Employment Opportunities

The Director of Giving supports CRLA’s philanthropic goals by developing an annual and major gift solicitation strategy in partnership with the Chief Development Officer, the Executive Team, and the Board of Directors.  The ideal candidate is a passionate front-line fundraiser who loves building direct relationships with donors and brings a proven record of successfully soliciting and securing four- and five-figure gifts from individual donors.  This role requires exceptional organization, relationship-building, and communication skills. 

This is the perfect position for someone who:

• Is a skilled relationship builder who is personable, enthusiastic, and has the ability to develop and maintain relationships with people across cultures
• Has a strong track record of success managing and growing a portfolio of donors

Reporting to the Regional Director of Advocacy, the CRLA Directing Attorney is responsible for the overall provision of legal services to the low-income client community in the service area and the day to day operations of the local field office. This includes supervising, training and motivating local office staff to provide the highest quality legal services in accordance with CRLA program guidelines, the ABA Standards for Providers of Civil Legal Services and the Code of Professional Responsibility.

General Responsibilities:

Working with the Basic Unit Director on statewide planning development and coordination of advocacy efforts, the Regional Director of Advocacy’s duties include:

• Supervision and mentoring of staff advocacy efforts Delivering and supporting litigation
• Supporting other advocacy, including legislative, administrative advocacy and community education

Staff Supervision Responsibilities:

• The Regional Director of Advocacy shall supervise and evaluate the Directing Attorneys (DA), as assigned, to ensure implementation and monitoring of approved field office work plans and advocacy. The Regional Director of Advocacy shall be responsible for:
• Litigating impact cases as a lead counsel or co-counsel;
• Establishing and enforcing program policies
• Evaluation of advocacy and managerial skills of program attorneys (as assigned) Exercising independent judgment in resolving client needs and other office/case complaints
• Evaluating staff members' (as assigned) training needs and approving training expenses Approving or denying requests for legal services, training and directing CRLA staff members (as assigned) in carrying out CRLA policies and procedures
• Conducts regional or local office case review, reviews LAPs and proposals for litigation originating in their region. (The RDA role in review of the LAPs is limited to review from an office coordination and resource allocation standpoint.)
• Co-counsels and second chairs litigation, as necessary
• Reviews and supports development of work plans, coordinates local office resource allocation with PDs, DAs, and DLAT
• Ensures advocacy efforts are appropriately staffed by evaluating resources needed and resources available, local office expertise, and opportunities to arrange for external resources
• Identifies and provides training and mentoring opportunities
• Assists in coordination of local office advocacy, supervises, monitors and supports implementation of Core Expectations
• Conducts regional or local office case review, and supports development of annual needs assessments
• Reviews and supports development of work plans, identifies regional office training needs, coordinates local office resource allocation.
• Assists in identifying outcomes and evaluates progress
• Identifies and creates opportunities for offices to support regional and statewide advocacy efforts (e.g. co-counseling, regional outreach)
• Identifies and creates opportunities for cross-training between offices Serves as communication conduit between local offices and senior management, if necessary 
• Supports development efforts, assists in development of regional proposals Supports maintaining local office and regional grants
• Supports DAs with local office management
• Supervise and support DAs’ performance of administrative functions, as needed Supervises compliance of LSC regulations
• Ensures DAs receive information regarding CRLA policies
• Monitors grants, including LSC, and impact advocacy deadlines,
• Fills in for DAs in DA absence or DA vacancies
• Maintaining a professional working relationship with Directing Attorneys, Project Directors, support staff, and with all other coordinators performing such other duties as may be assigned
• This job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Throughout California hundreds of thousands of people live in Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities (DUCs). These range from urban pockets excluded from cities, to more remote,densely settled rural communities. Governed by counties poorly equipped to provide urbanservices, and lacking representation in city decision-making, residents of thesecommunities are frequently left out of local decision-making and are systematically under served in the overall allocation of public resources. As a result of decades of such neglect and exclusion, they often live without the most basic features of a safe and healthy environment - potable drinking water, sewer systems, sidewalks, curbs and gutters, streetlights, access to public transportation, and parks. Alongside organizational partners and resident community leaders, the Community Equity Initiative (CEI) seeks to increase democratic representation and improve conditions of DUCs.

The CEI Staff Attorney will work with the Program Director and staff to develop and implement a comprehensive legal advocacy strategy to ensure equitable access to infrastructure and services in the northern San Joaquin Valley, particularly in DUCs. Primary responsibilities include legal advocacy/litigation, factual research, community outreach and education, leadership development and permissible advocacy in local and state governmental forums. The Staff Attorney will develop and maintain an interdisciplinary knowledge of local government, land use, civil rights, environmental and housing law as well as familiarity with local and regional planning processes and agencies.

Founded in December 2017, the Monterey County Medical-Legal Partnership is seeking its first Senior Staff Attorney to provide direct legal services, supervise MLP casework, increase impact litigation, and help guide the direction of this growing partnership. The Monterey County Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP) is CRLA’s first MLP. The Senior Staff Attorney will work alongside the Medical-Legal Partnership Coordinator to deepen and expand the work of the the MLP, while building a model that can be replicated at other CRLA field offices throughout the state. The Senior Staff Attorney should have a firm grasp of the MLP’s priority legal areas, sound casework supervision skills, and a willingness to think creatively about strategic legal issues and problems.

CRLA’s Monterey County Medical-Legal Partnership is seeking a staff attorney promote rural health equity through direct legal services, community partnership, and legal education. The foundation of health begins in homes, schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods. Integrating legal services with the healthcare system can be a means to disrupt a cycle of returning people to the unhealthy conditions that would otherwise bring them right back to the clinic or hospital. CRLA’s Monterey County Medical-Legal Partnership (MLP) addresses the health-harming legal needs of patients at the Monterey County Health Department Clinics, which provide healthcare to a largely farm worker community regardless of ability to pay. Healthcare providers refer patients to MLP staff attorneys, who conduct intakes on-site at the clinics and provide comprehensive legal services to eligible clients in diverse areas of the law, including employment, housing, education, public benefits, and environmental justice—in accordance with CRLA program guidelines, the ABA Standards for Providers of Civil Legal Services and the Code of Professional Responsibility. MLP staff attorneys generally work on-site at a Monterey County Health Department Clinic at least one day per work.

Position Description:

Reporting to the Directing Attorney, the Staff Attorney provides comprehensive legal services to eligible clients in CRLA priority areas in accordance with CRLA program guidelines, the ABA Standards for Providers of Civil Legal Services and the Code of Professional Responsibility.

Essential Responsibilities/Duties:

Responsibilities:

• Provides legal service to low income clients and client groups including advice, negotiation, litigation and administrative advocacy in accordance with program priorities and case handling policies.
• Reviews and supervises the work product of Community Workers and Clerical support staff relating to all clients being advised or represented by him/her.
• Undertakes significant statewide impact activity, including institutional and group litigation or community economic development beneficial to the low-income community.
• Develops leadership in working with community, client and other advocacy groups related to statewide impact issues.
• Works to develop specialized knowledge in a substantive area of poverty law and acts as a resource for other staff through participation in at least one CRLA task force.
• Coordinates advocacy in substantive areas through collaboration with other human services providers, non-profit organizations and community, client or other advocacy groups.
• Participates in CRLA training programs, local office case review or staff meetings or other CRLA activities as required.
• Provides community education regarding legal rights and prepares materials relating to these presentations.
• Works with members of the private bar as necessary in accordance with CRLA Private Bar Involvement.
• Maintains contemporaneous time records in the CRLA case handling system.
• Maintains a good working relationship with all members of the office staff.
• Utilizes basic capabilities of word processing program.
• Other duties as assigned.