Supervising Attorney - Health

The Law Foundation of Silicon Valley advances the rights of historically excluded individuals and families across Santa Clara County through legal services, strategic advocacy, and educational outreach. We serve over 10,000 individuals and families each year through our Housing Program, Children & Youth Program, and Health Program. Our attorneys, social workers, and advocates use legal advocacy as a tool for social change by crafting inventive solutions to the legal issues facing low-income people in our region.

With a staff of 90 employees, we are the largest provider of free legal services in the South Bay region of the Bay Area. Our work is collaborative and meaningful and includes plenty of opportunities for professional growth. As a staff, we actively engage in discussions about race, equity, and inclusion, and are actively working towards a Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC)-centered legal services practice that incorporates community and movement lawyering.

Our Health Program provides free legal advice and representation to individuals living in Santa Clara County who identify as having mental health, developmental disabilities and/or HIV/AIDS. We listen to, advise, and advocate for our clients to ensure their voices are heard and their rights are protected.

What You'll Do

The Law Foundation seeks to hire a Supervising Attorney to partner with the Directing Attorney and other Supervising Attorney to lead the Health Program. Key responsibilities include overseeing the management of direct services client caseloads, impact litigation, and advocacy. This role supervises a diverse team of lawyers and professional staff to build cases, represent clients in hearings and trials, draft dispositive motions and provide technical assistance, training, and outreach to mental health providers, consumers, and community members.

Primary Duties
Management/Supervision:

• Develop program direction, strategy, and manage relationships and workflow
• Serve as the direct supervisor for up to ten attorneys and professional staff. Contribute to recruiting strategy and practices to fill open positions on the team
• Implement internal operational policies and procedures
• Advance a learning culture by facilitating project debriefs and providing consistent and detailed performance feedback Celebrate successes and help team members manage setbacks
• Facilitate staff engagement, teamwork, collaboration, goal setting, and skills development
• Advance the Law Foundation’s race, equity, and inclusion (REI) goals and values
• Contribute regularly to a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work culture that encourages and celebrates differences
• Work effectively with other departments within the Law Foundation
• Participate in Law Foundation activities, such as special events and other fundraisers

Advocacy:

• Ensure that community lawyering and advocacy is the focal point of the Health Program’s work
• Lead civil rights, health equity, and regulatory work. Litigate cases under the relevant state and federal laws
• Lead direct legal services work including Benefits, civil commitment hearings, and public health advocacy
• Advocate for and represent persons living with mental health, developmental disabilities, and other chronic health issues associated with poverty
• Oversee projects and activities related to monitoring mental health facilities for legal violations
• Cultivate new and diverse allies and coalition partners in support of program goals
• Center social justice in all collaborative work
• Lead trainings, education, and outreach about patients’ rights and legal issues confronted by historically marginalized communities

Who You Are

• Deeply committed to, and passionate about, the vision and mission of the Law Foundation
• Have active California Bar Membership, or are otherwise eligible to practice law in California
• Have experience litigating a full case, including building the litigation as well as settlement and negotiation
• Have experienced the full range of pre-trial work including filing dispositive motions and discovery (trial experience not needed)
• Have 3-5 years of pre-litigation and administrative advocacy experience and/or 3-5 years of public interest or similar advocacy experience
• Have strong emotional intelligence and cultural competency and experience leading, coaching, mentoring a diverse team, and confronting inequitable work norms
• Have an understanding of public benefits, estate planning, employment, and consumer law
• Have knowledge of relevant state and federal constitutional and civil rights laws, and experience working with the Social Security and health agencies (preferred)
• Connected to, and experience working with diverse populations including communities of color, multi-ethnic communities, the LGBTQIA+ community, trans individuals, individuals living with HIV/AIDS and/or mental health disabilities, persons experiencing homelessness and/or other chronic health conditions correlated with poverty, persons actively using drugs, and individuals currently or formerly involved in the criminal legal system
• Able to develop and conduct effective oral presentations
• Able to manage a litigation docket effectively and lead a litigation team
• Able to negotiate solutions to problems between clients and other parties
• Able to analyze, write and present ideas, advocacy goals, and legal concepts
• Able to work sensitively and productively to identify, investigate and resolve client problems
• Passionate and able to thoughtfully contribute to conversations and work regarding civil rights, social justice, and race equity
• Excellent verbal, interpersonal, writing, interviewing, and organizational skills
• Able to work independently and effectively work as a part of a team
• Have a valid driver’s license or other reliable transportation
• Are bilingual in English and Spanish or Vietnamese (preferred)
• Are skilled in the use of the Microsoft Office Suite
• Able and willing to travel as needed for case work, court appearances, and presentations
• Physical Requirements: Frequent use of computer keyboard and other office equipment. Able to access home and institutional environments with potentially sensitive qualities.

What We Offer 

The salary scale for this position is $103,000 – $120,000, depending on experience. Excellent benefits are provided including:

• 19 paid holidays per year
• 3-5 weeks of vacation per year
• 12 days of sick leave per year
• Fully paid medical, dental, and vision insurance premiums
• A robust Employee Assistance Program that includes free/discounted mental health therapy and wellness services for employees and their dependents
• A 401(k) retirement plan with employer contributions
• A sabbatical after 5 years of employment
• An annual budget for professional development
• An additional monthly stipend for those who are bilingual and utilize their language abilities in the course of their job
• The option to work a hybrid schedule