Staff Attorney – Mobile Home Advocacy Project (MAP)

Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance, Inc. seeks an attorney to work in our Mobile Home Advocacy Project (MAP)

This project is dedicated to ensuring low-income individuals and families (residents) living in a mobile home park are protected from common violations such as: illegal grounds for eviction, failure to provide proper notice of rent increases, no written rental agreement between the park and mobile home resident, and other common violations.  The key goals of the project include increasing awareness of the rights of mobile home residents and to prevent mobile home residents from becoming homeless. Experience in housing law is preferred.

Who We Are:

GBLA strives to accomplish its mission by first providing legal services to meet the basic legal needs of its eligible clients. These basic legal problems generally involve preventing homelessness, access to health care, and securing financial resources to meet basic necessities of life. Secondly, GBLA tries to help those eligible clients who are able and willing to get out of poverty. In this regard, GBLA’s focus is on those legal needs that address issues of economic and family stability, physical security, and access to high quality education.

Full job description:

Staff attorneys are expected to use the full range of potential forums to address relevant issues for our clients including all aspects of litigation, including but not limited to, court hearings, trials, and appellate and federal court representation. Staff attorneys pay special attention to identifying legal solutions for those who suffer from disparate treatment or disproportionate burdens of poverty based on special needs, disability, race, ethnicity, language barriers or other obstacles. In addition to representing clients directly, attorneys are also expected to work to expand access to justice for low income persons through varied activities such as community legal education, outreach, training, technical assistance, and collaboration with the private bar, local community and client groups, human and social service agencies, and local justice systems and government agencies.

Minimum qualifications:

1. Degree from a law school and an active member of the California Bar.
2. Demonstrated commitment to public interest advocacy.
3. Strong motivation to represent people of low income and to explore creative solutions to problems faced by our client population.
4. Civil litigation experienced desired.
5. Strong written and oral communication skills including delivering public presentations.
6. High degree of initiative and willingness to work collaboratively with others.
7. Bilingual fluency in Spanish and English desirable.
8. Must be computer literate.
9. Must have a valid California Driver’s License, automobile insurance and reliable transportation

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Heavy client interaction including interviewing and issue spotting.
2. Client representation ranging from counsel and advice to direct representation.
3. Supervision and training of support staff, as needed.
4. Implements and monitors assigned project(s)’s goals and objectives within the Scope of Work to assure positive outcomes.
5. Assists with reporting in accordance with the assigned project’s Scope of Work.
6. Communicates and/or participates with the funding agencies as appropriate.
7. Other Duties: Due to changing program and demands, funding source expectations and/or changes in agency policy, as assigned, all staff may be expected to perform other duties.

Educational Requirement:

J.D. and a member of the California Bar.

Compensation and Benefits:

Exempt position with an annual salary commensurate with qualifications and experience Generous benefit package, a 37.5-hour workweek, paid sick, vacation leave, and holiday. 100% employer-paid medical premium for employee (dependent coverage optional though a Sec 125 plan paid by employee) 100% employer-paid premium dental and life insurance for employee and dependents. 100% employer-paid long/short term disability for employee. Employee also has the option to participate in a 403(b) retirement plan, employee only contributions.

How to Apply:

To apply, email the following documents to recruitment@ gbla.org

• Cover letter detailing your interest in the position
• Current resume
• Legal Writing sample
• 3 Professional references

Application Deadline:

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

GBLA is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws