Attorney (Senior) - Equal Access and Housing

Overview

A legal organization focused on disability rights is seeking a Senior Attorney to join their Equal Access and Housing Practice Group. This full-time, exempt position reports to the Managing Attorney and is remote within California, with preferred locations including Sacramento, Berkeley, Los Angeles, or San Diego. The role involves leading and collaborating on advocacy initiatives to end discrimination against people with disabilities and increase access to housing and public programs.

Responsibilities

• Develop, lead, and participate in litigation, including class actions, complex cases, and appeals related to disability rights.
• Represent individual clients in negotiations, mediations, administrative, and judicial proceedings.
• Supervise and mentor attorneys, advocates, fellows, clerks, and interns/externs.
• Prepare and coordinate training materials, publications, reports, and presentations.
• Provide technical assistance and substantive training to staff.
• Collaborate with other agencies and organizations to address service provision issues.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• May supervise one or more attorneys or advocacy staff, including hiring, training, performance evaluation, and addressing complaints.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree and admission to the California State Bar.
• Minimum seven (7) years of legal practice experience, or six years plus two continuous years at the organization.
• Excellent advocacy skills: research, writing, analysis, and oral communication.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex advocacy projects and work collaboratively.
• Commitment to working with people with disabilities and low-income clients, incorporating race equity and community lawyering principles.
• Expertise in laws affecting people with disabilities (e.g., ADA Title II, Rehabilitation Act Section 504, FEHA, Unruh Civil Rights Act, Disabled Persons Act, CA Gov. Code Section 11135).
• Experience in at least two of the following: administrative proceedings, discovery, motion practice, class action litigation, trial advocacy, appellate practice.
• Four (4) years of successful litigation results, including class actions, complex litigation, appeals, administrative proceedings, writs, or single plaintiff/defendant lawsuits.
• Experience working with persons with disabilities and/or multi-ethnic communities.
• Experience in the disability rights or justice movement and/or extensive contacts in the disability community.
• Strong professional responsibility and ethics.
• Ability to meet deadlines, multitask, and maintain attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently with appropriate supervision.

Preferred Qualifications

• Fluency and effective writing skills in Spanish, an Asian language, or American Sign Language.
• Experience with or contacts in ethnic or language-distinct communities.
• Understanding of race equity and community lawyering principles.
• Ability to maintain positive relationships with diverse groups.

Working Conditions

• Work performed in office or home environments and various field settings such as courthouses, facilities, institutional, or community-based locations.
• Regular communication via online platforms.
• Ability to travel to meetings, training, and community events.

Travel

• Occasional travel up to 25% for out-of-town meetings, training, or outreach activities.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary range: $89,435.80 – $130,958.10 annually, based on experience and internal equity analysis.
• Competitive salaries and a generous benefits package.

Location

• Remote within California; candidates must reside in California.
• Preferred locations: Sacramento, Berkeley, Los Angeles, or San Diego.

Application Instructions

Applicants must submit the following to be considered:

• Completed employment application (do not state "See Resume").
• Resume.
• Cover letter addressing personal and professional motivation and how minimum and desired qualifications are met.
• Sample of legal writing (no more than 10 pages).

Incomplete applications will not be considered.