Staff Attorney - Columbia Legal Services (Yakima or Kennewick)
Agency Name: Columbia Legal Services
Position / Job Title : Staff Attorney
Location: Yakima or Kennewick
Category : Attorney
Job Description: STAFF ATTORNEY POSITION
Columbia Legal Services has open opportunities in Kennewick, WA and Yakima, WA for bilingual (English/Spanish) Staff Attorneys to join our statewide advocacy team working to dismantle the structures that perpetuate poverty, racism, and other injustices in Washington and increase communities’ access to political power. CLS staff attorneys work as part of a larger team, engaging in systemic, multi-forum legal advocacy and community engagement.
Our offices in Eastern and Central Washington have historically had a strong focus on serving immigrant client communities, consisting largely of farmworkers and their families. Examples of recent and current work include class action litigation on behalf of H-2A farmworkers, raising federal anti-trafficking and state wage law claims; class actions to obtain the right to overtime pay for dairy workers; legislative advocacy to ban private, for-profit detention, including the Northwest Detention Center; supporting workers at fruit packing sheds in their efforts to gain union recognition; challenging county jails’ practices of collaborating with ICE; and advocating for regulations to protect residents of temporary farmworker housing from COVID-19.
We seek a mix of both developing (0+ years) and more experienced candidates for these full-time positions; all interested applicants are encouraged to apply. Because building relationships with our client communities is vital to this work, the ideal candidates for these open roles will have existing relationships with immigrant communities in Eastern or Central Washington and will live in close proximity to their home office.
CLS offices have a collegial atmosphere that emphasizes teamwork, flexibility, and mutual accountability. All staff members are expected to strive to understand the values, cultures, and concerns of the client communities we serve, and to uphold Columbia Legal Services’ values of community, race equity, and justice.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, CLS staff have primarily been working remotely. Once it is safe to fully reopen CLS offices, employees will still be able to do some work remotely; however, this position will also require some physical presence at the office, as well as an ability to attend required meetings at the office, and regular engagement with the local community.
Beginning February 1, 2022, CLS is requiring that all employees adhere to our COVID-19 vaccine mandate through proof of vaccination or by requesting a medical or religious accommodation
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Collaborate with other advocates on complex trial, appellate, and class action litigation in state, federal, and administrative forums.
Advance policy advocacy in the state legislature and at the local and federal level.
Investigate practices and laws identified by the communities we serve that affect their rights or benefits, perpetuate poverty and racism, or impact access to political power, and devise creative strategies for addressing these problems.
Collaborate with community groups to support their initiatives and strategies.
Coordinate with other advocacy groups, legal services organizations, and the private bar to identify opportunities to advance the law for our client populations and communities.
Analyze complex problems using a race equity lens and develop creative, practical, systemic solutions in conjunction with clients and communities most impacted by these problems.
This job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee, and others may be assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Bilingual skills in Spanish/English required.
Law degree and license to practice in Washington, or ability to take next Washington bar exam.
Lived or other demonstrated meaningful and sustained experience with and understanding of the challenges and issues faced by people living in poverty; people of color, immigrant, or indigenous communities; immigrant farmworkers and their families; and/or the criminal legal system.
Commitment to exposing and dismantling all forms of structural bias and oppression.
Demonstrated initiative and creativity, interest in learning and exploring different legal areas and ability to apply multi-forum advocacy approaches at a strategic level.
Excellent written and oral communication, research, negotiation, and analytical skills.
Commitment to continuous learning and openness to new ideas.
Ability to work well on a team, prioritize responsibilities, and meet time-sensitive deadlines.
Ability to engage regularly with community in the geographical area near their home office.
Ability to travel occasionally around the state to meet clients and to attend all-staff meetings and trainings.
Preferred:
Experience in policy advocacy, complex litigation, or appellate advocacy.
TO APPLY
Send a cover letter highlighting your relevant skills and experience, resume, and a 5-10 page writing sample, in PDF format to careers@columbialegal.org. Please make Eastern WA Staff Attorney your subject line.
Position is open until filled, with priority given to applications received before March 7, 2022. CLS will only contact you if we decide to pursue your application. If you need a reasonable accommodation for the application process, please contact the above email.
We are committed to an environment of mutual respect, collaboration, and equal opportunity for all employees, and strongly encourage applications from people of color, immigrants, people who have been affected by mass incarceration, and other underrepresented and historically marginalized groups. We believe in building and sustaining an organization that is reflective of the communities we serve, and is diverse in work background, experience, education, race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, ancestry, national origin, or sensory, mental and physical abilities. We believe that the resulting diversity is both a source of program strength and a matter of fundamental human fairness.
Link to Application: 2022-Eastern-WA-Attorney-FINAL.pdf (columbialegal.org)