Overview

We are seeking an Advocate/Paralegal to join BayLegal and our dynamic Housing Law practice in our San Francisco office. San Francisco’s housing law practice focuses on the preservation of fair and affordable housing, eviction defense, and addressing the root causes of homelessness and displacement. As part of San Francisco’s Tenants’ Right to Counsel Initiative, this position will support and work with a team of attorneys who are providing full-scope legal services to tenants in unlawful detainer proceedings. In addition, the Advocate assists clients, under the supervision of an attorney, with non-eviction advocacy issues, with a focus on advocacy for tenants who are living in public and subsidized housing. Duties & Responsibilities – as a Housing Advocate (Paralegal) you will have the opportunity to:

  • Learn and advocate for the diverse legal rights of underserved communities in San Francisco County and the broader Bay Area to reduce homelessness, enhance economic and housing stability, and promote social justice.
  • Conduct initial prospective client intake and enter and maintain information in case management systems in compliance with San Francisco Tenant Right to Counsel program.
  • Assist with settlement conferences and administrative hearings.
  • Prepare legal forms, demand letters, and reasonable accommodation requests; assist in propounding and responding to discovery.
  • Cite check, proofread, format, and compile motions and briefs; perform simple legal research;
  • Maintain case files.
  • Assist with tracking deadlines, calendaring motions, filing court documents, scheduling court reporters, and interpreters;
  • Conduct unit inspections, obtain inspection records from government agencies, and document individual and pervasive habitability problems.
  • Prepare templates for discovery, motions, and trial binders.
  • Prepare outreach materials.
  • Assist with data tracking and grant reporting.
  • Engage in other tasks and projects that further BayLegal’s mission.

Qualifications/Requirements:

  • A commitment to fostering inclusivity and equity, as well as humility when working with clients and colleagues at the intersection of multiple identities, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, immigration status, religion, physical and mental disability, and/or limited English proficiency.
  • Commitment and desire to work with low-income individuals.
  • At least 2 years of work experience as paralegal or legal assistant or equivalent experience;
  • Previous housing law experience preferred.
  • Willing to be on-site at BayLegal office or advocacy site at least three days per week and as needed to serve clients.
  • Received or be willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccination by date of hire to be considered.
  • Current proficiency, and ability to improve proficiency, in technological equipment, hardware and software necessary to perform duties of the position, including using legal case management software and legal research tools such as Lexis and Westlaw.
  • Experience and skill in organizing time, including simultaneously managing diverse activities while maintaining a firm grasp of individual details and ensuring compliance with deadlines.
  • Excellent writing, editing, and proof‐reading skills, with ability to be detail oriented.
  • Strong research, writing and communication skills;
  • Experience and skills to multitask and provide support to attorneys in busy, fast-paced practice
  • Bilingual in Spanish or Cantonese; and previous housing law experience preferred.
  • Commitment to complying with all California Rules of Professional Conduct, BayLegal funding requirements, and firm standards, policies, and practices.
  • Current proficiency, and ability to improve proficiency, in technological equipment, hardware and software necessary to perform duties of the position.
  • Sense of humor and proactive problem-solver.

HYBRID WORK OPTION: BayLegal is committed to the health and safety of our staff, clients, and community. Being accessible to our client communities and reducing barriers for them to access our services is integral to our mission and commitment as a direct services community-based law firm. BayLegal has health and safety protocols to minimize risk of exposure. BayLegal has an evolving plan to continue to safely increase in-person services and activities in our offices and community-based advocacy sites. BayLegal employees are expected to work on-site and in-person at a BayLegal office or community-based advocacy site at least three (3) days per week and as needed for client services and office staffing needs. Employees may work remotely from home on a part-time basis. Employees are expected to reside in California and at a distance allowing them to commute to their physical BayLegal base location, and to other service delivery locations as needed, during the standard work week.Compensation and Benefits: We offer a diverse, family-friendly environment, and compensation based on competitive public interest salaries along with a generous benefits package. BayLegal’s benefits package includes 100% employer covered medical, dental, and life insurance for employees and up to 60% for dependents; BayLegal student debt reimbursement program; long term disability insurance; employee assistance program; wage differentials for multi-lingual employees whose non-English language skills are regularly used in the provision of work tasks and pass a request test of fluency and/or proficiency; dependent childcare employer contribution program; and 401k retirement plan with BayLegal contribution following first year. BayLegal has a generous paid leave policy which includes sick leave; parental leave; 15 holidays each year; 3 floating holidays each year (days chosen by employee); and vacation (starting at 13 days and increasing with additional years of employment). This is a union position (Bay Area Legal Aid Workers, “BALAW”), and the salary ranges from $63,468- $99,552 depending on years of experience. For more information, please view our BayLegal union positions salary scale for 2022-2026.Applications: BayLegal thrives on our diversity, and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a culturally diverse workplace and strongly encourage women, LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Intersex, Asexual) and QTBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) individuals, veterans, individuals who have been impacted by the criminal justice system, persons with disabilities, and persons from other underrepresented groups to apply. We are committed to equal employment opportunity and providing reasonable accommodations to qualified candidates and employees pursuant to applicable law. We value and encourage diversity and solicit applications from all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, gender, sex, age, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military and veteran status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. If you require a reasonable accommodation as part of the application process, please contact BayLegal’s Human Resources Manager at(510) 250-5225. BayLegal will begin reviewing applications upon receipt and continue until the position is filled. Please submit (1) cover letter including response to question below (no page limit), (2) resume, (3) references, and (4) writing sample through BayLegal’s career application portal.As part of your cover letter, please address the following:BayLegal’s clients are low-income and very low-income members of our communities. They include LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Intersex, Asexual) and QTBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) individuals, the working poor, seniors, people who are limited English proficient, veterans, persons with disabilities, survivors of abuse and exploitation, individuals impacted by the criminal justice system, and people who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and persons from other underrepresented groups. To ensure our organization is best serving these populations, BayLegal strives to promote an evolving set of behaviors and attitudes amongst our staff, as well as policies that enable us to work effectively across cultures, with clients, with our coworkers, and with the community. We see this as a commitment to enhance the provision of our services to all clients; to raise the level of positive client outcomes; and to create an inclusive and respectful workplace in which differences are acknowledged and valued.How do you think your experiences, professional or otherwise, prepared you to serve our diverse client base effectively, work effectively with colleagues from different backgrounds than your own, and to contribute to our commitment to humility, inclusion, and diversity? Feel free to think broadly about your response to this question, applying various aspects of your life and personal experiences.

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