letter of interest: The letter of interest should include a description of how your skills and experience will allow you to perform the job qualifications. We value lived experience in the criminal legal system and encourage applicants to share any lived experience in their letter of interest.
• Resumé.
• One legal writing sample, unedited by others.
• Names and contact information for three professional references. Professional references will not be contacted until the conclusion of the interview process.