Benefits Staff Attorney

The Alliance for Children's Rights; Los Angeles (CA); Hybrid; USD 79,000 - 92,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Life insurance

Flexible spending accounts

Generous vacation time

403(b) retirement plan

ClassPass

Family-friendly culture

Job summary

The Alliance for Children’s Rights seeks a Staff Attorney for its Benefits Program in Los Angeles. You will help families secure public benefits, engage in impact litigation, and contribute to policy advocacy addressing systemic barriers.

Spanish fluency is strongly preferred and California bar admission is required. This role emphasizes collaboration with the Benefits Program Director, volunteers, and community partners to advance child welfare and equity.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor degree and active CA State Bar membership.
• Fluency in Spanish strongly preferred.
• Strong legal research and writing skills.

Responsibilities

• Analyze public benefits issues affecting children and caregivers in the child welfare system.
• Represent caregivers in administrative hearings, mandamus proceedings, appellate matters, and related proceedings.
• Contribute to impact litigation and policy advocacy at local and state levels.
• Prepare case summaries and materials for placement with pro bono attorneys and provide ongoing assistance.

Skills

Legal research

Oral advocacy

Interpersonal skills

Client communication

Education

Juris Doctor

CA Bar admission

Job description

The Alliance for Children’s Rights is seeking a mission-driven Staff Attorney to join our Benefits Program. This attorney will help children and caregivers secure essential public benefits and financial supports, while contributing to impact litigation and policy advocacy that address systemic barriers. Experience in foster care, dependency court, child welfare, or administrative mandamus is helpful but not required. Spanish fluency is strongly preferred.

ABOUT THE ALLIANCE

The Alliance for Children’s Rights provides free, holistic legal services and advocacy to youth and families impacted by the child welfare and juvenile justice systems in Los Angeles County. Our attorneys, advocates, social workers, pro bono partners, and community volunteers help young people overcome barriers to stability and opportunity and access the education, health care, financial supports, and permanent family connections they need. Since 1992, the Alliance has helped more than 180,000 children and young adults.

We pair direct services with local and statewide policy advocacy to remove systemic barriers and advance stability, equity, and justice for young people. Our collaborative, family-friendly culture recognizes that lasting impact depends on employees who are supported, connected, and able to thrive.

THE IMPACT YOU WILL HAVE

You will help families obtain resources that promote safety and stability for children living in out-of-home care. Working closely with the Benefits Program Director, you will combine individual representation, litigation, training, and policy advocacy through an equity-informed and intersectional lens.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Analyze public benefits issues affecting children and caregivers in the child welfare system.
• Represent caregivers in administrative fair hearings, rehearings, writs of administrative mandamus, appellate matters, and related proceedings.
• Contribute to impact litigation and local and statewide policy advocacy.
• Prepare case summaries and materials for placement with pro bono attorneys and provide ongoing technical assistance.
• Train and supervise volunteers, law clerks, interns, and pro bono attorneys.
• Develop and update practical benefits resources for clients, volunteers, staff, and community partners.
• Maintain current knowledge of public benefits laws, policies, and trends affecting children and families.
• Support intake, identify legal issues and strategies, and provide guidance to interns and staff.
• Conduct community outreach and trainings and collaborate with service providers and community partners.
• Maintain timely, accurate case records and complete related administrative responsibilities.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Juris Doctor degree and active membership in good standing with the California State Bar.
• Zero to two years of legal experience for Level I consideration; two to four years for Level II consideration.
• Public benefits experience is helpful; Spanish fluency is strongly preferred.
• Excellent legal research, writing, oral advocacy, analytical, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with clients, attorneys, public agencies, judicial officers, and community partners.
• Strong organization and sound judgment, including the ability to manage competing priorities and a high-volume caseload.
• Demonstrated or transferable litigation skills, including case evaluation, discovery, negotiation, mediation, and hearing or trial preparation.
• Commitment to social justice, collaborative problem-solving, and client-centered advocacy.

This job description is of a general nature and is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties of the position.

Target starting salary: $79,000 to $85,000 for Level I Attorneys with 0 to 2 years of relevant legal experience, or $85,000 to $92,000 for Level II Attorneys with 2 to 4 years of relevant legal experience. Final starting salary is based on relevant experience and internal equity. Qualified Spanish-speaking employees who pass the Alliance language assessment receive a monthly bilingual pay differential.

The Alliance invests in employees’ physical and mental well-being. Our benefits and workplace practices are designed to provide broad care options, meaningful time away from work, and flexibility for employees and their families. Benefits currently include:

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage with 100% of the employee-only premium paid by the Alliance
• Life insurance and flexible spending accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses
• Generous vacation time and paid holidays
• A 403(b) retirement plan with an employer contribution after one year of employment, independent of employee contributions
• ClassPass, which provides access to exercise classes and a broad range of wellness services, including massages and facials
• A flexible, family-friendly culture that supports employees in balancing meaningful work with responsibilities outside of work

HOW AND WHERE YOU WILL WORK

This Los Angeles-based role offers regular flexibility in how and where work is performed. Employees may work from home or from the Alliance office on a regular basis, based on the responsibilities of the position and program needs. In-person participation is expected when it best supports clients, colleagues, court appearances, trainings, community partnerships, or Alliance events. Candidates must reside in the greater Los Angeles area. The Alliance may adjust remote and in-office expectations as organizational or program needs evolve.

OUR COMMITMENT TO AN INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE

The Alliance for Children’s Rights is committed to building and supporting an inclusive environment that values all staff members’ backgrounds and perspectives in our work. We welcome candidates with lived experiences that relate to the Alliance’s work and mission. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. We are an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, and prohibit discrimination against employees or applicants because of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, veteran status, or any other unlawful basis.

The Alliance for Children’s Rights will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if the Alliance is concerned about a conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting the Civil Rights Department Fair Chance Act webpage.