Senior Attorney | Civil Survival Project

Senior Attorney

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Civil Survival Project

|

Seattle, WA

Civil Survival Project (CSP) is looking for a Senior Attorney to supervise and manage the day-to-day work of Civil Survival’s Reentry Legal Aid Project (RLAP) and State v. Blake Civil Impact Project. The Senior Attorney will supervise a team of four attorneys and two support staff members in providing direct legal representation, organizing mass assistance events, and developing public education materials to reduce legal barriers for people with past criminal-legal system involvement. CSP seeks a Senior Attorney who is passionate about developing an ambitious legal services program through a leadership and supervision style that is trauma-informed and anti-racist.

Organization Description

Civil Survival Project organizes people who have been directly impacted by the criminal legal system to build connections, gain knowledge and increase political participation. CSP provides leadership development, offers legal education and services, and leads legislative advocacy on systemic issues that prevent former justice-involved individuals from fully reintegrating into society. Civil Survival’s work includes:

· Organizing mass assistance days that provide legal financial obligation relief to hundreds of clients in a single day. During CSP’s mass assistance day in Pierce County, the courts waived over $2.3 million in criminal legal debt.

· Leading systemic advocacy to make reentry legal relief accessible and automatic. CSP recently led a coalition of organizations to improve Washington’s mandatory legal financial obligations motion, allowing the motion to provide relief to tens of thousands of additional Washingtonians.

· Hosting monthly GameChanger groups that provide justice-involved individuals a place to learn how to advocate for systemic change, overcome their own reentry barriers, and provide peer support.

· Supporting bills that expand legal rights for justice-involved individuals. CSP was closely involved in securing the passage of the New Hope Act, which made significant improvements to Washington’s criminal record vacation process.

Job Description

The Senior Attorney will supervise and manage the day-to-day work of Civil Survival’s Reentry Legal Aid Project and State v. Blake Civil Impact Project. RLAP and the Blake Civil Impact Project use a combination of direct client representation, mass assistance events, systemic advocacy, and public education to reduce legal barriers to reentry. RLAP assists clients in obtaining legal financial obligation (LFO) remission, criminal record vacation, and registration relief for people convicted of sex offenses. The Blake Civil Impact Project assists individuals with unconstitutional criminal convictions under State v. Blake vacate their convictions and obtain LFO refunds.

The Senior Attorney will supervise CSP’s legal team, which will include four staff attorneys, one paralegal and one legal assistant. The ideal candidate will be skilled in supervising legal staff, ensuring that team members provide high quality representation, while also fostering an inclusive and collaborative team environment. A successful candidate will be able to bring out the best in the staff they supervise. The Senior Attorney’s leadership and supervision style should be anti-racist and trauma-informed.

In managing the legal team’s day-to-day work, the Senior Attorney will help ensure continuity between program activities and goals. In doing so, the Senior Attorney will manage multiple projects, ensuring that tasks are completed in a timely manner and lower-priority items do not slip through the cracks. The Senior Attorney will be responsible for monitoring team workload, balancing the development of an ambitious legal services program with CSP’s commitment to staff work-life balance.

As a supervising attorney, the Senior Attorney should be knowledgeable about legal service delivery, including how to effectively utilize case management systems, ensure compliance with the Rules of Professional Conduct (RPC), and effectively serve clients. Rooted in strong legal analysis, research and writing skills, the Senior Attorney should be able to provide detailed feedback on attorney work product and advocacy strategies.

The Senior Attorney will report to, and work closely with, the Legal and Policy Director. The Legal and Policy Director will support the Senior Attorney in developing legal service delivery systems, program design, and creating systemic advocacy strategies. This support will allow the Senior Attorney to focus on supervising and managing the day-to-day work of the legal team. Time-permitting, the Senior Attorney may carry a small client caseload and assist in systemic advocacy.

People of color, those directly impacted by the criminal legal system, people who identify as queer, trans, lesbian, gay, or bisexual, and those with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Qualifications

· Member, in good-standing, of the Washington State Bar Association (WSBA); or ability to quickly obtain APR 8(c) admission, with full WSBA admission by October 2022.

· The ability to manage a reentry legal services program, ensuring continuity between program activities and goals, leading team meetings, and putting program staff members in positions to succeed.

· Skill in supervising legal staff, ensuring that team members provide high quality legal representation, fostering an inclusive and collaborative team environment, and responding to staff performance issues in a constructive manner.

· Commitment to a leadership and supervision style that is trauma-informed and anti-racist.

· Strong ability to work collaboratively, both with colleagues and with external partners.

· Knowledge of legal service delivery, including how to effectively utilize case management systems, ensure RPC compliance, and effectively serve clients.

· Strong organization skills. The Senior Attorney should be able to manage multiple projects and supervision responsibilities, ensuring that tasks are completed in a timely manner and lower-priority items do not slip through the cracks.

· Ability to take a project from conception through planning to completion. Ability to balance taking the initiative with ensuring that internal and external stakeholders are included in program discussions.

· Strong legal research and writing skills.

· Demonstrated cultural competence and sensitivity in working with diverse clients, communities, and colleagues.

· Experience in some or all of the following practice areas is preferred (but not required): legal financial obligation relief, criminal record vacation, relief under State v. Blake, relief from registration for those convicted of sex offenses, gun rights restoration, and appellate advocacy.

· Policy advocacy and organizing skills are preferred (but not required), including the ability to analyze legislation, court rules, and administrative procedures.

· Familiarity and strong relationships with local policymakers, community leaders, and marginalized communities are preferred (but not required).

Location

All CSP staff work remotely. In-person work may be required to attend court hearings, meetings, and organizational retreats. Travel within Washington may be required. Applicants from all parts of Washington State are encouraged to apply.

Compensation

Salary range is $90,000-$125,000, depending on experience. Within the position salary range, salary increases annually. An additional annual cost of living increase is provided at the discretion of the Board of Directors. Benefits include:

· 401k match of up to 4% of salary, beginning after six months of employment;

· Generous medical and dental benefits for employees and family members;

· 17 paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day;

· 15 days vacation, accrued annually, increasing to 20 days vacation, accrued annually;

· 12 personal days, accrued annually; and

· Monthly $50 employer cell phone contribution.

Benefits are provided consistent with current organizational policies, and are subject to change. This is a Fair Labor Standards Act exempt, at-will position; continuation in the position depends on both performance and funding.

Equal Opportunity Employer

CSP is committed to a policy of equal opportunity and fosters an environment free of barriers and discriminatory practices. CSP actively promotes mutual respect, acceptance, teamwork and productivity. CSP is committed to maintaining an organization whose staff, Board and clients are diverse in background, experience, race, color, national origin, gender, age, religious affiliation, marital status, sexual identity, sensory, mental or physical abilities, veteran status, and other qualities that strengthen the program while reinforcing its commitment to basic fairness.

People of color, those directly impacted by the criminal legal system, people who identify as queer, trans, lesbian, gay, or bisexual, and those with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Individuals needing a reasonable accommodation for the application or interview process should contact Corey Guilmette (he/him pronouns) at corey.guilmette@civilsurvival.org or (206) 641-5334.