Overview
This role is for a Senior Attorney in the Equal Access and Housing practice group, reporting to the Managing Attorney.
- Location: Remote (must live in California), with work based in Sacramento, Berkeley, Los Angeles, or San Diego
- Employment status: Exempt, Full time, Regular; 37.5 hours/week
- Application deadline: Open until filled
- Salary range (DOE): $89,435.80 – $130,958.10 annually (Band 12)
As part of internal equity practices, salary offers are determined through a structured analysis that considers relevant education and years of substantially similar experience. Compensation decisions are reviewed for fairness, consistency, and alignment with organizational equity standards.
Responsibilities
Core responsibilities include (with or without reasonable accommodations):
- Develop, lead, and/or participate in litigation—including class action lawsuits, complex litigation, and/or appeals—responsive to the needs of individuals with disabilities.
- Represent individual clients in negotiations, mediations, administrative proceedings, and judicial proceedings.
- Supervise and/or mentor the work of attorneys, advocates, fellows, clerks, and/or interns/externs, as assigned.
- Prepare and/or coordinate training materials, publications, reports, special projects, or make presentations about legal work as necessary.
- Provide technical assistance and substantive training to other staff in areas of expertise; participate in identification and development of substantive and skills-based training.
- Collaborate with other agencies and organizations to address new or recurring problems in the provision of services to clients.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Supervisory responsibilities
- May directly supervise one or more attorneys or advocacy staff in the practice group.
- Carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with agency policies and applicable laws, including interviewing, hiring, and training; planning, assigning, and directing work; regularly evaluating performance and providing ongoing feedback; working with HR on corrective actions when needed; and addressing complaints and resolving problems.
Requirements
Minimum qualifications
- Juris Doctor (JD) and admitted to the California State Bar, plus seven (7) years of experience practicing law; or internal candidates who have worked at the organization for two continuous years and have six years of legal experience.
- Excellent advocacy skills, including research, writing, analytic, and oral advocacy.
- Demonstrated ability to lead multiple and complex advocacy projects, build strong relationships, and collaborate effectively.
- Demonstrated commitment—through lived experience and/or employment history—to working with people with disabilities and low-income clients, including incorporating race equity and community lawyering principles into work.
- Expertise in one or more substantive areas of law affecting the rights of and services for people with disabilities, such as:
- Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act
- Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
- Due Process Clause of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments
- Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA)
- Unruh Civil Rights Act
- Disabled Persons Act
- CA Gov. Code Section 11135
- and others
- Experience in two or more of the following: administrative proceedings, discovery, motion practice, class action litigation, trial advocacy, or appellate practice related to the position.
- Four (4) years of successful results in litigation, including class action lawsuits, complex litigation, and/or appeals, administrative proceedings, writs, or single plaintiff/single defendant lawsuits.
- Experience working with persons with disabilities and/or experience working with persons from 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 and manage multiple tasks while maintaining attention to detail.
- Ability to work independently with appropriate supervision.
Desired qualifications
- Ability to communicate fluently and write effectively in Spanish or an Asian language, or ability to communicate using American Sign Language.
- Experience with and/or extensive contacts in ethnic or language distinct communities.
- Understanding of how to incorporate race equity and community lawyering principles into work.
- Ability to maintain positive relationships with diverse groups of people.
Working conditions
- Duties are performed between an office or home environment and the field in a wide range of settings, including courthouses, facilities, or other institutional settings, or in community-based settings.
- Regular communications over online platforms are required.
- Must be able to transport oneself to work-related meetings, training, and community events.
Travel requirements
- Ability to travel occasionally for activities such as out-of-town meetings, training, or outreach activities up to 25% of the time.
Compensation & Benefits
- Salary range (DOE): $89,435.80 – $130,958.10 annually (Band 12)
- The organization offers competitive salaries and a generous benefit package.
Application requirements
To be considered, applicants must submit:
- Completed employment application (do not state “See Resume”)
- Resume
- Cover letter addressing personal and professional motivation for seeking the position and explaining how the applicant meets each Minimum and any Desired qualifications
- Sample of legal writing (legal argument, letter, or analysis) of no more than 10 pages
Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Reasonable accommodations
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform job responsibilities.