Overview
ABOUT PUBLIC COUNSEL
Public Counsel is a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to advancing civil rights and racial and economic justice, as well as to amplifying the power of our clients through comprehensive legal advocacy. Founded on and strengthened by a pro bono legal service model, our staff and volunteers seek justice through direct legal services, promote healthy and resilient communities through education and outreach, and support community-led efforts to transform unjust systems through litigation and policy advocacy in and beyond Los Angeles.
Public Counsel operates seven legal projects: Child, Youth & Family Advocacy, Community Development, Consumer Rights & Economic Justice, Homelessness Prevention, Immigrants’ Rights, Gender Justice, and our impact litigation project, Opportunity Under Law.
Public Counsel has a full-time staff of approximately 160. We are committed to building a diverse staff and encourage applications from people of color, people with disabilities, and people of all gender identities, gender expressions, and sexualities. We recognize the essential role of staff in achieving our goals, and we have set a long-term intention to provide competitive compensation, benefits, training, mentorship, and overall workplace wellness, making Public Counsel a leader among nonprofit law firms.
ABOUT CONSUMER RIGHTS & ECONOMIC JUSTICE PROJECT
Public Counsel’s Consumer Rights & Economic Justice (“CREJ”) Project is one of the oldest projects within Public Counsel. Our mission is to advance racial and economic justice by representing and advocating for individuals who are low-income and their families to improve their financial futures, safeguard intergenerational wealth, address systemic inequalities, and oppose the institutions and companies that take advantage of the communities we serve.
JOB SUMMARY
The Supervising Attorney is responsible for coordinating CREJ’s provision of home preservation and student loan services to clients, along with associated impact litigation. The Supervising Attorney will lead a team providing expert home preservation and student loan services under two separate grants, including client representation, clinics and placements/co-counselling with pro bono attorneys where appropriate. The Supervising Attorney is responsible for supervising a team including at least three staff attorneys/fellows, and paralegals/administrative staff.
The position has the following responsibilities:
- Manage the provision of homeownership preservation and student loan debt services across the CREJ team
- Supervise the CalHFA Home Preservation and DFPI Student Loan grants teams
- Consult and provide mentorship and coaching on student loan, home ownership and economic justice related issues as needed
- Keep up to date with the latest law and practice in foreclosure, including loss mitigation, and student loans, including all options for discharge or restructuring of educational debt
- Work in collaboration with other legal services and government enforcement groups at the local, state and national level in the home preservation and student loan spaces
- Actively manage grant deliverables and budgets to target
- Actively pursue funding and contribute to grant proposals
- Identify and litigate individual and impact cases where appropriate
- Represent CREJ and Public Counsel in external meetings and events, including in front of funders, and speaking on behalf of the project to the media where appropriate
- Perform other duties as assigned
Requirements
ESSENTIAL JOB SKILLS AND ABILITIES
- Juris Doctor degree and a member in good standing of the California Bar preferred
- 7-10 years of experience in legal advocacy
- Proven expertise in consumer law, ideally in homeownership preservation and/or student loans
- Experience in delivering trauma-informed legal services to lower-income, elderly and BIPOC clients
- Experience preparing and delivering targeted educational trainings
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Excellent managerial, strategic thinking and leadership skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work well as part of a team
- Experience with training, mentoring, and professional development of staff and volunteers
- Demonstrated commitment to racial and economic justice, and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and in the communities Public Counsel serves
- High levels of emotional intelligence and cultural competency, including being curious, self-aware, cognizant of bias, empathetic, patient, and willing to listen, and having a growth and open mindset
- Policy advocacy experience desirable
- Impact litigation experience desirable
- Spanish-language fluency desirable