Senior Attorney - I/DD

materials please e-mail [email protected].

DEADLINE: Open until filled. Applications should be received by November 12, 2019, to be considered for the first round of interviews.

SALARY RANGE (Depending on Experience): $85,176 - $114,134 annually

Location: Sacramento, Oakland, Los Angeles, OR San Diego

Disability Rights California (DRC) is a statewide, non-profit legal organization dedicated to advancing the rights of Californians with disabilities to live with autonomy, dignity, and respect in a barrier-free, inclusive, and diverse world that values each individual and their voice. The Legal Advocacy Unit (LAU) is DRC’s core Protection & Advocacy legal program, tasked with fulfilling our federal mandate to defend the rights of people with disabilities in California.

We are a statewide team of passionate attorneys who use a variety of advocacy tools to enforce and expand the rights of people with I/DD. Our work includes individual and impact cases, investigations, policy and legislative advocacy, and other systemic reform effots. We value the full integration of people with I/DD in their communities and choice in the services and supports they receive. We prioritize advocacy to enable adults to live full and dignified lives and to support children to remain at home with their families, consistent with their rights under federal and state law, including the Lanterman Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision. And we are adopting community lawyering and identity-conscious approaches to reach Californians we have previously missed.

· Challenging discrimination against people with I/DD, including enforcing the rights of deaf individuals with I/DD to effective communication.

· Combating the payment of sub-minimum wages to individuals with I/DD and advancing the core principles of the Olmstead decision, including the right to live and work in integrated, community settings.

· Representing individuals with I/DD in administrative hearings and Superior Court appeals challenging the denial or reduction of Lanterman Act services.

· Addressing the intersectional needs of people with I/DD, including eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in the regional center system and confronting the criminalization of people with I/DD.

· State budget, policy, and legislative advocacy to further the rights of individuals with I/DD.

We value lived experiences and experiences working with our clients across a range of settings. Please consider discussing such experiences in your cover letter, especially if they are not reflected in your resume.

DRC is seeking a creative, bold, and experienced attorney to help shape the vision of DRC’s Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) Practice Group. In the I/DD Practice Group, the Senior Attorney plays a leading role in one or more substantive legal areas impacting individuals with I/DD, leads and/or participates in systemic advocacy or impact litigation, handles complex legal and policy matters, and provides leadership and mentoring to other DRC staff. The Senior Attorney works under the supervision of the Managing Attorney and in collaboration with other DRC attorneys.

Senior Attorney essential functions include:

- Represent clients in negotiations, mediations, and judicial and administrative proceedings.

- Lead and/or participate in DRC teams in litigation, including class, complex, multi-plaintiff, and individual client litigation and/or appeals.

- Lead and/or participate in policy advocacy at the state level, including commenting on and drafting legislation and regulations, and participation in stakeholder workgroups or committees.

- Supervise and/or mentor the work of attorneys, as assigned.

- Prepare or coordinate training materials, publications, reports, or special projects, or make presentations about legal work as necessary.

- Provide technical assistance and substantive training to other Disability Rights California staff in areas of expertise, and participate in the identification and development of substantive and skills-based training for staff, with a primary focus on staff in the regional office.

- Collaborate with other agencies and organizations to address recurring problems and issues in the provision of services to clients.

- Other duties as assigned.

- Assist in the development and advancement of the I/DD Practice Group’s strategic direction.

- Collaborate with other staff to fulfill various administrative and litigation-related responsibilities.

- Engage in community-based advocacy and community leadership, representing the agency as the voice of our clients.

- Prepare training materials, publications, reports, or prepare presentations about legal work, which may include reports to funding entities and the Board of Directors.

May directly supervise one (1) or more subordinate attorneys or advocacy staff and carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the agency's policies and applicable laws. Supervisors interview, hire and train employees, plan, assign, and direct work; regularly evaluate performance and provide ongoing feedback; work with HR to take correction actions when needed; address complaints and resolve problems.

Ability to travel occasionally for activities such as out-of-town meetings, client visits, and hearings up to 25% of the time.

DRC offers flexible workplace opportunities such as scheduling and telecommuting. Duties are performed between an office environment and the field in a wide range of settings, including courthouses, health care facilities or other institutional settings, community agencies, or in community-based outpatient settings. Work areas are often noisy. Duties frequently require sitting and communicating with others.

Must be a member of the California State Bar or eligible to practice under the Registered Legal Services Attorney Program. Plus:

- 7 or more years related experience and/or training, or equivalent.

- Demonstrated cultural competency and commitment to identifying and addressing intersectional issues

- Expertise in one or more substantive areas of law of importance to people with disabilities.

- Experience in two or more of systemic policy advocacy, administrative proceedings, community organizing, discovery, motion practice, class action litigation, trial advocacy, or appellate practice related to the position.

- 4 years of successful results in advocacy projects or litigation such as administrative proceedings, writs, eviction defense, or single client / single defendant lawsuits, class action lawsuit, or other systemic reform efforts.

- Demonstrated ability to lead multiple and complex advocacy projects.

- The ability to work independently with appropriate supervision.

- Litigation or advocacy experience in: regional center or other service systems for people with I/DD; Olmstead and ADA matters; writs of mandate or administrative mandamus.

- Proficiency in American Sign Language, Spanish, or an Asian language.

- Experience in the disability rights movement.

- Extensive contacts in the disability community.

- Experience developing impact strategies through community lawyering.

- Experience with and/or extensive contacts in ethnic or language distinct communities.

- Familiarity and/or extensive contacts with one or more of the following: homelessness, criminal justice, substance abuse or Gay/Lesbian/Bi-Sexual/Transgender/Intersex (LGBTI) communities.

No additional language is required.

The competencies below represent the knowledge, skills, behaviors and/or abilities required to be successful at DRC, with or without disability related reasonable accommodations.

Ability to develop systemic advocacy litigation cases. Ability to develop public policy. Ability to represent DRC approved positions through the legislative process.

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret the most complex legal documents. Ability to write using original or innovative techniques or style. Ability to negotiate to serve the interest of the client or reconcile divergent interest and opinions. Ability to make effective and persuasive presentations on controversial or complex topics to governmental entities, facility leadership, public groups/officials, and/or boards of directors. Ability to respond effectively to the most sensitive inquiries or complaints.

Ability to apply principles of logical thinking to a wide range of complex problems. Ability to interpret and synthesize complex or diverse information. Sees relationships between information in varied forms and from varied sources. Is proficient at nuance and proactively seeks multiple options tailored to the specifics of each situation. Ability to navigate highly ambiguous situations, reaching sound conclusions that balance the needs of many stakeholders.

Strives to eliminate barriers to diversity and inclusion; ensures that new barriers are not built. Promotes the creation of shared mission, vision, and values, and uses those principles to guide actions.

Ability to harness, develop, and manage key relationships so stakeholders view DRC with pride and respect. Ability to serve as the main point of contact when issues arise; manage disputes or conflicts; and effectively share ideas in group discussions. Ability to interact with others within and outside of DRC to solve problems effectively. Ability to seek and provide unique/different perspectives to and from coworkers and community partners. Ability to manage peoples’ expectations. Celebrates workplace success and achievement.

- Online Disability Rights California Application Form

- Your resume

- Detailed cover letter.

- Sample of legal writing (i.e., a legal argument, letter or analysis) consisting of no more than 10 pages of text.

- List of significant litigation