Staff Attorney - Los Angeles, United States - Public Counsel
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 operates eight legal projects:Children's Rights, Community Development, Consumer Rights & Economic Justice, Homelessness Prevention, Immigrants' Rights, Veterans' Rights, Audrey Irmas Gender Justice Project, and our impact litigation project, Opportunity Under Law.
ABOUT CONSUMER RIGHTS & ECONOMIC JUSTICE (CREJ)
Public Counsel's Consumer Rights & Economic Justice ("CREJ") Project is one of the oldest projects within Public Counsel.
Our mission is to advance economic justice, with a specific focus on addressing structural racial inequalities that have long hampered individuals and communities of color.
We provide legal counsel for, and advocacy on behalf of low-income individuals and their families, addressing inequalities in bargaining power, opposing those who take advantage of the vulnerable, and holding wrongdoers accountable.
We are a diverse team of dedicated and nationally-recognized attorneys and support staff who strive to lift up our clients and each other with excellence, dedication, tenacity, compassion and kindness.
JOB SUMMARY
The Staff Attorney will assist low-income consumers across a range of debt collection matters.
This full-time Staff Attorney position will primarily involve defending low-income clients in debt collection cases, providing direct legal services, and engaging in litigation including through to trail and appeal.
The Staff Attorney will participate in weekly clinics and will assist with the team's debt collection-related policy and impact litigation efforts, in addition to performing related administrative and grant reporting tasks.
The
Staff Attorney will be responsible for carrying out this work in collaboration with the Supervising Staff Attorney and other members of the CREJ team.
Reporting to the Supervising Staff Attorney, the Staff Attorney will:
- Carry a caseload of debt collection direct services cases;
- Participate in the full breadth of debt collection defense litigation activities, including drafting and filing answers, carrying out discovery, filing and responding to motions, and appearing at hearings including representing debtors at trial and on appeal as needed;
- Attend debt collection clinics assisting debtors defend themselves against debt collectors, including two inperson clinics in Los Angeles County;
- Under the guidance of the Supervising Staff Attorney, participate in systemic advocacy efforts, which may include policy advocacy and/or impact litigation;
- Assist with preparation of quarterly grant reports;
- Assist in developing and deploying new technologies, including AI, to assist team and litigants;
- Participate in external meetings with legal services and communitybased organizations as needed, in order to be responsive to community needs;
- Attend trainings & conferences;
- Other duties as assigned.
Requirements:
ESSENTIAL JOB SKILLS AND ABILITIES
- Excellent written and oral communication skills;
- Excellent interpersonal and teambuilding skills;
- Desire to learn as well as share knowledge with other team members;
- Ability to work well independently;
- Experience and/or desire to work with individuals of diverse cultural, racial, geographic, and economic backgrounds;
- Ability to travel to and attend inperson clinics at least twice a month and to travel to Public Counsel's Koreatown office for required office day once per week;
- Innovation oriented and technologically adept;
- Attention to detail;
- Strong organizational, and time management skills;
- Spanishlanguage fluency desirable;
- Commitment to economic, racial, social justice and the mission of Public Counsel.
JOB TYPE AND BENEFITS
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Job Type:
Full-Time, Exempt:
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Bargaining:
-
Probationary Period:
9 Months:
- This position is funded through December 2025; employment after that date will be dependent on Public Counsel securing requisite funding
- Salary range for Attorney with 03 years of experience is $75,000 $78,700 depending on years of experience (please note our salaries are set as part of CBA and are not individually negotiable).
- Public Counsel offers a competitive benefits package including
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage with both HMO and PPO options,
- The option to enroll in a Flexible Spending Account,
- A 403(b) retirement plan with elective contribution and
