Summary
Legal Aid at Work (LAAW) enforces and expands the employment and civil rights of low-wage workers, their families, and communities by engaging in outreach and education, providing clients with legal advice and representation, and advocating for policy reforms.
LAAW has seven core program areas: (1) Community Legal Services; (2) Disability Rights; (3) Gender Equity & LGBTQ Rights; (4) National Origin and Immigrants’ Rights; (5) Racial Economic Justice; (6) Wage Protection and (7) Work & Family. Through these programs, LAAW:
- Provides free, individualized legal advice and counsel throughout California to thousands of low-income workers;
- Pursues targeted enforcement and impact litigation to strengthen and clarify the law;
- Conducts community outreach and education for workers, their advocates, their families, and their health and social service providers; and
- Advocates for laws, regulations, and policies at the local, state, and national levels to strengthen civil and workplace rights.
As a social justice organization, Legal Aid at Work’s mission is rooted in the firm belief that all people deserve respect, dignity, and self-determination at work, at school, and in their communities. Structural and systemic racism—with the oppression of Black and Indigenous people at its core—and other forms of injustice shape the society and the civic, political and legal systems in which we work and live. Legal Aid at Work is committed to developing and nurturing an organizational culture that will dismantle systems of oppression, uplift people from underrepresented communities, and create a workplace that is truly equitable and inclusive. As such, we strongly encourage candidates from underrepresented communities to apply.
Legal Aid at Work is pleased to invite applications for sponsorship of a fellowship opportunity such as Skadden, Equal Justice Works, Justice Catalyst or any other comparable fellowships for the two-year period beginning in September 2024. The two-year fellowship offers recent law school graduates the opportunity to obtain training in litigation, the provision of direct legal services, as well as many other aspects of public interest practice. The various fellowships evaluate and select their legal fellows based on their fellowship program specific criteria and Legal Aid at Work will work with the candidate to determine how best to craft the application for the various fellowship applications. Legal Aid at Work will support the candidate in any or all of the fellowship application processes.
Applicants are encouraged to propose and discuss project ideas in the program area(s) that they have a strong and demonstrated interest in and which address the needs faced by Legal Aid at Work’s clients. LAAW is looking to sponsor candidates in these specific programs: Disability Rights; Gender Equity & LGBTQ Rights; National Origin and Immigrants’ Rights; Wage Protection; and Work and Family but project ideas within other LAAW programs are also welcomed.
The ideal candidate for sponsorship will demonstrate the following:
- Passion for the central role that the workplace plays in our society—as an essential source of economic and social support; as a space where people from diverse backgrounds interact; as a potential source of identity, dignity, and respect.
- Demonstrated commitment to our mission and experience working with low-income clients.
- Established knowledge of and interest in employment, and/or civil rights law.
- Excellent communications skills, with a strong preference for fully bilingual English/Spanish capability.
- Experience working with a racially, ethnically and socioeconomically diverse teams and client communities.
- Strong academic performance; and excellent legal research and writing skills.
- Proven ability to work independently and cooperatively with others.
- Strong interpersonal skills, initiative, leadership, and organizational abilities.
- Membership in the California Bar is preferred.
Compensation
Legal Aid at Work offers salaries that are competitive in the Bay Area public interest law community. Benefits include health plans, long-term disability and life insurance, 403(b) retirement plan with employer match and contribution, and generous paid vacation and holidays. As a unionized organization, LAAW believes in the importance of employees organizing to improve their working conditions. This position is included in the bargaining unit represented by ESC Local 20. Generally, the granting fellowship program pays for the salary and in some cases, benefits of the fellow. The organization will supplement the fellowship if necessary in order to ensure that the fellow is appropriately positioned on our salary scale and offered similar benefits as our staff. The current negotiated salary scale for the position can be found here: https://www.ifpte20.org/federal-legal-professionals/legal-aid/.
Application Process
Legal Aid at Work will accept applications through Monday June 12, 2023. Again, we strongly encourage candidates from underrepresented communities to apply. Please include a detailed cover letter describing your interest in the organization and the fellowship as well as the commitment you have to the issues our clients face. Send it along with your résumé, law school transcript, a list of three references, and one writing sample to:
Fellowship Sponsorship Committee, Legal Aid at Work. Email: jobs@legalaidatwork.org