Staff Attorney

DEPARTMENT SUMMARY: The Legal Services Department provides trauma-informed and client-centered holistic services, including consultations, representation, legal advocacy, and safety planning to members of the LGBTQI+ communities, with a focus on serving transgender, non-binary and intersex adults, immigrants at-risk of deportation, and youth and seniors at risk of homelessness. Our clients are predominantly BIPOC survivors of violence and discrimination, including domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, hate crimes/incidents, and police/government misconduct. We have 4 inter-related projects: Community Legal Clinics, Legal Advocacy Project for Survivors/Anti-Violence Project, Immigration Law Project, and Homeless Youth and Housing Rights Project. Each project serves clients at multiple locations, including: the Trans Wellness Center in Koreatown, Mi Centro in Boyle Heights, Center South in Leimert Park, and the Village and the Youth Center—across from each other in Hollywood. 

JOB SUMMARY: The Staff Attorney provides direct legal representation to and coordinates legal services for clients across the Center. This position involves cross-departmental collaboration, referrals, and service integration, with a strong policy and advocacy component informed by client experiences. The position also manages data tracking and supports broader organizational goals through active participation in meetings and campaigns.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Direct Legal Services

• Provide full-scope legal representation to clients, including drafting pleadings, negotiation settlements and representing clients in administrative hearings and court proceedings
• Meet with clients to conduct intakes, provide consultations, triage urgent issues, and answer legal questions
• Refer clients to Legal Services Department projects, workshops, clinics, volunteer attorneys, and external providers as appropriate
• Prioritize responses to client inquiries via phone, email, and other communication channels

 Program Coordination

• Collaborate with all Legal Services Department projects and Center departments providing legal services
• Follow service protocols of core projects, including LAPS, Immigration, and Homeless Youth and Housing Rights

 Policy and Advocacy

• Support strategy and campaign development around transgender policy priorities in partnership with the Policy and Community Building Department
• Serve as a liaison to coalitions, grassroots groups, service providers, and policy organizations
• Participate in local, state, and national advocacy efforts to advance transgender legal rights
• Develop and deliver Know-Your-Rights training and community education presentations to empower clients and community members with accessible legal information

 Operations and Collaboration

• Input and track data, maintain client files, and prepare monthly reports
• Participate in internal and external meetings to support departmental and organizational integration
• Perform other duties as assigned

JOB QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Active California State Bar License
• Minimum 3 years’ experience in providing culturally responsive direct legal services in a non-profit setting
• Demonstrate the ability to quickly research, analyze and become competent in new or unfamiliar areas of law to effectively advocate for clients
• Demonstrated organizational and time management skills, and the ability to balance and prioritize multiple responsibilities including providing direct legal services, data reporting, and other administrative tasks that require attention to detail
• Experience ensuring client safety, autonomy, agency, choice, and empowerment
• Experience being part of, creating, and sustaining inclusive and engaging workspaces
• Emotional intelligence and empathy to build and maintain positive interactions, trust, and collaborations with clients, team members and volunteers of varied backgrounds, needs, and abilities
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to effectively convey complex legal information to non-lawyers
• Flexibility for occasional evening and community-based weekend work
• Bilingual skills preferred (English/Spanish verbal and written fluency)
• Access to reliable transportation and ability to be insured

The hiring range for this position in Los Angeles, CA is $95,589 - $107,824 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. The full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits may be provided as part of the compensation package, dependent on the position offered.

The Los Angeles LGBT Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to fostering diversity within its staff. Applications are encouraged from all persons regardless of their race, color, ancestry, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, sex, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, religion, disability, age, military or veteran status, including status as a victim of domestic violence, assault or stalking, genetic information (including family medical history,) political affiliation or activities, medical or health conditions, or marital status.
 
The Center has implemented a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy as a condition of employment for all employees who work on the Center’s premises, subject to applicable federal, state, and local laws. For more information, please contact jobs@ lalgbtcenter.org.