Join the World's Top Legal Talent Network

If you require an accommodation due to a disability to complete this application OR you are experiencing issues submitting your application and accompanying
materials please e-mail talent@disabilityrightsca.org.

Individuals who are Deaf or Disabled are encouraged to apply.

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Office Location: *Sacramento, Oakland, Los Angeles, San Diego, or Remote within California

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Salary Range (Depending on Experience): *$85,176-$114,134 annually

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Employment Status: * Regular, Full Time, Exempt

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WHO WE ARE*
Disability Rights California (DRC) is a statewide, non-profit legal organization dedicated to advancing the rights of Californians with disabilities. DRC works to achieve fairness and justice for people with disabilities through individual and impact litigation, state and federal policy and regulatory advocacy, and community education and training. DRC provides reasonable disability accommodations to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

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PURPOSE OF THE JOB*
The Senior Attorney in the Youth Practice Group plays a leading role in our administrative hearing practice and systemic advocacy to enforce and expand the rights of children and youth with disabilities. The Senior Attorney works under the direct supervision of the Managing Attorney and in collaboration with other Disability Rights California attorneys and advocates in their legal, advocacy, and outreach efforts.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
Essential functions are the job responsibilities an employee must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation. Senior Attorney essential functions include:

• Develop, lead, and/or participate in administrative hearings that is responsive to the urgent needs of children and youth with disabilities.
• Represent individual clients in negotiations, mediations, and judicial and administrative proceedings.
• Develop, lead, and/or participate in policy advocacy at the state level, including commenting on and drafting legislation and regulations, and participating in stakeholder workgroups or committees.
• Supervise and/or mentor the work of attorneys, fellows, and/or interns, 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 new or recurring problems and issues in the provision of services to clients.
• Participate in other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Juris Doctor degree (JD) plus seven (7) years of experience practicing law or internal candidates who have worked at DRC for three continuous years and have six years of experience practicing law.
• Excellent advocacy skills (such as research, writing, analytic, oral).
• Demonstrated ability to lead multiple and complex advocacy projects, build strong relationships, and work well in collaboration with others.
• Demonstrated commitment – through lived experience and/or employment history – to working with people with disabilities, people of color and low-income clients, and incorporating race equity and community lawyering principles into their work.
• Expertise in one or more substantive areas of law of importance to children and youth disabilities (such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Due Process Clause of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, etc.).
• 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.
• Four (4) years of successful results in advocacy, such as intake/outreach projects, administrative proceedings, writs, eviction defense, or single client / single defendant lawsuits.
• The ability to work independently with appropriate supervision.

LICENSES / CERTIFICATES
Must be a member of the California State Bar, or eligible to practice under the Registered Legal Services Attorney Program.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Knowledge of laws, rights, and services as they pertain to people with disabilities, and/or direct representation of people with disabilities.
• Able to communicate fluently and write effectively in Spanish or an Asian language; or able to communicate using American Sign Language.
• Experience working with and/or sensitivity to persons with disabilities and/or experience working with and/or sensitivity to persons from multi-ethnic communities.
• Experience with and/or extensive contacts with diverse communities of color.
• Life experience as a person with a disability OR direct experience as a caregiver of a family member with a disability.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
Ability to travel (when it is safe to do so) occasionally for activities such as out-of-town meetings, training, or outreach activities up to 25% of the time.
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WORKING CONDITIONS
The following describes general working conditions and requirements of the job, which can be performed with or without disability-related reasonable accommodations:

• Duties are performed between an office or home 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.
• Duties frequently require sitting and communicating with others.
• Must be able to transport oneself to work-related meetings, hearings, facilities and settings where clients live.

If you are interested in becoming a part of DRC, please submit the following:
1. Online Disability Rights California Application Form
2. Your resume
3. Cover Letter: We need a workforce that can utilize insights and strategies that can come from both professional and personal experience. In your cover letter, please tell us about yourself and why you are a great fit for this position and for DRC.
4. Sample of legal writing (i.e., a legal argument, letter or analysis) consisting of no more than 10 pages of text.

At Disability Rights California, we value diversity among our employees because unique perspectives allow us to effectively serve Californians with disabilities from a wide range of cultural backgrounds. As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, age (over 40), Disability (mental and physical), sex, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, military and veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.

Disability Rights California endorses and supports the intent of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities who are applicants or employees who need accommodations.

Job Type: Full-time

Work Location: Multiple Locations