Staff Attorney 2

Mielegalaid; California (MO); On-site; USD 80,356 - 117,671; Full time

Job summary

Disability Rights California is seeking a Staff Attorney 2 for the Equal Access and Housing Practice Group to advance housing stability and access for people with disabilities. The attorney will handle intake through case resolution, including litigation, advocacy, and policy work, under supervision.

We value experience in disability rights, collaboration with diverse communities, and the ability to work toward equitable outcomes within federal/state grant frameworks.

Qualifications

• JD degree required; license to practice law in CA.
• Experience in disability rights or related civil rights law preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage client cases and advocacy projects from intake to resolution.
• Represent clients in negotiations, mediations, and litigation, including class actions and appeals.
• Engage with stakeholders, community partners, and other legal service entities to address systemic issues.
• Expand services to underserved populations through outreach and education.
• Mentor attorneys, fellows, clerks, and interns as assigned.
• Perform other duties as needed.

Education

Juris Doctor degree

Admitted to the California State Bar

Job description

PRACTICE GROUP: Equal Access and Housing Practice Group

REPORTS TO: Managing Attorney or Associate Managing Attorney

EMPLOYMENT STATUS: Exempt, Full time, Regular

SALARY RANGE (DOE): $80,356.96 - $117,671.41 annually (Band 11 - Based on experience and internal equity analysis.)

As part of our commitment to internal equity, salary offers are determined through a structured analysis that considers each candidate’s relevant education and years of substantially similar experience for the position. We review the candidate’s resume to assess relevant experience in relation to current employees in comparable roles. This process ensures our compensation decisions are fair, consistent, and aligned with organizational equity standards.

WHO WE ARE

Disability Rights California (DRC) defends, advances, and strengthens the rights and opportunities of people with disabilities. DRC works for a world where all disabled people have power and are treated with dignity and respect. In this world, people with disabilities are supported, valued, included in their communities, afforded the same opportunities as people without disabilities, and make their own decisions. DRC values all forms of human diversity. We are committed to a culture of belonging where all people are welcome. In order to be effective advocates for all people with disabilities, we must address discrimination in all its forms, including the unique challenges faced by people who experience the intersection of multiple systems of discrimination.

Equal Access and Housing Practice Group

The Equal Access and Housing Practice Group is a diverse, statewide team of passionate attorneys and advocates developing and implementing impactful strategies – short-term direct services, rights education, litigation, policy advocacy, and community support to end discrimination against people with disabilities and increase access. Our current priorities include:

• challenging discrimination in public and private programs
• confronting the criminalization of people experiencing homelessness
• protecting and increasing affordable, accessible housing
• addressing the intersectional needs of people with disabilities

We are committed to progressive social change for diverse people with disabilities and strive to build a culture of cooperation and mutual support.

PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

The Equal Access and Housing Practice Group seeks an attorney who will lead and work collaboratively on various advocacy initiatives to end discrimination against people with disabilities and increase access. The Staff Attorney 2 will handle client cases and advocacy projects, from intake to case conclusion. The work will range from providing legal advice which will enable clients to self-advocate, to leading individual client litigation, impact litigation, writs, administrative practice, and policy advocacy. The goal of our team’s work is to provide individualized help to improve housing stability and access to public and private programs for people with disabilities while meeting federal and state grant requirements.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the job responsibilities.

The Staff Attorney 2 works under the direct supervision of the Associate Managing Attorney or Managing Attorney and in collaboration with other Disability Rights California attorneys, advocates, and social workers in our legal, advocacy, and outreach efforts.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Essential functions are the job responsibilities an employee must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodations. The Staff Attorney 2’s core responsibilities will be to:

• Develop and/or participate in litigation—including class action lawsuits, complex litigation, and/or appeals that are responsive to the needs of individuals with disabilities.
• Represent individual clients in negotiations, mediations, administrative proceedings, and/or judicial proceedings.
• Identify and participate in key internal and external stakeholder workgroups and/or committees that align with EAH’s goals and priorities. This will include engaging with other legal services agencies and/or community-based organizations to identify and address emerging or recurring systemic issues impacting DRC’s clients.
• Expand the delivery of DRC’s services to underserved populations through strategic community outreach activities, including workshops and know-your-rights trainings.
• Prepare and/or coordinate training materials, publications, reports, or special projects, or make presentations about legal work as necessary.
• Mentor attorneys, advocates, fellows, clerks, and/or interns/externs, as assigned.
• Participate in other duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Juris Doctor degree (JD) and admitted to the California State Bar, plus five (5) full years of legal experience.
• Demonstrated commitment – through lived experience and/or employment history – to working with people with disabilities and low-income clients and incorporating race equity and community lawyering principles into their work.
• Experience in one or more substantive areas of law affecting the rights of and services for people with disabilities (such as Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Due Process Clause of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Unruh Civil Rights Act, the Disabled Persons Act, CA Gov. Code Section 11135, etc.).
• Experience in one or more of the following: litigation, administrative practice, working on complex legal matters, or community organizing.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully lead multiple advocacy projects such as intake/outreach projects, administrative proceedings, writs, eviction defense, or single client defendant lawsuits.
• Experience working with persons with disabilities and/or experience working with persons from multi-ethnic communities.
• Experience in the disability rights or justice movement and/or extensive contacts in the disability community.
• A strong sense of professional responsibility and ethics.
• An ability to meet deadlines and perform multiple tasks while maintaining attention to detail.
• The ability to work independently with appropriate supervision.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Able to communicate fluently and write effectively in Spanish or an Asian language; or able to communicate using American Sign Language.
• Experience with and/or extensive contacts in ethnic or language distinct communities.
• Understanding of how to incorporate race equity and community lawyering principles into their work.
• Ability to maintain positive relationships with diverse groups of people.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Duties are performed between an office or home environment and the field in a wide range of settings, including courthouses, facilities, or other institutional settings, or in community-based settings.
• Duties require regular communications over online platforms.
• Must be able to transport oneself to work-related meetings, training, and community events.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

Ability to travel occasionally for activities such as out-of-town meetings, training, or outreach activities up to 25% of the time.