Description:
Are you an attorney who is passionate about racial justice and is interested in litigating and advocating to dismantle unjust systems? We invite you to consider joining us!About You:
We are looking for a skilled attorney with excellent written and oral advocacy skills, someone who is devoted to movement lawyering and dismantling unjust systems, passionate about racial and economic justice, and committed to working in a collaborative environment. This person will serve as a leader at the crux of our coordinated impact litigation and campaign advocacy strategies—taking on an immediate role staffing existing impact litigation matters while also plugging into advocacy coalitions pushing targeted legislation to address issues related to our litigation. This position will work closely with an exceptional team that includes a Program Director and another staff attorney.
About the Racial Justice Team
As part of our racial and economic justice work, An Oldest Civil Rights Institutions is drawing on its years of experience to meet the demands of a moment defined by a post-pandemic landscape, the national reckoning in response to police brutality and oppressive systems of wealth extraction designed to target low-income Black and Brown communities. We take an integrated advocacy approach by combining cutting-edge impact litigation with targeted advocacy campaigns designed to achieve measurable wins in the fight for racial and economic justice. An Oldest Civil Rights Institutions works in the direction of movement groups and grassroots allies. Some of our recent litigation and advocacy victories include:
- Debt Collective v. Judicial Council of California, a case against the California courts for running a profit scheme that extracted hundreds of millions of dollars from low- income Black and Brown Californians for profit; our litigation and advocacy helped galvanize AB-199, a new law that eliminated more than $1 billion in illegally imposed court debts;
- Coalition on Homelessness v. City and County of San Francisco, securing a historic preliminary injunction against San Francisco's draconian practice of policing homeless residents who have committed no crime but sleeping in public amidst the City's massive affordable housing shortage;
- Caldwell v. Bad Boys Bail Bonds, winning a decisive appellate ruling invalidating $30+ million dollars in illegal bail debts for the families of arrestees, and declaring that unscrupulous bail bond companies must honor consumer protection laws;
- Hundreds of curfew citations dismissed in Sacramento and San Jose in the wake of George Floyd protests. Filed litigation for people injured by the violent tactics of law enforcement to prevent future police violence and get recompense for those harmed in White v. City of Sacramento; and
- COH v. SFMTA, a California Court of Appeal decision that is the first nationally to declare that poverty tows the practice of seizing and selling low-income people's vehicles just because they cannot afford to pay late parking tickets is unconstitutional. This litigation victory dovetails with ongoing legislative advocacy in the form of AB-1082, a bill we are sponsoring to end poverty tows and reform traffic ticket collections.
Your Work
Impact Litigation (70%)
Serve as counsel on large impact cases in our current civil rights docket, including legal research, drafting and reviewing filings and correspondence, discovery, motion practice, trial advocacy, and appellate advocacy, all under the mentorship of more senior attorneys. Engage with pro bono law firm partners and co-counsel at other nonprofit institutions in the Bay Area to collaborate on ongoing litigation matters.
Help investigate racial and economic justice issues for impact litigation and policy advocacy, including investigation of cases and strengthening the organization's ties with community partners and clients who best understand which issues are top priority and the remedies needed.
Policy and Advocacy (25%)
Engage in legislative and administrative advocacy, such as drafting of regulations and legislation, meetings with client organizations, representation of groups before administrative and legislative bodies, and technical assistance to policy makers related to An Oldest Civil Rights Institutions's ongoing litigation.
External Partnerships and Communication (5%)
Seek opportunities to engage in public education and media advocacy consistent with our identified program strategies and in consultation with Communications staff.
Essential Qualifications:
- 1-3 years of post-graduate legal experience with at least some direct experience or involvement with impact litigation matters;
- Must have California law license (required);
- Passionate about racial justice;
- Experienced in working with/ties to low-income communities of color;
- Excellent oral and written communication skills and a desire to hone core litigation skills; and
- Collaborative team-player who will work cooperatively across a team of people from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.
