SSI Supervising Attorney

About BayLegal’s San Francisco Social Security Disability/SSI Advocacy Team: Our San Francisco SSI Advocacy Team is a collaborative, interdisciplinary legal team that includes attorneys and social works who help unhoused San Franciscans with physical, mental, and cognitive disabilities apply for, appeal, and obtain Social Security Disability/SSI/CAPI benefits, as well as other economic benefits to which they may be entitled, to secure a stable income and exit homelessness. We actively outreach and meet our clients where they are in the community, for example at city shelters, county jail, and other sites.  We partner with the San Francisco Human Services Agency, community-based organizations, and health care providers to track outcomes, connect clients to services, develop their disability case, and help them find and secure housing.

Supervising Attorney Position: BayLegal seeks an attorney with a strong commitment to public interest and social justice advocacy to supervise and mentor members of our San Francisco SSI Advocacy Team.  Currently for this team there are two Supervising Attorneys who work closely together and with the Managing Attorney, to supervise the legal work of a team of attorneys and the day-to-day work of 2 social workers, ensuring high quality wrap around services for clients.  Supervising Attorneys take a lead in community and partner engagement – including with the San Francisco Human Services Agency, which funds this project. The Supervising Attorney is expected to attend intakes, client meetings, and partner meetings throughout the city, including at homeless shelters or county jail. This position   reports directly to the San Francisco Office Managing Attorney and works closely with other BayLegal Supervising Attorneys, BayLegal’s Managing Attorney of Social Security/SSI Disability Benefits Advocacy, and Director of Program & Advocacy to support the team and regional Social Security/SSI Disability Benefits Advocacy, BayLegal’s San Francisco office, and BayLegal as a whole.

As a Supervising Attorney you will have the opportunity to:

• Learn and assist with the diverse legal needs of underserved and vulnerable communities in San Francisco and the broader Bay Area, particularly people experiencing homelessness and those with mental health diagnoses;
• Foster diversity and inclusion in hiring and retention and a culture of humility in working with colleagues and clients across the spectrum of diversity, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, immigration status, religion, physical and mental disabilities, and/or limited English proficiency.
• Provide day‐to‐day legal supervision and support to our staff attorneys to ensure overall effectiveness and high-quality legal services, including:
  • direct supervision of individual staff casework, including regular one-on-one supervision meetings, reviewing writing and pleadings, observing intakes and hearings, and co-counseling cases as needed to ensure high-quality advocacy;
  • facilitate a regular/weekly team meeting (case review) of new and ongoing cases, intake trends, case questions and strategy, and advocacy opportunities;
  • review open and closed cases of unit advocacy staff as to quality, quantity, priorities, and compliance with BayLegal policies and funding requirements;
  • guide staff in developing and executing appropriate advocacy strategies, whether through direct client representation, community outreach and education, policy advocacy and/or impact litigation; and
  • identify and facilitate training opportunities and periodic updates to the firm and stakeholder communications on evolving legal services issues and barriers.
• Provide supervision for San Francisco team social workers and supervise coordination of social work and legal services, including:
  • direct supervision of individual staff casework, including regular one-on-one supervision meetings, needed to ensure high-quality advocacy and social work services;
  • assist social workers to prioritize case work and monitor caseload size;
  • facilitate teamwork and integration between social work and attorney staff, including delineation of roles;
  • coordinate with the Supervising Social Worker to identify and develop best practices for unit social work team.
• Conduct training, mentoring, evaluation, and professional development for staff;
• Work with the Managing Attorney on hiring and evaluation, including performance reviews and professional development plans;
• Engage the team in annual planning, periodic reviews of priorities, and responses to emerging issues in the client community;
• Maintain a small client caseload and cover team cases as needed.
• Serve as the lead contact for a growing and dynamic program working to respond to the needs of unhoused San Franciscans, and improve the systems they are required to navigate to meet their needs;
• Participate in local, state, and federal meetings and policy advocacy that further the interests of our clients;
• Work with the Managing Attorney to maintain and develop relationships with community partners, including funders;
• Work with the Managing Attorney to ensure compliance with grants and contracts, necessary data collection and reporting;
• Participate in BayLegal's management team to support BayLegal's mission, goals and operations and take on tasks as needed for such purpose.
• Work closely with BayLegal's managing attorneys, regional counsel, supervising attorneys, development, grants and contracts, and communications team to promote BayLegal's mission and resource development; and
• Engage in other tasks and projects that further the interest of BayLegal’s mission and operations as a non‐profit.

• Commitment to BayLegal's mission;
• Humility in working with colleagues and clients across the spectrum of diversity, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status,
• Membership in good standing in the California State Bar.
• Five or more years of practice as a licensed attorney, preferably including at least one year of supervisory experience, direct legal services experience working with low-income individuals in Social Security claims, public benefits, and/or representing clients with disabilities.
• Successfully clear a Live Scan background check required by funders given the position involves access to confidential information.
• Demonstrated commitment in partnering and working with individuals who are low-income, unhoused or housing unstable, disabled, and impacted by the criminal legal system, other public systems and institutions, and/or violence.
• Demonstrated commitment to racial justice, diversity, equity and inclusion and skills to lead a team in prioritizing these values.
• Experience working with and leading a diverse, dynamic team with varied communication and learning styles and levels of professional experience. Ability to identify and help staff achieve professional development opportunities and goals for professional growth.
• Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to work collaboratively with a dynamic team. Experience recognizing, addressing, and resolving interpersonal conflicts.
• Knowledge of issues impacting social justice advocates such as secondary trauma and burnout and demonstrated commitment to policies and practices that promote sustainability and well-being for staff.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills and ability to edit and proof-read, with the ability to be detail oriented. 
• Experience developing and leading projects, including defining scope of work, overseeing compliance, progress and tracking, meeting deadlines, evaluation, and reporting.
• Commitment to complying with all California Rules of Professional Conduct, BayLegal funding requirements, and firm standards, policies, and practices.
• Experience with inter-agency collaboration and a demonstrated history of working well with public, nonprofit, and private partners, including non-legal community-based organizations and service providers.
• Current proficiency, and ability to improve proficiency, in technological equipment, hardware and software necessary to perform duties of the position. 
• Ability to travel in the city and county of San Francisco to meet clients and supervise the team’s work in the community.
• Must have received or be willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccination by date of hire to be considered.

HYBRID WORK OPTION: BayLegal is committed to the health and safety of our staff, clients, and community. Being accessible to our client communities and reducing barriers for them to access our services is integral to our mission and commitment as a direct services community-based law firm. BayLegal has health and safety protocols to minimize risk of exposure. BayLegal has an evolving plan to continue to safely increase in-person services and activities in our offices and community-based advocacy sites.  Currently, all BayLegal employees are expected to work on-site and in-person work at least three days per week and as needed to fulfil responsibilities and have the option of working from home on a part-time basis.  Employees must reside in California and at a distance allowing them to commute to their physical BayLegal base location, and to other service delivery locations as needed, during the standard work week.

Compensation and Benefits: We offer a diverse, family friendly environment, and compensation based on competitive public interest salaries along with a generous benefits package. The estimated starting annual salary range for this position is: $100,000 - $125,000 (placement in range determined primarily by years of related experience). BayLegal's benefits package includes 100% employer covered medical, dental, and life insurance for employees and up to 60% for dependents; long term disability insurance; stipends for bilingual employees whose language skills are used in the provision of work tasks; student debt repayment program; dependent childcare employer contribution program and 401k retirement plan following first year. Paid leave policy includes sick leave; parental leave; 15 holidays each year and vacation (starting at 13 days and increasing with additional years of employment).

Applications: BayLegal thrives on our diversity, and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a culturally diverse workplace and strongly encourage women, LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Intersex, Asexual) and QTBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) individuals, veterans, individuals who have been impacted by the criminal justice system, persons with disabilities, and persons from other underrepresented groups to apply.  We are committed to equal employment opportunity and providing reasonable accommodations to qualified candidates and employees pursuant to applicable law.  We value and encourage diversity and solicit applications from all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, gender, sex, age, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military and veteran status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. If you require reasonable accommodation as part of the application process, please contact BayLegal’s Human Resources Manager at (510) 250-5225.  

BayLegal will begin reviewing applications upon receipt and continue until the position is filled. Please submit (1) cover letter including response to question below (no page limit), (2) resume, (3) references, and (4) writing sample through our career application portal.

As part of your cover letter, please address the following:
BayLegal’s clients are low-income and very low-income members of our communities. They include LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Intersex, Asexual) and QTBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) individuals, the working poor, seniors, people who are limited English proficient, veterans, persons with disabilities, survivors of abuse and exploitation, individuals impacted by the criminal justice system, and people who are experiencing or at risk of homeless, and persons from other underrepresented groups. To ensure our organization is best serving these populations, BayLegal strives to promote an evolving set of behaviors and attitudes amongst our staff, as well as policies that enable us to work effectively across cultures, with clients, with our coworkers, and with the community. We see this as a commitment to enhance the provision of our services to all clients; to raise the level of positive client outcomes; and to create an inclusive and respectful workplace in which differences are acknowledged and valued.

How do you think your experiences, professional or otherwise, prepared you to serve our diverse client base effectively, work effectively with colleagues from different backgrounds than your own, and to contribute to our commitment to humility, inclusion, and diversity?  Feel free to think broadly about your response to this question, applying various aspects of your life and personal experiences.