Directing Attorney - Workers' Rights & Economic Justice

For over 50 years, Bet Tzedek Legal Services has provided high-quality, free legal services to Los Angeles’ most vulnerable residents. Key among Bet Tzedek’s initiatives is its economic justice and workers’ rights work to provide legal advocacy on matters that improve economic stability and achieve justice for those who face wage theft, labor exploitation and human trafficking. Bet Tzedek seeks a Directing Attorney to lead and manage a key pillar of the agency’s economic justice strategy, its Employment Rights Project (ERP).

In 2001, Bet Tzedek created the ERP to address the legal needs of workers in low-wage industries who face labor exploitation. Since this time, the ERP has led the way in providing representation to workers and working to dismantle systems of oppression in industries rampant with abuse. This project addresses cases of extreme wage theft and exploitation through direct representation, impact litigation, and policy advocacy efforts. ERP staff and volunteers have represented thousands of workers who have been illegally denied wages, suffered illegal retaliation for asserting their rights, experienced human trafficking, and endured harassment and discrimination at the hands of their employers. This project has also secured legislative change for workers through policy advocacy work, resulting in systemic change for workers statewide, and nationally. Clients include domestic workers, day laborers, restaurant workers, and garment and car wash workers, among others.

The ideal candidate will be a skilled and experienced manager with a proven track record for successfully managing people, projects, and grants, and with expertise in representing vulnerable populations. The Directing Attorney will manage a diverse staff of 8-10 advocates (attorneys, paralegals, fellows, and support staff) in support of their advocacy efforts and professional development.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

·    Supervise and manage substantive legal work performed by staff, including intake, client representation, and civil litigation matters, by reviewing legal work, conducting case reviews, and resolving escalated client- and case-related issues to ensure client legal needs are met at the highest of standards.

·    Lead and forge partnerships with others who serve workers in low-wage industries.

·    Identify areas of growth for the Employment Rights Project as well as strategies to bring about systemic change on behalf of workers in low-wage industries.

·    Manage program workflows including intake, case management, assignment of cases and tasks, and monitoring and improving case handling procedures to ensure client needs are met and deliverables and goals are achieved while fostering a positive work-life balance for staff.

·    Manage and support staff by holding primary responsibility for staff onboarding, offboarding, recruiting and hiring, training, coaching, goal setting, evaluation, reclassifications, and performance improvement/discipline.

·    Work with Human Resources to develop clear, measurable, and achievable professional development opportunities for program staff and support staff in achieving their professional development goals.

·    Work closely with President & CEO, VP Legal, and Grants Team to identify, pursue, and fulfill funding opportunities.

·    Actively manage grants which fund programs, including being primarily responsible for translating grant deliverables into program metrics to ensure grant deliverables are met, and working with Grants Team to track and report grant deliverables.

·    Work with Impact Advocacy team to develop legislative and regulatory proposals that relate to program work and engage with lawmakers and their staff in advocating for policy initiatives.

·    Work closely within coalitions and community partners to support client and community-led campaigns, utilizing principles of community lawyering and resource allyship.

·    Work with Pro Bono Department to set metrics related to pro bono and volunteer participation, develop pro bono and volunteer opportunities for the program to meet metrics, and support staff in the training and mentoring of pro bono attorneys and volunteers.

 

QUALIFICATIONS

·    Licensed to practice law in California (required);

·    Minimum of five (5) years related experience in workers’ rights or labor rights law (including, but not limited to: wage claim adjudications, representing workers in civil litigation, TVPRA litigation, DFEH/EEOC administrative actions, and mediation) (required);

·    Excellent people and leadership skills, including high emotional intelligence and ability to navigate difficult conversations with clarity and empathy (required);

·    Excellent project management skills and proven track record of successfully managing multiple projects (required);

·    Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and external partners (required);

·    Exceptionally organized, self-motivated, and goal-oriented (required);

·    At least two (2) years of active practice of law in California immediately prior to application (preferred);

·    At least three (3) year experience managing individuals with a proven track record that includes handling orientation and onboarding, offboarding, recruiting and hiring, training, coaching, goal setting, evaluation, and performance improvement/discipline (strongly preferred);

·    Experience representing survivors of labor trafficking and human trafficking (preferred)

·    Knowledge of and commitment to community and movement lawyering principles (preferred);

·    Experience in and understanding grant-writing, project development, and grant compliance (preferred);

·    Understanding and commitment to Bet Tzedek’s mission of equal justice for all and Bet Tzedek’s core

values of leadership, community-based advocacy, and innovation (required); and

·    Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (required).

$130,000.00– $150,000.00 (DOE/DOQ)

BENEFITS PACKAGE:

Bet Tzedek offers an excellent benefits package in addition to competitive salaries. These benefits currently include:

·       A generous number of paid holidays (up to 21 per year), vacation (up to 20, depending on number of years with agency), and sick days (up to 45) annually.

·       Personal and floating holidays.

·       Compensatory time for exempt employees.

·       18 weeks of paid parental leave (after 1 year of employment.)

·       Various paid leaves.

·       Medical, dental, vision, chiropractic and acupuncture coverage for employees and dependents, with office visit co-pay reimbursement for HMO enrollees.

·       Life/accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance, long-term disability insurance, and Employee Assistance Plan.

·       Voluntary (employee-contributed) life/AD&D, accident, critical illness, hospital confinement, and pet insurance.

·       Employee-contributed 401(k) plan.

·       Employee-contributed 403(b) plan.

·       Healthcare and childcare flexible spending accounts.

·       Commuter transit and/or parking benefits.

HOW TO APPLY:

Please visit https://bettzedek.org/careers/ to submit a letter of interest, resume, and writing sample for “Directing Attorney – Workers’ Rights and Economic Justice.” Please, no phone calls.

Note: All positions are subject to funding; ongoing funding or employment cannot be assured.

To best serve our communities Bet Tzedek seeks a diverse staff with cultural competency reflecting our client populations. We strongly encourage candidates from traditionally underrepresented communities and historically oppressed groups to apply.

Salary

• $130,000 - $150,000