Supervising Attorney – Reentry

Overview

BayLegal’s Reentry Practice: We provide wrap-around legal services to individuals with arrest or conviction histories causing barriers to successful reintegration into society. Many of our clients experience significant barriers to housing and employment. We address the many and varied collateral consequences of criminal convictions and incarceration through legal representation across a wide array of practice areas, including criminal record remedies, suspended driver’s license, traffic court debt, public benefits, housing denials due to criminal record, employment and occupational license denials, and consumer issues.

Position: BayLegal is seeking an attorney with a strong commitment to public interest and social justice to become a Supervising Attorney focusing on reentry legal services. The Supervising Attorney is responsible for supervising BayLegal staff in their handling of wrap-around civil legal services for individuals impacted by the criminal legal system, as well as being a resource for the entire firm. As a member of BayLegal’s management team, you will report to the Alameda County Managing Attorney and work in collaboration with other managing and supervising attorneys and staff throughout the firm. The Supervising Attorney will contribute to the development and implementation of the vision and direction of BayLegal’s reentry work. The position will be based in BayLegal’s Oakland office and includes travel throughout the Bay Area as necessary to best serve clients, supervise the work and engage in broader advocacy.

As Supervising Attorney you will have the opportunity to:

• Learn about and engage with the diverse legal needs of low-income communities in the broader Bay Area and contribute to BayLegal’s work and mission to reduce homelessness, enhance stability, break systemic cycles of poverty, and address social injustice.
• Provide day-to-day legal supervision to attorneys and advocates in BayLegal’s Reentry Practice team, and legal substantive supervision to BayLegal attorneys and advocates needing support on reentry related legal issues within the Reentry team’s areas of expertise.
• Engage in the hiring, retention, mentoring, evaluation, and professional development of a diverse and expert team of advocates.
• Facilitate case reviews, including providing opportunities for non-reentry focused attorneys to bring their related questions.
• Identify and facilitate training opportunities and periodic updates to the firm and stakeholder communications on evolving reentry legal services issues and barriers.
• Co-counsel, carry a caseload and cover team cases as needed (caseload size will vary depending on number of supervisees).
• Together with the Reentry Project Coordinator and Managing Attorneys, engage team attorneys in annual planning and periodic reviews of priorities, facilitate regional meetings, and response to emerging issues in the client community.
• Support BayLegal’s participation in local, state, and federal meetings and coalitions to identify, track, and develop policy advocacy and impact litigation opportunities that further the interests of our clients.
• Build, maintain and develop relationships with public, nonprofit, and private partners, including non-legal community-based organizations, service providers, and funders.
• Develop and oversee legal projects, defining scope of work, ensuring compliance with grants and contracts, collect and track data and progress, engage in evaluation and reporting for funders and stakeholders.
• Participate and support efforts to promote BayLegal’s mission and resource development.
• Engage in other tasks and projects that further BayLegal’s mission and operation as a non-profit social justice law firm.

Requirements/Qualifications/About the Successful Candidate:

• Humility in working with colleagues and clients across the spectrum of diversity, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, immigrant status, religious identity, physical and mental disabilities, and/or limited English proficiency.
• Five or more years’ practice as a licensed attorney with experience developing and/or leading projects or advocacy efforts.
• At least three years of practice handling civil legal matters on behalf of formerly incarcerated individuals such as traffic debt, driver’s license suspensions, criminal record remedies, employment, housing, public benefits, and consumer law.
• Membership in good standing in the California State Bar.
• Successfully clear a LiveScan background check required by funders given the position involves access to confidential information. If this would be a barrier to your candidacy, please talk to us about it so we can determine if an exemption can be made.
• Supervisory experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated commitment to racial justice, diversity, equity and inclusion and skills to lead a team in prioritizing these values.
• Experience and skills in setting standards for organizing time, managing diverse activities, and ensuring compliance with deadlines.
• Excellent writing, editing, and proof‐reading skills, with ability to be detail oriented.
• Commitment and skills to lead a diverse, dynamic team with varied communication styles, learning styles, and levels of experience. Able to identify and resolve interpersonal conflicts. Able to identify professional development opportunities and work collaboratively with the team to set and achieve goals for professional growth.
• Experience and skill implementing effective onboarding, training and mentorship programs for new staff.
• Ability to take decisive action and ensure accountability.
• Willingness and ability to travel throughout the Bay Area as necessary to best serve clients, supervise the work and engage in broader advocacy.

COVID-19 work: BayLegal is committed to the health and safety of our staff, clients, and community. BayLegal has implemented detailed health and safety protocols to minimize risk of exposure and has an evolving plan for expanding local office reception hours to the public and increased in-person activities in our offices and community-based advocacy sites. Employees are expected to reside in California and at a distance allowing them to commute to their physical BayLegal base location and service delivery locations as needed and in compliance with public health advisories. During the initial phase employees are expected to be in the offices a minimum of two days per week. Due to the COVID-19 crisis and its impact on personal lives, BayLegal is open to providing flexibility regarding work schedules to the extent feasible for the position.

Powered by JazzHR