Supervising Attorney - Consumer Rights & Economic Justice

Description

ABOUT PUBLIC COUNSEL

Public Counsel is a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to advancing civil rights and racial and economic justice, as well as to amplifying the power of our clients through comprehensive legal advocacy. Founded on and strengthened by a pro bono legal service model, our staff and volunteers seek justice through direct legal services, promote healthy and resilient communities through education and outreach, and support community-led efforts to transform unjust systems through litigation and policy advocacy in and beyond Los Angeles.

Public Counsel organizes its work through seven legal teams: Child, Youth & Family Advocacy, Community Development, Consumer Rights & Economic Justice, Homelessness Prevention, Immigrants’ Rights, Education Equity, and our impact litigation team, Opportunity Under Law.

Public Counsel has a staff of approximately 170. We are committed to building a diverse staff and encourage applications from people of color, people with disabilities, and people of all gender identities, gender expressions, and sexualities. We recognize the essential role of staff in achieving our goals, and we have set a long-term intention to provide competitive compensation, benefits, training, mentorship, and overall workplace wellness, making Public Counsel a leader among nonprofit law firms.

ABOUT CONSUMER RIGHTS & ECONOMIC JUSTICE

CREJ advances racial and economic justice by representing and advocating for individuals who are low-income and their families to improve their financial futures, safeguard intergenerational wealth, address systemic inequalities, and oppose the institutions and companies that take advantage of the communities we serve. Our diverse team provides direct services to low-income people in Los Angeles and surrounding counties, engages in impact litigation on consumer and civil rights issues, and advocates for laws and policies to protect consumers and the economically vulnerable at the local, state and national levels. In addition to a core group of attorneys and staff dedicated to consumer and economic justice issues, CREJ also encompasses access to justice clinics for state appellate and federal self-represented litigants. CREJ also runs Cancer Justice, a national program focused on the legal and financial impacts of cancer, particularly issues affecting economic stability and health equity.

JOB SUMMARY

Reporting to the Directing Attorney, the Supervising Attorney will:

• •Supervise the provision of bankruptcy services through the Bankruptcy Assistance Project, including provision of services at the Los Angeles Bankruptcy Clinic at the Roybal Federal Building.
• •Manage existing grants and ensure deliverables are accurately accounted for and reported
• •Pursue grant opportunities and assist in grant writing in relation to bankruptcy and debt collection work
• •Directly supervise and train attorney/paralegal staff members in the delivery of bankruptcy and consumer debt services
• •Liaise with court staff at all levels to ensure the smooth running of clinic operations
• •Assist the Directing Attorney and the Director of Pro Bono to expand our network of volunteers who regularly assist in provision of bankruptcy and debtor assistance services
• •Strengthen our network of pro bono contacts and provide training where necessary to enable pro bono volunteers to effectively serve our clients
• •Mentor attorneys and staff in the delivery of bankruptcy and debt collection services to our clients
• •Participate in policy and regulatory advocacy initiatives related to debt collection and bankruptcy at the local, state and national levels
• •Work with the Directing Attorney in matters of administration, policy, strategy and otherwise as needed to ensure transparent and effective management of the team delivering consumer services
• •Represent Public Counsel in external meetings and events
• •Contribute to the team and organization as a whole by taking part in organization wide activities, including integrating diversity, equity and inclusion policies into our work and workplace
• •Perform other duties as assigned

Requirements

ESSENTIAL JOB SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• •5-10 years of experience in legal advocacy
• •Juris Doctor degree and a member in good standing of the California Bar
• •Maintain a regular on-site presence at Public Counsel’s main office on the CREJ team’s designated in-office day (currently Thursdays), and staff the Los Angeles Bankruptcy Clinic at the Roybal Federal Building on a regular basis (typically at least once per week)
• •Extensive experience post-law school as a bankruptcy and consumer attorney
• •Demonstrated interest in public interest work
• •Excellent oral and written communication skills
• •Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work well as part of a team
• •Experience working with low-income, diverse ethnic groups, and non-English speaking clients
• •Commitment to gender/racial/social justice and the mission of Public Counsel
• •Ability and willingness to utilize AI to streamline systems
• •Experience in grant writing, grant management and grant reporting desirable
• •Ability to read, write, and speak fluently in Spanish strongly preferred
• •Experience in policy advocacy or a willingness to engage in policy advocacy work at the local, state and national levels
• •Experience in developing pro bono networks desirable
• •Demonstrated experience with and commitment to trauma-informed legal advocacy
• •Ability to work cooperatively across teams, levels, and functions within the organization and to navigate difficult conversations and address conflict effectively
• •Excellent judgment and discretion as well as excellent interpersonal, management, and organizational skills that gain and sustain respect internally and with external partners
• •Inspiring, decisive, collaborative, transparent, and flexible leadership style
• •High levels of emotional intelligence, maturity and cultural competency, including being curious, self-aware, cognizant of bias, empathetic, patient, and willing to listen, and having a growth and open mindset
• •Exempt employees are expected to work a minimum of 37.5 hours per week and must work all additional time necessary to accomplish job duties in a timely and professional manner. They must be flexible in work hours so as to provide superior quality and timely service to clients consistent with the position and professional responsibility obligations.

JOB TYPE AND BENEFITS

• •Full-time/exempt
• •Salary range for an attorney with 5–10 years of experience is $84,800-$99,900, depending upon years of experience, plus a $12,480 supervisor supplement for a total range of $97,280–$112,380. This supervisor supplement is based upon the supervision of two staff members and will change if the number of staff supervised increases or decreases
• •Non-bargaining
• •Fixed-duration position funded until September 30, 2026. Continued employment past this date is contingent on additional funding for the position. We expect to receive information from the funder soon and anticipate funding for this position will extend through September 30, 2027, and likely to continue to do so annually for the foreseeable future. However, continued funding cannot be guaranteed

Public Counsel offers a competitive benefits package including :

• •Medical coverage with an option for 100% employer-paid employee and dependent child(ren)’s premiums; buy up options are available for other HMO and PPO coverage
• •Dental and vision coverage
• •Option to enroll in a Flexible Spending Account
• •Employer-paid life insurance and disability plans

Generous paid time off (per year):

• •15 accrued vacation days that increase to 20 days after 3 years of employment
• •12 accrued sick days that may be used for physical and mental health needs
• •2 personal observance days
• •11 paid holidays plus 2 one-week office closures (during the summer and winter)
• •Up to 60 hours of compensatory time per calendar year (for exemp