Staff Attorney

WHO WE ARE: California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc. (CRLA) is an anti-poverty law firm that dismantles unjust systems through community lawyering in California’s historically rural areas. We work with people priced out of private legal representation so they can uphold civil rights in housing, employment, health, and public education. Through our 17 Rural Justice Centers, communities can access a broad range of legal tools, including direct legal services, place-based advocacy to expand equity in civic institutions, and specialized litigation to advance civil rights.

• Position: Staff Attorney
• Experience: 6+ months
• Application Deadline: Open until filled
• Location: Remote
• Other: FLSA Exempt, Full-Time, Union Position

Position Description: The Staff Attorney will provide post-conviction services to low-income individuals facing eviction, housing insecurity, substandard housing conditions, or other barriers to housing throughout Santa Barbara & Ventura counties. The holistic approach to combating these issues will include legal services in record clearing. Reporting to the Directing Attorney, this position will be responsible for full-scope representation to individuals seeking to clear their records in the Santa Barbara & Ventura service areas, providing Know Your Rights presentations, conducting outreach, clinics, and case management of record clearing services under the Project. Additionally, the Staff Attorney will be responsible for engaging in cross-referrals to other CRLA services and/or referrals to external project partners.

Essential Responsibilities/Duties:
•Perform community outreach and education campaigns on record clearing options in California.

•Maintain relationships with Public Defenders in the Santa Barbara & Ventura service areas, serving as CRLA's liaison with these agencies.

•Participate in record clearing clinics in the Santa Barbara & Ventura service areas.

•Improve and/or establish workflows for the record clearing clinic model.

•Conduct an initial interview of workshop participants, screen all workshop participants for possible wrap-around services, and refer participants to other CRLA staff or external project partners following project referral procedures.

•Process all completed forms: upload reviewed forms into correlating Legal Server files, prepare forms, organize and attach supporting documents, and file documents with the court.
•Monitor and follow up on cases filed through the clinic model, including tracking hearing dates, in-chambers requests, and decisions, coordinating with the local public defender or recruiting volunteer attorneys for felony hearings.

•Create and present training on record clearing procedures and legal theory.

•Maintain an active caseload representing clients in the Santa Barbara & Ventura service areas.

•Participate in periodic case review meetings to ensure that high-quality legal services provided are consistent with CRLA priorities, policies, procedures.

•Maintain up-to-date knowledge of record clearing and other post-conviction laws.

•Implement evaluation of Project services in collaboration with other Project staff.

•Cooperate with the Development Department for grant reporting and evaluation requirements and participate in development efforts as necessary.

QUALIFICATIONS:
•Admitted to practice law in the State of California or willing to take the next California Bar Exam.
•Demonstrated commitment to working with low-income clients, especially in the areas of social justice
•Ability to empathize with the client community
•Excellent written and verbal communication skills
•Excellent public speaking skills, especially in the area of group training or presentations
•Superior organizational skills, especially as demonstrated by the ability to meet deadlines and demonstrate attention to detail
Preferred Education and Experience:
•A highly qualified and desirable candidate would also have the following:

•Lived experience with the criminal legal system and/or housing instability

•Experience working with diverse racial and cultural groups

•Experience in trauma-informed intake and service delivery practices

•Extensive knowledge of California expungement and resentencing laws, including an up-to-date understanding of current laws through statute and relevant case law, historical background and evolution of California expungement and resentencing laws, and all procedural requirements.

•Experience with workshop or clinic legal services delivery models

•Experience in recording clearing and/or post-conviction work, including work in expungement, arrest record sealing, felony reduction, Prop 47, Prop 64, Certificates of Rehabilitation, and changes to California resentencing laws.

•Experience both training and supervising private attorneys, paralegals, law students, and/or other volunteers in delivering civil legal aid.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:

We offer a diverse, family-friendly environment and compensation based on competitive public interest salaries; generous benefits package which includes 100% employer-covered medical, dental, vision, life, and short & long-term disability insurance for employees and up to 50% for dependents coverage; and 401K retirement plan with CRLA contribution effective immediately. Some professional dues are paid by CRLA (Bar Fees) and, if qualified, up to $8,000 law school Loan Reimbursement Assistance Program (LRAP). Generous paid leave policy which includes; 15 days of sick leave, 15 holidays each year, and vacation (accrue 15 days for the first year of service and 20 days after one year of service at CRLA). This is a union position (Legal Service Workers for Rural California "LSWRC" ), and the salary ranges from (Staff Attorney: $73,000-$104,000) depending on each year of admission to practice law in any U.S. jurisdiction and any relevant law-related work experience prior to being admitted to practice law.

CRLA requires that all employees are Fully Vaccinated, defined as a CDC-approved COVID vaccination and one booster shot. This offer is contingent on meeting this requirement. The complete vaccination policy, including the process for reasonable allowable accommodations, is available for your review upon request.

California Rural Legal Assistance Inc. 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, persons of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, veterans, persons with disabilities, and persons from other underrepresented groups to apply.