About the Direct Legal Services Staff Attorney Role:
ERA seeks a dedicated Staff Attorney for our Direct Legal Services program, which serves clients around the country on matters related to sex discrimination in education and employment. The Staff Attorney for Direct Legal Services is responsible for ensuring the smooth daily operation of the organization’s Advice & Counseling Helpline, providing direct services and representation to students and workers experiencing sex discrimination, and collaborating and communicating with legal fellows, law clerks, clinics and pro bono program volunteer attorneys providing the same.
Job Duties:
- Conduct intakes and provide legal information, advice, counseling, and referrals to callers on ERA’s Advice and Counseling (A&C) Helpline.
- Provide legal advice and representation (limited and full) for clients who were callers to the A&C Helpline.
- Develop and ensure the legal accuracy of ERA trainings and materials related to direct services, pro bono attorney referrals, and the A&C Helpline, including public-facing legal resources, self-help tools, and Know Your Rights materials.
- Recruit, interview, and hire law clerks and interns. Train and supervise law clerks on conducting intakes, providing legal information and referrals on the A&C Helpline, and conducting related research.
- Recruit, coordinate, and train pro bono attorneys to take cases referred from the A&C Helpline. Review and refer cases to pro bono and other attorneys.
- Work with the administrative/program coordinator to carry out program related logistics, including but not limited to maintaining pro bono directories and the case management system; collecting and reporting out on volume, demographic, referral data and trends on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis; documenting client success stories and testimonies; ensuring case management systems and protocols for screening and intake processes are accurate and up to date; and, learning about and assessing developments in direct services technology and tools in the legal field for periodic ERA systems evaluations and updates.
- Assist senior attorneys with additional litigation and policy efforts, as needed.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
The ideal candidate will have most, if not all, of the following professional and personal qualities, skills, and characteristics:
- Active license to practice law in California.
- Minimum of 1-3 years of experience providing direct legal services or legal representation to individuals in matters related to workplace justice, education-related civil rights, and/or combating sexual or gender-based violence.
- Demonstrated interest in and commitment to social justice, civil rights, gender equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism.
- Experience advocating for, representing, and/or collaborating with low-paid workers, women and girls of color, immigrants, individuals who identify as LGBTQIA+, and/or survivors of sexual trauma and/or gender-based violence.
- Ability to build successful relationships and partnerships with like-minded outside counsel and pro-bono attorneys.
- Experience in or interest in trauma-informed and culturally competent lawyering practices.
- Ability to successfully manage and mentor law clerks and/or interns.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Comfortable with significant client interaction.
- Commitment to excellence, attention to detail. Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to deliver results, multitask and prioritize in a fast-paced environment.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively, take initiative, exercise good judgment, follow-through/follow up, and problem solve.
- Ability to work independently in a hybrid-remote work setting.
- Comfortable in a tech-heavy environment and adept at navigating and quickly learning systems and apps.
- Strong commitment to and comfort working in a diverse workplace that includes but is not limited to age diversity, cultural diversity, racial diversity, neuro diversity, and sexual orientation and gender/gender identity diversity.
- Multilingual and multi-cultural capabilities are always a plus.
About ERA
Equal Rights Advocates (ERA), founded in 1974, protects and expands economic and educational access and opportunities for women, girls, and people of marginalized gender identities using a three-pronged approach of impact litigation, legislative advocacy, and direct services. Join our passionate and vibrant team of gender justice champions as we work to transform our communities into places where all of us can lead. Click Here to learn more about ERA and our work.
Compensation & Benefits
The Staff Attorney, Direct Legal Services position has a salary range of $70,000 – 85,000, with comprehensive health and life insurance benefits, paid holidays, sick time, vacation and seniority time off. To learn more about out benefit offerings, please click HERE.
How to Apply
Please submit a résumé and cover letter using the above link addressed to Melvina Ford, National Legal Director, describing your interest in this particular position and your personal connection to ERA’s mission. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and candidates will be contacted based on decision. We look forward to hearing from you! Please note that final round candidates will be asked to provide professional references.
EEOC Statement
ERA is proud to be an equal opportunity employer that will consider all applications equally without regard to sex, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, medical condition, religion, sexual orientation, differing ability, veteran status, marital status, arrest or conviction record, or any other characteristic protected by law. Applicants with differing abilities will be reasonably accommodated during the search process.
ERA’s Equal Opportunity Employer Policy applies to all aspects and phases of employment. Through this commitment, ERA strives daily to maintain an equitable and accessible work environment that is supportive to all and free from discrimination Individuals who need assistance or accommodation due to a disability may contact us at jobapplicants@equalrights.org.