Who We Are 

The Law Foundation of Silicon Valley (“Law Foundation”) is dedicated to advancing the rights of historically excluded individuals and families throughout Santa Clara County. Through our legal services, strategic advocacy, and educational outreach, we empower over 10,000 individuals and families each year. Our Housing, Children & Youth, Health and Pro Bono Programs use legal advocacy as a catalyst for social change, creating innovative solutions to the legal challenges facing low-income communities in our region. With a dedicated team of over 85 employees, we are the largest provider of free legal services in the South Bay region of the Bay Area. Learn more at https://www.lawfoundation.org/ . 

The Opportunity 

We are excited to offer an opportunity for a Legal Fellow to join our Health Program at Law Foundation. The Health Program provides free legal advice and representation to individuals living in Santa Clara County who identify as having predominantly mental health conditions, among other disabilities. We also provide free legal help to people experiencing economic instability and provide services through medical-legal partnerships and other geographically based funded programs. We are able to change these individuals’ lives by securing public benefits to which they are entitled, allowing some to go from chronically unhoused to housed and economically stable.  

The Health Program approaches our work with a deep commitment to addressing social determinants of health, mental health empowerment, and community-driven advocacy. We welcome new and experienced legal advocates to join our team of dedicated, passionate lawyers as we work together to support health equity for historically excluded residents in Santa Clara County.  

The Legal Fellow will be assigned to the Health Program, specifically focusing on economic rights and the intersection with their project focusing on older unhoused populations.   

Proposed Project 

You will be the Law Foundation’s candidate for the Borchard Fellowship in Law & Aging (https://borchardcla.org/fellowships/application-process).  Hiring for this position is contingent upon receiving fellowship funding from Borchard Fellowship program. 

You will undertake a project focusing on older adults and housing insecurity or homelessness.  In California, older adults are estimated to be the fastest-growing group in the unhoused community. From 2017 to 2021, California’s overall older adult population grew by 7%, but the number of people 55 and over who sought homelessness services increased 84% — more than any other age group — according to the state’s Homeless Data Integration System. There is a need to focus on the older population facing economic and housing stability.   

Accordingly, during this fellowship, fifty percent of your time will be spent working on cases through our Medical Legal Partnership (that would not otherwise be funded but for this fellowship) focusing specifically on helping unhoused or housing insecure seniors.  You will identify these clients through the Valley Health Homeless Program.  You will assist with securing benefits to which these clients are entitled such as County benefits (General Assistance, etc) and federal benefits (SSDI/SSI) as well as possible affordable housing options (including entry onto the Affordable Housing waitlist).  The other fifty percent of your time will be spent conducting outreach to identify more clients (who may not be eligible or members of the Valley Health Homeless Project).  Outreach will be conducted in encampments, shelters and with partner organizations.  You will be responsible for developing new and maintaining existing partnerships with organizations supporting older unhoused persons.  Through this outreach, you will identify older adults who are insecure housing or currently unhoused and assist them in attaining income (through public benefits) and temporary and ultimately permanent housing.  As a part of your work with any of these groups, you will be a part of our newly developing unhoused advocacy project.  This project engages in local policy advocacy regarding unhoused individuals and coalition building between organizations supporting unhoused individuals. 

What You’ll Do 

As a Legal Fellow, you will manage a caseload of individual clients and broader advocacy efforts, including: 

• Provide legal advocacy and representation to individuals living with mental health disabilities and other chronic health issues associated with poverty. 
• Represent and advise clients on public benefits issues (including Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and Medi-Cal) to help clients maintain or prevent the loss of entitled benefits, as needed.  
• Engage in outreach to communities of need, including at encampments, shelters, partner organizations and legal clinics. 
• Engage in community-based advocacy, coalitions, system reform, pre-litigation, and legislative efforts that concern or impact Health Unit clients. 
• Assist with client intake, referrals, and administrative tasks such as data entry, as needed. 
• Participate in Law Foundation activities, such as program meetings, special events, and fundraisers. 
• Assist underserved populations, including communities of color, LGBTQIA+ community, immigrant/refugee communities, individuals living with physical and/or mental health disabilities, unstably housed individuals, people using drugs, and system-impacted individuals in line with the Law Foundation’s Race Equity Inclusion principles. 
• Work on the project described above 

Who You Are 

• Applicants must be current members in good standing with the California State Bar or plan to sit for the next California bar exam or be graduating law students eligible to take the upcoming exam and be in the process of obtaining a positive moral character determination.  Recent graduates and junior-level attorneys are encouraged to apply. 
• Prior experience or a general understanding of legal aid services and the communities most impacted. 
• A passion for social justice and race equity. 
• Able to work sensitively and productively to identify, investigate, and resolve client problems. 
• Excellent verbal, interpersonal, research, writing, analytical, interviewing, and organizational skills. 
• Able to work independently and as a part of a team. 
• Excellent time and caseload management skills; ability to work independently to get your tasks done. 
• Have a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation to attend hearings, home visits, and outreach events. 
• Basic computer proficiency and willingness to learn new technology as needed. 
• Bilingual in English and Spanish or Vietnamese (preferred). 
• Interest or passion in community-driven advocacy, policy advocacy, and/or impact litigation preferred. 

What We Offer 

This is a full-time, exempt position, reporting to the Directing Attorney. The annual salary for this role is 75,400-108,400. Compensation is based upon bar admission date and comparable months of post-JD graduate work experience. 

We are committed to supporting the well-being, growth, and professional development of our team members. To that end, we offer a comprehensive and competitive benefit package, which includes: 

• 19 paid holidays per year 
• 3-5 weeks of vacation per year 
• 12 days of sick leave per year 
• Up to 6 months of parental leave 
• Fully paid medical, dental, and vision insurance premiums 
• A robust Employee Assistance Program that includes free/discounted mental health therapy and wellness services for employees and their dependents 
• A sabbatical after 5 years of employment 
• An additional monthly stipend for those who are bilingual and utilize their language abilities in the course of their job 
• An annual budget for professional development 
• Employer paid CA Bar license and/or social work license fees 
• The flexibility to work a hybrid schedule 
• An office building that offers a fully equipped gym, outdoor terrace, convenient on-site parking, bike storage, lounge areas, and 24/7 security 

Workplace Expectations 

Law Foundation is a hybrid workplace. Please note that the Legal Fellow may be expected to work in our San Jose office a minimum of 2 days/week.   

Employees must be California State residents. Due to logistical challenges regarding taxes, insurance, and time zones, we are not able to consider staff in other states at this time. 

Working At Law Foundation 

Law Foundation is a unionized workplace, and members of the bargaining unit are represented by SEIU Local 521. This position is part of the bargaining unit.  

Additionally, Law Foundation is strongly committed to building a culturally diverse workplace centered on equity and providing an inclusive, welcoming, and culturally responsive environment for our staff, volunteers, clients, and partners. To achieve this goal, the Law Foundation actively works to improve communications, community engagement, systems and structures, and office culture to create an inclusive and respectful workplace where differences are acknowledged and valued. 

We strongly encourage individuals from traditionally underrepresented communities to apply. Law Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religious creed, sex, gender, gender expression, gender identity, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior contact with the criminal legal system, or any other basis prohibited by law.  

Application Process

Application materials must include:

• A cover letter that addresses the following: How has your personal background or experiences, professional or otherwise, prepared you to contribute to social justice, race equity and diversity among our staff?
• A resume
• Contact information for three professional references. We will always ask for your consent and inform you before contacting any of your references.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Priority review will be given to applications received by March 26. Please note that our interview process includes interviewing by phone, video, and/or in-person.

If you are passionate about making a difference and want to be part of a team that values people, trust, accountability, creativity, joy, and fun, we would love to hear from you!

Equal Opportunity Employment 

The Law Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer.  We encourage people of color, womxn, people living with disabilities, older people, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people to apply.  It is the policy of the Law Foundation to prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type and to afford equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants, without regard to race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, pregnancy, medical condition or genetic information, veteran status, national origin, disability, marital or other protected status.  The Law Foundation will conform to the spirit, as well as the letter of all applicable laws and regulations. 

ADA Accessible Facility - Equal Opportunity Employer - Drug-Free Workplace