Managing Attorney – Economic Justice

BayLegals Economic Justice - SSI/SSDI Alameda Practice: BayLegals SSI/SSDI advocacy is focused on reducing homelessness and increasing individual self-sufficiency and stability. BayLegals largest SSI/SSDI practice is in Alameda County. BayLegal receives grant funding from Alameda Countys Department of Behavioral Health Care Services and Social Services Agency to represent individuals with physical and mental disabilities to obtain public safety net benefits, with a focus on Social Security disability benefits (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI). SSI/SSDI legal advocacy has a proven track record of increasing access to eligible benefits and as a result reducing homelessness, emergency services utilization, and incarceration, and increasing financial independence, healthcare access, and housing stability. The Alameda SSI/SSDI team includes a Managing Attorney; Supervising Attorneys who assist the Managing Attorney in providing day-to-day supervision of legal case work and projects; Staff Attorneys; Advocates; and a Housing Navigator who focuses on working with individuals who are experiencing homelessness.

Position: BayLegal seeks an attorney who has a strong commitment to public interest and social justice advocacy, experience in federal public benefits legal advocacy, demonstrated experience as a supervisor and a vision for, and track record of, representing individuals experiencing homelessness and living with mental and physical disabilities. In this position, the Managing Attorney is primarily responsible for supervising BayLegals Economic Justice - SSI/SSDI practice team based in Alameda County. The Managing Attorney also supports (and occasionally directly supervises) attorneys and advocates throughout the firm who are handling SSI/SSDI matters. This position is based in BayLegals Oakland office and may require travel throughout Alameda County, as well as throughout BayLegals broader service area, as necessary to best serve our clients and supervise and support staff. This position is a member of BayLegal's senior management team, working in collaboration with BayLegal's Directors, Managing Attorneys and Regional Counsel.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Learn about and engage with the diverse legal needs of low-income consumers in the broader Bay Area and contribute to BayLegals work and mission to reduce homelessness, enhance stability, break systemic cycles of poverty, and address social injustice.
• Lead in operationalizing racial justice and diversity, equity, and inclusion principles, practices, and goals within the SSI/SSDI teams current and future work.
• Engage in, develop, and grow relationships and collaborations with a range of community partners, including governmental agencies, courts, and community-based organizations, to support the provision of services and address systemic barriers facing low-income populations in the SF Bay Area.
• Provide supervision, mentorship, evaluation, and professional staff development in the unit and in SSI matters taken by other BayLegal employees, ensuring overall effectiveness and quality client services, strategic policy advocacy, and litigation, including:
• Conducting regular case strategy meetings, reviewing active and closed cases for quality services and skills development;
• Leading and supporting team members and broader BayLegal staff in identifying important and emerging issues facing the client community;
• Conducting staff evaluations and engaging in staff professional development;
• Tracking relevant practice developments and outcomes, and informing staff; and
• Managing personnel issues in the unit.
• Serve BayLegal clients by cocounseling on affirmative/impact litigation, representing individuals and assisting with community-based clinics on a limited basis;
• In coordination with staff, the Director of Litigation, Director of Program & Advocacy, and Regional Counsel, identify opportunities for systemic advocacy and oversee team advocacy efforts.
• In collaboration with BayLegal's Human Resources Department and Executive Director, participate in staff recruitment, hiring, and discipline.
• Engage the team in annual planning, periodic reviews of priorities, and responses to emerging issues in the client community.
• Conduct and coordinate staff trainings on topics related to SSI/SSDI practice.
• Manage client services projects and grants, including developing scope of work and project design, and overseeing budget and staffing, timely and effective implementation, and reporting and compliance with funder requirements.
• Work with BayLegal's development, grants and contracts, and communications teams, and with funders, to promote the work, BayLegal's mission, and resource development.
• Serve on Management Team, engage in the development and furtherance of organizational policies and procedures to improve systems and performance.
• Work with BayLegal's Pro Bono Director on developing and maintaining external pro bono relationships, including development of opportunities, trainings, and technical assistance for local initiatives.
• Engage in other tasks and projects that further BayLegal's mission and operations as a non-profit.

• Humility in collaborating with colleagues and clients across the spectrum of diversity, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, immigrant status, religious identity, physical and mental disabilities, and/or limited English proficiency.
• Membership in the California State Bar or admitted to practice in another state and eligible to practice in California for 3 years under the California State Bar rules for the Registered Legal Services Attorney Program (must pass CA bar at a later date).
• Seven or more years of practice as a licensed attorney, including experience representing individuals in matters related to federal (SSI) and California state public benefits advocacy.
• Three or more years of supervision or equivalent experience.
• Willing to be on-site at BayLegal office at least three days per week and as needed to support needs of staff and office.
• Must have received or be willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccination by date of hire to be considered.
• Knowledge and understanding of issues facing individuals who are low-income, unhoused, impacted by the criminal legal system or other public systems and institutions, and/or violence.
• Experience developing and leading projects, including defining scope of work, overseeing compliance, progress and tracking, meeting deadlines, evaluation, and reporting.
• Demonstrated commitment to racial justice, diversity, equity and inclusion and skills to lead a team in prioritizing these values.
• 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.
• Experience leading a diverse, dynamic team with varied communication styles, learning styles, and levels of professional experience and identifying professional development opportunities and collaborating with staff on setting and achieving goals for professional growth.
• Demonstrated commitment to complying with all California Rules of Professional Conduct, BayLegal funding requirements, and firm standards, policies, and practices.
• Current proficiency, and ability to improve proficiency, in technological equipment, hardware and software necessary to perform duties of the position.
• Experience recognizing, addressing, and resolving interpersonal conflicts.
• Knowledge of issues impacting social justice advocates such as secondary trauma and burnout.
• Sense of humor, curious and self-directed