ABOUT PUBLIC COUNSEL

Public Counsel is the nation’s largest provider of pro bono legal services. Founded in 1970, it is dedicated to advancing equal justice under law and addressing economic, racial, social, and other inequities by delivering free legal and social services to the most vulnerable members of our community. Public Counsel operates eight legal projects: Children’s Rights, Community Development, Consumer Rights & Economic Justice, Homelessness Prevention, Immigrants’ Rights, Veterans’ Rights, the Audrey Irmas Project for Women & Girls’ Rights, and our impact litigation project, Opportunity Under Law. 

Public Counsel has a full-time staff of over 150. We are committed to building a diverse staff and encourage applications from people of color, people with disabilities, and people of all gender identities, gender expressions, and sexualities.

ABOUT DEPARTMENT

Public Counsel’s Community Development Project (CDP) strives to build healthy, inclusive, economically stable communities through the delivery of pro bono legal services to community-based coalitions, nonprofits and small businesses in Los Angeles County. CDP provides transactional legal services to nonprofits that assist lower income people and neighborhoods and to qualifying entrepreneurs that meet our income requirements. CDP also supports community led advocacy groups and community based organizations in their efforts to advance racial and economic justice and build power in low-income communities and communities of color by providing legal assistance, capacity building, and policy support. Further, CDP advocates for the creation and preservation of affordable and supportive housing.

JOB SUMMARY

The Staff Attorney’s primary responsibility will be providing legal support to nonprofit organizations. Reporting to the Directing Attorney, the Staff Attorney will:

• Provide legal assistance to nonprofits both directly and through recruitment and supervision of volunteer attorneys from the private bar – types of matters we help with include incorporation, applying for tax-exempt status, board governance, corporate compliance, negotiating and drafting contracts, commercial leasing, land use, tax, employment, and intellectual property. 
• Create and deliver educational programming and substantive legal trainings to community-based organizations and pro bono attorneys;
• Develop educational publications on topics relevant to nonprofit organizations;
• Conduct outreach and client intakes, and act as a spokesperson on significant community development issues; 
• Contribute to the team and organization as a whole by taking part in organization-wide activities, including integrating diversity, equity and inclusion policies into our work and workplace; and
• Other duties as assigned.

ESSENTIAL JOB SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• At least 3 years of legal experience;
• Must be a member in good standing of the State Bar of California; 
• At least 1 year of legal experience relevant to nonprofits—for example, tax-exempt law, corporate law, contracts, employment law, and general counsel legal needs.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills;
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work well as part of a team;
• Work experience and/or lived experience relevant to low-income and racially diverse communities preferred;
• Strong commitment to trauma-informed advocacy, economic, racial, and social justice and community lawyering.

JOB TYPE AND BENEFITS

• Full-Time, Exempt position
• Bargaining
• Salary Range: The salary range for this position, $68,725-$106,485 is commensurate with 3 to 16 years of experience.
• Public Counsel offers a competitive benefits package including:
  • Medical, dental, and vision coverage with both HMO and PPO options, 
  • The option to enroll in a Flexible Spending Account, 
  • A 403(b) retirement plan with elective contribution and a discretionary employer contribution after a year of employment, and       
  • Employer-paid life insurance and disability plans.
• Generous paid time off and compensatory time up to 40 hours per calendar year
• Parking and transit benefits

HOW TO APPLY

We value lived experiences and experiences working with clients across a range of settings. Please consider discussing such experiences in your cover letter, especially if they are not reflected in your resume. 

PUBLIC COUNSEL VACCINATION POLICY AND COVID-19 PROTOCOLS

Public Counsel requires vaccination against COVID-19 for all employees, including new hires. Pursuant to federal and state laws, Public Counsel will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified employees with disabilities or sincerely held religious beliefs, unless doing so would pose an undue hardship.
 

Public Counsel is generally office-based, but remote work has been permitted during the pandemic. All employees with Public Counsel are required to work in the office at least one day per week, at the discretion of the head of department. This policy is subject to redesign by leadership. Public Counsel will work in a manner consistent with public health and local and state emergency orders.

PUBLIC COUNSEL EEO POLICY

Public Counsel is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate against employees or prospective employees on the basis of union membership or activity, race, religious creed, religious observance, ethnicity, color, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information or predisposition, military service, military and veteran status, pregnancy, child birth and related medical conditions, marital and family status, national origin, ancestry, age, medical conditions as defined by state or federal law, or disability, or any other basis prohibited by law.

All qualified applicants with criminal histories will be considered in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring.

Our leadership team is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities discipline, discharge and general treatment during employment.