Staff Attorney

San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program, Inc.; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 72,000 - 96,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) with 6% company match

Paid vacation, holidays, and sick time

Bar Association membership paid

Professional development opportunities

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

Job summary

San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program, Inc. (SDVLP) seeks a Staff Attorney to mentor and guide pro bono attorneys, oversee training, and collaborate with the Pro Bono Team to ensure high-quality representation for clients.

You will provide trauma-informed civil legal aid across domestic violence, tenant rights, family law, education law, and related matters, while also expanding outreach and supervising volunteers and interns across SDVLP locations.

Qualifications

• Active member in good standing of the State Bar of California.
• Minimum of one year of legal practice experience.
• Strong written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.
• Mentoring and training abilities for volunteers, staff, and interns.
• Ability to manage caseload and meet deadlines.
• Proficiency in Office 365 and case management software.
• Bilingual with Spanish a plus.
• A valid California driver’s license is required.

Responsibilities

• Train, mentor, support, and recruit pro bono attorney volunteers.
• Develop and maintain legal training materials and program resources.
• Collaborate with SDVLP's Pro Bono Team to ensure high-quality client representation.
• Provide trauma-informed legal advice and representation to low-income individuals.
• Handle civil legal matters such as domestic violence, restraining orders, family law, human trafficking, tenants’ rights, HIV/AIDS, education law, and nonprofit/microbusiness support.
• Assess client needs and connect individuals with resources.
• Build relationships with community partners and stakeholders.
• Conduct outreach, legal education, and community presentations to increase access to legal services.
• Represent SDVLP at events, meetings, and collaborations.
• Supervise non-attorney staff, volunteers, and law student interns.
• Maintain case data, track outcomes, and assist with grant reporting.
• Support special projects and strategic initiatives.

Skills

Active California Bar member

Legal advocacy

Mentoring and training

Community outreach

Spanish bilingual

Tools

Office 365

Case management software

Job description

For more than 40 years, San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program (SDVLP) has been a leading force for equal access to justice, providing life-changing legal services to low-income individuals and families throughout San Diego County. Through the dedication of our staff, volunteers, and pro bono attorneys, we help thousands of low-income individuals and families navigate critical legal challenges each year. In 2024, we reached new milestones: nearly 450 volunteer attorneys contributed more hours than ever before, enabling SDVLP to take on a record 7,500 cases. Together, we helped survivors of domestic violence find safety, prevented families from becoming homeless, and secured brighter futures for children in foster care.

If you are looking for work with purpose, a mission you can believe in, and the opportunity to make a lasting impact, we invite you to join SDVLP. Together, we can transform lives and strengthen our community, one client, one family, and one case at a time.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

The Staff Attorney works closely with SDVLP’s Pro Bono team and is responsible for mentoring, training, recruiting, and guiding the work of pro bono attorneys representing SDVLP clients.

Primary responsibilities include:

• Train, mentor, support, and recruit pro bono attorney volunteers.
• Develop and maintain legal training materials and program resources.
• Collaborate with SDVLP's Pro Bono Team to ensure high-quality client representation.

Client Advocacy & Legal Services

• Provide trauma-informed legal advice and representation to low-income individuals.
• Handle civil legal matters such as domestic violence, restraining orders, family law matters, human trafficking, tenants’ rights, HIV/Aids, education law, and nonprofit/microbusiness support.
• Assess client needs and connect individuals with appropriate legal and community resources.

Community Outreach & Education

• Build relationships with community partners, service providers, and stakeholders.
• Conduct outreach, legal education, and community presentations to increase access to legal services.
• Represent SDVLP at community events, networking opportunities, and collaborative meetings.
• Supervise non-attorney staff, volunteers, and law student interns.
• Maintain case data, track program outcomes, and assist with grant and funder reporting.
• Support special projects and initiatives that advance SDVLP's mission and strategic goals.

QUALIFICATIONS

What You'll Bring

• Active member in good standing of the State Bar of California.
• A minimum of one year of experience practicing law is required.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation communication skills, with the ability to effectively engage diverse audiences.
• Strong mentoring, coaching, and training abilities, with a demonstrated commitment to developing volunteer attorneys, staff, and interns.
• Ability to shift priorities as necessary, manage caseload, and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated passion for public interest law and a commitment to advancing access to justice for low-income and underserved communities.
• Proficiency in Office 365.
• Proficiency with case management software.
• Bilingual with Spanish a plus.
• A valid California driver's license is required, as driving is an essential job function, and no comparable alternative transportation options (e.g., ride-hailing, carpooling, bicycling, walking) can reasonably fulfill the role within travel time or cost.

BENEFITS

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with a 6% company match
• 15 days of paid vacation, 15 paid holidays and up to 40 hours of paid sick leave
• Bar Association membership paid annually
• Sponsored training programs and opportunities for professional growth and development
• We are an eligible employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.

WORK LOCATION/SCHEUDLE

• Full-time opportunity with a collaborative work environment.
• This role offers opportunities to engage directly with the community through occasional travel to outreach events, meetings, and legal clinics across SDVLP locations throughout San Diego County.

Equal Opportunity Employer

SDVLPis an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.