Supervising Attorney for Legal Aid of Sonoma County!

SUPERVISING ATTORNEY

LEGAL AID OF SONOMA COUNTY

JOB TITLE: Supervising Attorney

JOB CLASSIFICATION: 1.00 FTE Full Time Exempt

SUPERVISOR: Interim Executive Director

SALARY RANGE: $90,000 - $110,000 annually, depending on years of active Bar and supervisory experience.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: Legal Aid of Sonoma County (LASC) has been providing legal services to low-income Sonoma County residents since 1958. Our mission is to promote social justice and advance human rights. Our primary legal services include Domestic Violence, Elder Law, Housing, Veterans’ Benefits, we also provide a range of legal services including family law and guardianship to clients referred by the County of Sonoma Human Services Department. LASC collaborates with a network of community partners including immigrant service centers, homeless service providers, local government, and senior centers.

SUMMARY: The supervising attorney (SA) will supervise our Domestic Violence, Elder Law, and Guardianship/County HSD Referral Programs teams, consisting of 1 DV Team Lead attorney, 4 attorneys, 2 HSD referral program paralegals, and 6 legal caseworkers. Additionally, the SA will help supervise intake staff and interns in conjunction with the rest of LASC’s management team. The SA Attorney provides managerial and legal supervision, training and mentoring to legal staff and volunteers and engages with the community, local agencies, the judiciary, and the private bar on behalf of LASC.

LASC provides full scope legal services, including representation in court and at administrative hearings. The DV team helps clients with restraining orders and civil harassment cases. Our elder law team helps seniors with a wide range of legal issues including basic estate planning, elder abuse, and public benefits. The County HSD referral programs also provide a wide range of legal services including family law, guardianship, and removing barriers to employment for clients referred by the County. These teams collaborate with many community partners, including our local Family Justice Center, senior centers, and the County of Sonoma.

The SA will collaborate with the LASC Management Team to ensure that office wide policies and procedures are consistently developed and implemented. The SA will also be responsible for ensuring accurate and timely collection and reporting of data and client outcomes in compliance with grants and contracts.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Supervisory Duties:

Oversee legal intake and case assessment process. Manage daily case flow by assigning cases to legal staff and volunteers/interns, in conjunction with Intake Manager.

Provide legal supervision, training and case management to staff and program volunteers/interns.

Coordinate regular office case reviews and conduct regular meetings with legal teams.

Provide managerial supervision to program staff, including confirming that attendance is being accurately reported on timesheets, that staff are following current policies and procedures, and by regularly monitoring the work product and activities of staff who are working remotely or working offsite at the Family Justice Center offices.

Facilitate proactive conflict management processes among teams and legal staff to promote a positive work environment.

Conduct personnel reviews and assist with human resource matters as needed.

Documentation/Record Keeping/Operations:

Collect and maintain statistical records on services provided, as required by funders. Ensure compliance with funding requirements.

Assist in preparation of program reports for funders.

General:

Promote the goals and mission of Legal Aid through participation on local non-profit and government committees.

Provide liaison services with the legal community, judiciary, law enforcement, and court systems in Sonoma County.

Other tasks as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS:

Demonstrated commitment to the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Licensed to practice Law in the state of California with current active California Bar membership.

At least four (4) years substantial legal representation experience.

Previous supervisory experience, including knowledge of personnel management, conflict resolution, and legal casework supervision.

Demonstrated ability to work with all persons regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, economic background, immigration status, gender identification, or sexual orientation.

Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.

Ability to work both independently and as a leader of a diverse team.

Ability to organize and prioritize work effectively with great attention to detail, including timely case review and capturing of data for reports to funders. A firm commitment to accurate and timely data collection and time reporting is required.

Working knowledge of computer applications including Microsoft Office, legal forms software programs, and database programs.

Position requires driving, a valid CA Driver’s License, proof of current automobile insurance, and reliable transportation are required for this position.

This position is not remote. Effective supervision requires the SA to be onsite. Applicants must be within commuting distance of the LASC office in Santa Rosa, CA, where services are provided.

All applicants must abide by LASC’s current COVID related and security protocols.

Position is contingent on passing a required FJC/Sonoma County District attorney background check.

Skills/Experience Desired:

Bilingual in Spanish

Prior experience in representing low-income or under-served communities strongly preferred.

Experience working with special needs populations including the elderly and disabled.

BENEFITS: Legal Aid of Sonoma County provides a dynamic and supportive work environment, and an excellent benefit package after the completion of an initial 90-day introductory period. Benefits include eligibility for company paid health insurance for the employee or cash-in-lieu, company paid dental insurance, eligibility to participate in a 401K plan after one year of continuous employment, and very generous paid vacation, sick, and holiday leave policies. Note the benefits package is for the employee only, LASC does not provide health or dental coverage for spouses or dependents.

Note that all employment at LASC is “at will”. LASC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

TO APPLY: Please submit a Cover Letter and Resume in response to this post. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Note the posted salary range is firm and DOE.