SSI Staff Attorney

BayLegal seeks an attorney with a strong commitment to the public interest and social justice advocacy to join our SSI team in Alameda County.  This position focuses on barriers to self-sufficiency and stability primarily through advocacy for access to public safety net benefits, including primarily eligibility for Social Security disability benefits, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and the Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI).  This position is based in our Oakland office and may require travel throughout Alameda County as necessary to best serve our clients.  There may be travel within BayLegal’s broader service area for purposes of meeting with clients and as necessary for training and advocacy. BayLegal is seeking to fill three positions for this job.

As SSI Attorney, you will have the opportunity to:

• Learn and advocate for the diverse legal needs of communities affected by systemic and structural inequities in Alameda County and the broader Bay Area to reduce homelessness, enhance stability and address social injustice.

• Maintain an active caseload and provide direct legal services to clients, including:
  • Representation and assistance in a range of public benefits matters, with primary focus on Social Security disability benefits, SSI and CAPI claims and appeals and accessing other county, state, and federal benefit programs, as needed
  • Representing in all stages of administrative proceedings related to their public benefits claims, from initial applications through federal court; and
  • Identifying related legal issues and barriers and helping to coordinate services with BayLegal colleagues who specialize in those substantive areas and with community partners.
• Identify and engage in broader advocacy strategies to remove systematic barriers to public benefits for client populations, including particularly vulnerable groups such as immigrants and refugees, survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking, people experiencing homelessness, and people with disabilities.
• Engage and support relationships and collaborations with community partners, including governmental agencies and community-based organizations.
• Provide training and ‘know your rights’ presentations on public benefits and related civil legal issues to BayLegal staff, community partners and client communities.

• Develop relationships with public and private community partners, including governmental agencies, courts, and community-based organizations, to ensure integrative services and address systemic barriers facing BayLegal's client community.

• Work with BayLegal's development, grants and contracts, and communications team to promote BayLegal's mission and resource development.
• Engage in other tasks and projects that further BayLegal's mission and operations as a non-profit.

• A commitment to fostering inclusivity and equity, as well as humility when working with clients and colleagues at the intersection of multiple identities, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, immigration status, religion, physical and mental disability, and/or limited English proficiency.
• Member of CA Bar in good standing or admitted to practice in another state and eligible to practice in California for 3 years under the California State Bar rules for the Registered Legal Services Attorney Program preferred. Candidates who have recently passed the California Bar or will be taking the bar exam at the next sitting are welcome to apply.
• Willing to be on-site at BayLegal office or advocacy site at least three days per week and as needed to serve clients.
• Received or be willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccination by date of hire to be considered.
• Commitment and desire to work with low-income individuals.
• Experience providing direct legal services to low-income clients preferred.
• Experience with government benefits programs preferred.
• Experience with impact litigation and/or policy advocacy preferred.
• Demonstrated commitment to racial justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Commitment to complying with all California Rules of Professional Conduct, BayLegal funding requirements, and firm standards, policies, and practices.
• Current proficiency, and ability to improve proficiency, in technological equipment, hardware and software necessary to perform duties of the position. 
• Experience and skill in organizing time, including simultaneously managing diverse activities while maintaining a firm grasp of individual details and ensuring compliance with deadlines.
• Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills, with ability to be detail oriented.
• Excellent communication, writing and public speaking skills.
• Strong community outreach and presentation skills preferred.
• Sense of humor and proactive problem-solver.

HYBRID WORK OPTION: BayLegal is committed to the health and safety of our staff, clients, and community.  Being accessible to our client communities and reducing barriers for them to access our services is integral to our mission and commitment as a direct services community-based law firm. BayLegal has health and safety protocols to minimize risk of exposure.  BayLegal has an evolving plan to continue to safely increase in-person services and activities in our offices and community-based advocacy sites.  BayLegal employees are expected to work on-site and in-person three (3) days per week and as needed for client services and office staffing needs.  Employees may work remotely from home on a part-time basis.  Employees are expected to reside in California and at a distance allowing them to commute to their physical BayLegal base location, and to other service delivery locations as needed, during the standard work week.

Compensation and Benefits: We offer a diverse, family friendly environment, and compensation based on competitive public interest salaries along with a generous benefits package.  BayLegal's benefits package includes 100% employer covered medical, dental, and life insurance for employees and up to 60% for dependents; BayLegal student debt reimbursement program; long term disability insurance; employee assistance program; wage differentials for multilingual employees whose non-English language skills are regularly used in the provision of work tasks and pass a request test of fluency and/or proficiency; dependent child care employer contribution program; employer paid CA Bar license and/or social work license fees; and 401k retirement plan with BayLegal contribution following first year.  BayLegal has a generous paid leave policy which includes sick leave; parental leave; 15 holidays each year; 3 floating holidays each year (days chosen by employee); and vacation (starting at 13 days and increasing with additional years of employment).  This is a union position (Bay Area Legal Aid Workers, “BALAW”). The 2025 salary range is: $80,719 - $132,815. Salary step placement depends on years of experience. Please see our BayLegal union positions salary scale for 2022-2026.

Applications: BayLegal thrives on our diversity, and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.  We are committed to building a culturally diverse workplace and strongly encourage women, LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Intersex, Asexual) and QTBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) individuals, veterans, individuals who have been impacted by the criminal justice system, persons with disabilities, and persons from other underrepresented groups to apply.  We are committed to equal employment opportunity and providing reasonable accommodations to qualified candidates and employees pursuant to applicable law.  We value and encourage diversity and solicit applications from all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, gender, sex, age, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military and veteran status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. If you require a Reasonable Accommodation as part of the application process, please contact BayLegal’s Human Resources Manager at: (510) 250-5225. 

BayLegal will begin reviewing applications upon receipt and continue until the position is filled. Please submit (1) cover letter including response to question below (no page limit), (2) resume, (3) references, and (4) writing sample through BayLegal’s career application.

As part of your cover letter, please address the following: 
BayLegal’s clients are low-income and very low-income members of our communities.  They include LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Intersex, Asexual) and QTBIPOC (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) individuals, the working poor, seniors, people who are limited English proficient, veterans, persons with disabilities, survivors of abuse and exploitation, individuals impacted by the criminal justice system, and people who are experiencing or at risk of homeless, and persons from other underrepresented groups. To ensure our organization is best serving these populations, BayLegal strives to promote an evolving set of behaviors and attitudes amongst our staff, as well as policies that enable us to work effectively across cultures, with clients, with our coworkers, and with the community. We see this as a commitment to enhance the provision of our services to all clients; to raise the level of positive client outcomes; and to create an inclusive and respectful workplace in which differences are acknowledged and valued.

How do you think your experiences, professional or otherwise, prepared you to serve our diverse client base effectively, work effectively with colleagues from different backgrounds than your own, and to contribute to our commitment to humility, inclusion, and diversity? Feel free to think broadly about your response to this question, applying various aspects of your life and personal experiences.