Staff Attorney/Senior Staff Attorney

• Staff Attorney/Senior Staff Attorney*
• 3+ years of experience

Compensation : $134,055- $265,903, commensurate with experience (see full salary scale below), plus benefits

Location: Berkeley, CA (hybrid workplace, in-office attendance required at least two days per full week, including Wednesdays, with flexibility for remote work on the remaining days, depending on work travel requirements)

Application Deadline: November 2, 2026

*Attorneys with 8+ years of experience have the Senior Staff Attorney title. See below for role responsibilities for each.

What We Do:

The Prison Law Office is one of the nation’s leading experts in prison conditions litigation, defending the rights of incarcerated people through class action lawsuits, monitoring, and education. In addition to litigation and advocacy, the Prison Law Office works directly with correctional agencies to develop practical, sustainable reforms to improve conditions of confinement for incarcerated people .

The Role:

Staff Attorneys and Senior Staff Attorneys play a central role in PLO’s litigation and advocacy work on behalf of incarcerated people. Attorneys lead individual and class action litigation from case development through resolution and are deeply involved in post-trial remedial monitoring of long-running institutional reform cases. The work requires excellent legal judgment, strong client-centered advocacy, and a commitment to advancing civil and human rights in carceral settings. This role requires regular travel to prisons, jails, and immigration detention centers and close collaboration with colleagues, clients, and external stakeholders.

Staff Attorney Role Responsibilities:

Serve as counsel on individual and class action litigation on behalf of people in prisons, jails, and immigration detention centers

Participate in all phases of litigation, including factual investigation, discovery, motion practice, settlement negotiations, trial, and appellate work

Conduct interviews with incarcerated clients, witnesses, and correctional staff

Engage in and develop post-trial remedial monitoring and remedial litigation to enforce compliance with court orders and decrees

Lead tours of correctional facilities to assess conditions of confinement and monitor compliance

Research and draft high-quality legal pleadings, briefs, motions, and other advocacy materials

Maintain regular communication with clients and class members with empathy and professionalism and in line with legal strategy

Collaborate with PLO team members, co-counsel, and partner organizations on litigation and advocacy strategy

Oversee and direct the work of paraprofessional staff (including investigators, special assistants, and litigation assistants) on assigned matters and provide constructive feedback

Supervise law student interns, legal fellows, and paraprofessional staff and provide constructive feedback

Comply with PLO’s hybrid work policies and required travel expectations

In addition to the Staff Attorney Role Responsibilities listed above, the Senior Staff Attorney Role Responsibilities include:

Lead complex, high-impact litigation on behalf of incarcerated people and serve as a primary architect of litigation and remedial strategy in individual and class action matters

Exercise advanced judgment in high-stakes negotiations with state, local, and federal officials and opposing counsel

Take a lead role in shaping post-trial remedial frameworks and long-term compliance strategies

Serve as a thought partner to PLO management on litigation priorities, case development, risk assessment, and legal strategy

Represent PLO in external legal, policy, and advocacy settings as needed as a senior organizational representative

Manage all phases of litigation, including factual investigation, pleadings, motion practice, discovery, settlement negotiations, trial, and appellate work

Guide post-trial remedial strategy and reform efforts to ensure meaningful and durable outcomes

Provide consistent mentorship, coaching, and feedback for Staff Attorneys, legal fellows, law student interns, and paraprofessional staff (including investigators, special assistants, and litigation assistants) working with the attorney on assigned matters

Supervise Staff Attorneys, legal fellows, law student interns, and paraprofessional staff

The ideal candidate will have:

At least three years of experience as a practicing attorney

Significant experience developing and litigating complex civil cases

Admission to the California Bar, plans to sit for the next California Bar Exam, or eligibility to participate in California’s Multijurisdictional Practice (MJP) Program

Experience or interest in criminal legal system matters

Excellent analytical, legal research, and writing skills

Excellent oral advocacy skills, with both legal and non-legal audiences

Excellent communication skills; bilingual skills in Spanish preferred

Demonstrated ability to problem-solve, exercise sound judgment, take initiative, and work independently

Demonstrated ability to interact cooperatively, professionally, and effectively with co-workers, clients, co-counsel, opposing counsel, and jail/prison staff and administrators

Experience working and communicating with marginalized or vulnerable communities

Demonstrated ability to mentor paraprofessional staff, legal fellows, and law student interns, and, for the Senior Staff Attorney role, other Staff Attorneys

Compensation:

The salary for this position is based upon a non-negotiable salary scale for attorneys at PLO; the range listed is from the 2026-2027 salary scale for attorneys:

3-5 years since law school graduation: $134,055 - $157,776

6-10 years since law school graduation: $165,500 - $188,670

11-15 years since law school graduation: $194,407 - $219,011

16-20 years since law school graduation: $225,631 - $254,318

21 years since law school graduation: $265,903

Benefits:

Generous health insurance policy

Dental care stipend

Annual wellness bonus

Life insurance

403(b) retirement accounts with employer matching at 5% of annual earnings

Repayment of qualifying federal educational loans up to $1,300/month

Paid time off

All federal and state holidays off

Office closure the last week of the year

Application Instructions:

To be considered for the position, please submit the following materials, via BambooHR , by November 2, 2026:

Cover letter

Resume

Legal writing sample (confidential information may be redacted)

List of three references

Prison Law Office is committed to creating an equitable, diverse, and inclusive organization and community. We can only maintain excellence by recruiting and retaining a diverse staff that includes all races, ages, backgrounds, citizenships, national origins, disabilities, gender identities, languages, military experiences, sexual orientations, religions, socioeconomic status, work experiences, and historically excluded communities.