The Organization
Legal Aid at Work (LAAW) partners with people to help them understand and assert their workplace rights, and advocates for employment laws and systems that empower low-paid workers and marginalized communities.
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 BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities to apply.
Summary
Legal Aid at Work seeks a Gender Equity and LGBTQ Rights Program Director with a deep commitment to advancing gender justice and advocating for the rights of low-income workers. The Program works to eliminate barriers to full and equal participation in employment based on sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and interlocking types of oppression. Our clients include women, LGBTQI+ people, immigrants, survivors of harassment and domestic and sexual violence, and other under-represented individuals.
This is a unique opportunity for a civil rights attorney with significant litigation experience to partner with the team to develop a new strategic plan for the program, identifying existing and emerging issue areas affecting these communities. The ideal candidate will bring enthusiasm and proven commitment for systems-level impact in the gender justice and LGBTQ rights spaces, as well as excitement to build and manage a docket of cases.
The Program Director will direct all advocacy efforts of the Program. This person will coordinate a strategic approach to litigation, centering on bringing systemic and impact driven cases that address issues facing workers who are LGBTQI+, women, or survivors of domestic and sexual violence. The program is particularly interested in developing legal challenges and advocacy to fight against the rise of anti-Trans efforts and legislation, as well as developing novel ideas to advocate for an intersectional approach to gender justice that is inclusive of QPOC, trans and non-binary individuals, immigrants and other marginalized communities.
While experience in employment law is beneficial, broad legal experience across various civil rights and social justice issue areas is preferred. A demonstrated commitment to the principles of movement lawyering is essential.
Responsibilities
The Program Director will work within and across teams to further the goals of the Program, with an emphasis on setting and executing against the Program’s strategy, managing the litigation docket, and overseeing a team of Staff Attorneys, a Senior Paralegal, and fellows and law clerks.
The Program Director is responsible for:
- Developing strategy for the program in partnership with the VP of Programs and Litigation, the Director of Litigation, and other legal staff on the team;
- Overseeing the Program’s litigation docket, including class actions, representative actions, individual actions, and amicus work and other advocacy efforts;
- Identifying areas for collaboration across Program teams;
- Overseeing the Program’s collaborations with community partners;
- Managing the Program administration, including preparing the program budget, coordinating program projects, supervising Program attorneys and staff, timekeeping, and assisting with the preparation of grant applications and reports.
Requirements
The following list of core competencies and experiences is provided to share insight into the requirements of the role and the general level of experience we seek in candidates. We encourage all qualified candidates and those with relevant or transferable experience to apply, even if you do not bring experience in all of the areas noted below.
Candidates must be active members of the California State Bar, however, LAAW will consider candidates located anywhere in the U.S. who are willing to travel to California as needed. Legal Aid at Work offers employees the flexibility to work primarily from home, contingent on business needs and professional responsibilities. Strong preference will be given to applicants with personal or professional experience working with impacted communities.
- Demonstrated commitment to social justice and civil rights work and movement lawyering;
- Passion for Legal Aid at Work’s mission of seeking justice for low-wage workers;
- 8+ years of litigation experience; demonstrated track record bringing forth impact and class action litigation and a passion for doing so at LAAW;
- A minimum of 3 years of supervisory experience strongly preferred;
- Demonstrated track record setting and executing against programmatic strategies;
- The ability to think strategically about the role of a legal nonprofit in supporting grassroots organizing efforts;
- Strong relationships with community-based organizations and experience working with low-wage workers and/or LGBTQ, and/or immigrant communities;
- Experience with investigating, developing, and litigating civil rights cases (including discovery, motion practice, hearings, trials and/or appeals in state and federal court);
- Ability to lead and work collaboratively with a small team of attorneys and paralegals;
- Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously, and prioritizing competing deadlines;
- Willingness to develop projects on their own initiative;
- Strong legal research, writing, and analytical skills;
- Deep commitment to racial equity work and incorporating racial equity principles into legal advocacy;
- Deep commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and the ability to hold and foster difficult and necessary conversations about race, color, disability, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and other protected categories.
- Ability to use tact and diplomacy when dealing with sensitive issues and to maintain confidentiality;
- Strong interpersonal skills, initiative, leadership, and organizational abilities;
- Ability travel as necessary within California and to other parts of the country for litigation, speaking events, meetings, and conferences.
Additional Preferred Qualifications
- Knowledge of California employment law and court and/or administrative procedures;
- Fluency in Spanish, Mandarin, Vietnamese or other languages commonly spoken by low-wage workers in California.
Compensation
Legal Aid at Work offers salaries that are competitive in the public interest law community. Benefits include health plans, long-term disability and life insurance, 403(b) retirement plan, and generous paid vacation and holidays. As a unionized organization, Legal Aid at Work 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. Salary placement at hire and salary advancement will be in accordance with the negotiated salary scale in the union contract for this position. Attorney salaries are paid depending on years out of law school and range from $93,600 to $179,868. This Program Director position will receive an annual premium payment of $15,000. This person will also be eligible for the language bonus of $75 per pay period.
To Apply
Please email (1) your resume, (2) a cover letter detailing your interest in the position, (3) a writing sample of not more than 10 pages and (4) three references which must include at least one supervisor and one supervisee to:
Gender Equity and LGBTQ Rights PD Search Committee, Legal Aid at Work
Email: jobs@legalaidatwork.org
Legal Aid at Work is committed to a diverse, multicultural work environment. LAAW is an equal opportunity and fair chance, employer. Our complete EEO and DEI statements as well as further information concerning the organization and its programs can be found at www.legalaidatwork.org. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, Legal Aid at Work will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment.