Staff Attorney (2-Year Fellowship)

Legal Aid Society Of San Diego•San Diego, CA

1d•$75,000 - $120,500•Hybrid

About The Position

The Staff Attorney Fellow is a limited two-year position for an attorney who has passed the California Bar Exam and is within three years of law school graduation. The position may transition to a full-time staff attorney role, subject to funding availability. The Fellow works on consumer law matters and may specialize in areas determined by Consumer Protection Team needs or available funding, including debt collection, bankruptcy, foreclosure and mortgage litigation, student loans, medical debt, auto fraud, identity theft, credit reporting, home solicitation sales, home improvement scams, disaster recovery, and other unfair or deceptive business practices. The attorney independently maintains a heavy and increasingly complex caseload. Work may include client interviews and legal advice, case strategy, negotiation, document preparation, representation in civil litigation, bankruptcy petition preparation, community outreach and education, impact litigation, and developing litigation, policy, or other strategies to address broader client problems. Legal Aid Society of San Diego (LASSD) is the largest poverty law firm serving San Diego County and has done so since 1953. It provides legal services intended to address clients’ legal problems, empower access to legal, governmental, and social systems, and support efforts to combat poverty and injustice. The position is salaried, with a listed salary range of $75,000–$120,500 and a starting salary of $83,000. LASSD offers a hybrid work environment: most staff work in the office part of the week and remotely for the remainder when job duties allow. Employees must be available to travel to offices and service locations throughout San Diego County. Applicants must reside in or near San Diego County, or plan to relocate there before starting, and be able to commute to LASSD offices or service locations. Normal business hours are 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; flexible schedules may be provided where feasible.

Requirements

Have passed the California Bar Exam and be admitted to, and in good standing with, the California State Bar.
Be within three years of law school graduation.
Hold a J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school.
Demonstrate written and verbal communication skills.
Be able to work independently and support team efforts.
Be able to strategize and plan to meet grant deliverables and reporting requirements consistently and on time.
Have reliable transportation.
Be willing to travel to outreach locations, LASSD offices in Midtown and San Marcos, and client meetings.
Reside in or near San Diego County, or plan to relocate there before the start date, and be able to commute to LASSD offices or service delivery locations.

Nice To Haves

Fluency in written and spoken Spanish or another language.
Knowledge or experience in consumer protection law, bankruptcy, and/or civil litigation.
Experience with or interest in pursuing affirmative litigation when warranted.
Demonstrated commitment to serving low-income people.
Ability to work successfully with people from diverse backgrounds, including people facing cultural or language barriers and people with physical or mental disabilities.

Responsibilities

Represent clients in all phases of state and federal litigation, including research, investigation, pleadings, discovery, law and motion, mediation, arbitration, trial, and appeal.
Interview prospective clients, provide legal advice, and develop case strategy.
Handle an increasingly complex caseload.
Conduct community outreach and education and develop positive relationships with the client community.
Run self-help clinics as needed.
Develop and present educational presentations to audiences including attorneys and the public.
Create consumer-law self-help materials for varied audiences.
Develop working relationships with court and administrative agency personnel and opposing counsel.
Assist with training and supervision of advocates, support staff, and volunteers as appropriate.
Comply with program and grant requirements, including maintaining data, records, and case files as required by funders.
Complete administrative tasks, including timekeeping and timesheets, accurately and on time.
Collaborate with other teams and outside organizations to provide holistic services.
Develop creative litigation and non-litigation methods for addressing recurring client problems.
Stay current on substantive developments in consumer protection.
Perform other tasks as assigned.

Benefits

Bilingual pay increase of 2% for passing an oral test and 2% for passing a written test in threshold languages other than English.
35-hour workweek.
Paid vacation leave and sick leave.
100% employer-paid medical premium.
50% employer-paid premium for dependents under the LASSD health plan.
Dental, vision, and life benefits.
Option to participate in a 403(b) retirement plan.
Dependent and health flexible spending accounts (FSA).
LASSD law school loan repayment program.
Eligibility as a nonprofit employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.