Senior Attorney – Equal Access and Housing

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in California.

📋 Description

• Independently develop, lead, and engage in litigation with suitable supervision, encompassing class action lawsuits, complex litigation, and appeals.

• Meet deadlines while handling multiple tasks, ensuring attention to detail, adherence to professional responsibilities, and compliance with legal ethics.

• Represent clients in negotiations, mediations, administrative hearings, and court proceedings.

• Mentor and/or supervise attorneys, advocates, fellows, clerks, and interns/externs.

• Prepare or coordinate training materials, publications, reports, special projects, and presentations related to legal work.

• Offer technical assistance and in-depth training to staff at Disability Rights California.

• Contribute to the identification and development of substantive and skills-based training for staff.

• Collaborate with agencies and organizations to tackle issues affecting services for the disability community.

• Oversee attorneys or advocacy staff in alignment with agency policies and relevant laws.

• Conduct interviews, hire, and train employees; plan, assign, and direct work responsibilities.

• Assess performance, provide constructive feedback, and collaborate with Human Resources on necessary corrective actions.

• Address grievances and resolve issues effectively.

• Work under the direct guidance of the Managing Attorney and collaborate with attorneys, advocates, and social workers.

• Support advocacy efforts aimed at challenging discrimination against individuals with disabilities and enhancing access to housing and both public and private programs.

⛳️ Requirements

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree and admission to the California State Bar.

• A minimum of seven (7) years of legal practice experience, or internal candidates who have worked at DRC for two consecutive years with six years of legal experience.

• At least four (4) years of proven success in litigation, including class action lawsuits, complex litigation, appeals, administrative proceedings, writs, or single plaintiff/single defendant cases.

• Proficiency in one or more areas of law pertinent to the rights of and services for individuals with disabilities.

• Outstanding advocacy skills, including research, writing, analytical, and oral communication abilities.

• Proven capability to lead multiple complex advocacy projects, foster strong relationships, and collaborate effectively with others.

• Demonstrated commitment, either through lived experience or professional history, to serving people with disabilities, low-income clients, multiethnic communities, and applying race equity and community lawyering principles.

• Experience in two or more of the following: administrative proceedings, discovery, motion practice, class action litigation, trial advocacy, or appellate practice relevant to the role.

• Willingness to travel occasionally for out-of-town meetings, training, or outreach activities, up to 25% of the time.

• Ability to transport oneself to work-related meetings, training sessions, and community events.

• Capable of performing job responsibilities with or without reasonable accommodations.

• Desired: proficiency in Spanish, an Asian language, or American Sign Language.

• Desired: extensive experience working with ethnically or linguistically distinct communities.

• Desired: understanding of race equity and community lawyering principles in legal practice.

• Desired: ability to foster positive working relationships with diverse groups.

🏝️ Benefits

• Reasonable accommodations may be provided to assist individuals with disabilities in fulfilling core job responsibilities.

• Competitive salary packages.

• Comprehensive benefits package.

• Option to work from home.

• Flexible work arrangements, including office, home office, field, courthouses, facilities, institutional settings, and community-based environments.