The Portland Regional Office of Legal Aid Services of Oregon is seeking a full-time staff attorney with 3 years or more litigation experience to join our bustling family law and immigration practice group. The position is a general civil litigator with an emphasis on serving domestic and sexual violence survivors in Hood River, Sherman, Wasco, Clackamas, and Multnomah counties. This position will primarily carry a family law caseload including representation of clients in restraining orders, divorce and custody matters but also in immigration and has the possibility to practice in other areas as deemed appropriate by the office and employee.
Background
LASO is a statewide non-profit organization that represents low-income clients in civil cases. LASO’s offices serve the general low-income population throughout the state and two specialized statewide programs provide additional services related to farmworker and Native American issues. LASO is an effective, high-quality legal services program. We are committed to advocacy and litigation strategies having the broadest possible beneficial impact on problems common in our client’s communities. LASO is actively working to build an inclusive organizational culture that centers on racial equity. We are committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a welcoming and culturally responsive environment for our staff and clients.
The Portland Regional Office of LASO serves a poverty population of more than 220,000. The office serves Multnomah, Clackamas, Hood River, Sherman and Wasco counties, a diverse service area requiring the ability to work effectively with individuals from different cultures and backgrounds. The Portland Office has adopted a race equity agenda to guide its work with clients as well as its internal operations. The office has a strong commitment to building an inclusive, diverse workplace.
Responsibilities
The staff attorney will be responsible for conducting trauma informed initial client meetings (intake) and representing survivors of crime, including domestic and sexual violence and stalking. The litigation caseload will primarily include restraining orders, custody and divorce matters, and other civil legal needs. This attorney is also expected to work closely with community-based organizations as a liaison to LASO for organizations that that serve Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and immigrant communities to receive referrals, identify legal issues important to crime victims. This position will also be expected to engage in collaborative development of their counterparts within the program and support the ongoing effort to enhance service models.
Qualifications
Competitive candidates will have experience in civil litigation and family law, a proven interest in and commitment to advocacy for the legal rights of low-income and other vulnerable populations, specifically DV/SA survivors; experience providing trauma-informed services to survivors; enthusiasm, creativity, good judgment, initiative, and willingness to work collaboratively; as well as a demonstrated understanding and commitment to anti-bias principles, cultural competency and addressing systemic racism and other forms of oppression. Candidates should be bilingual in English and Spanish, another language commonly spoken by our client population, or have extensive experience working with interpreters in litigation settings. Candidates should also have a minimum of 3 years of litigation experience.
Salary/Benefits
Compensation is based on a 35-hour work week. Salary range is $66,200 – 73,700 for 0-5 years’ experience; $75,200 – 81,200 for 6-10 years’ experience and $82,700 - $105,200 for 11-30 years’ experience annually; salaries are determined by relevant work experience and our Collective Bargaining Agreement. Additional $4,300 to $5,700 annually for bilingual ability, depending on proficiency. Full benefits package including individual and family health, vision, and dental insurance coverage; 6% employer retirement contribution; generous paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave; and paid moving expenses.
Closing Date
Review of resumes to begin on September 17, 2024.
Applications
Send resume and letter of interest to:
Emily Brown-Sitnick
Supplemental question
As a part of your letter of interest, please address the following:
LASO is committed to building a culturally diverse workplace centered on equity and providing an inclusive, welcoming, and culturally responsive environment for our staff and clients. How have your personal background and experiences, professional or otherwise, prepared you to contribute to our commitment to cultural responsiveness and diversity?
If you require reasonable accommodation for a disability during the application/hiring process, please contact Meghan Collins, Director of Administration, at [email protected].
We celebrate diversity.
LASO is committed to being an organization that reflects the communities we serve and is diverse in race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, ancestry, national origin, or sensory, mental and physical abilities, work background, experience and education. We believe that the outcome of such diversity is our greatest strength and a matter of basic human fairness. It is to this end that we strongly encourage applications from people of color and people from any other underrepresented and historically marginalized group to apply for this position.
Competitive candidates will have experience in civil litigation and family law, a proven interest in and commitment to advocacy for the legal rights of low-income and other vulnerable populations, specifically DV/SA survivors; experience providing trauma-informed services to survivors; enthusiasm, creativity, good judgment, initiative, and willingness to work collaboratively; as well as a demonstrated understanding and commitment to anti-bias principles, cultural competency and addressing systemic racism and other forms of oppression. Candidates should be bilingual in English and Spanish, another language commonly spoken by our client population, or have extensive experience working with interpreters in litigation settings. Candidates should also have a minimum of 3 years of litigation experience.
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