SSI Supervising Attorney (Disability Benefits)

at  Bay Area Legal Aid

BayLegal’s Social Security Disability/SSI Advocacy Team: The Alameda County SSI Advocacy Team is a collaborative team that helps Alameda County residents with physical, mental, and cognitive disabilities apply for and appeal denials of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI) benefits. In addition, our team assists our clients to access General Assistance, CalWORKs, and/or healthcare and housing services in order to achieve greater economic and housing stability. We receive referrals from various medical providers and other community partners and actively engage in outreach and meet our clients out of the office and in the community. Additionally, we initiate pre-release applications for people who are at the county jail or in in-patient psychiatric facilities. We partner with Alameda County’s Social Services Agency, Behavioral Healthcare Services Agency, community-based organizations, and health care providers.
Position: BayLegal seeks an attorney with a strong commitment to public interest and social justice advocacy. The Supervising Attorney, in coordination with the Managing Attorney and two other Supervising Attorneys, is responsible for supervising 4 to 6 attorneys or advocates, ensuring high quality legal services for clients with SSI and SSDI, CAPI, and other public benefits matters. The Supervising Attorney is involved in community and partner engagement, advocacy, outreach, and training and helps to support BayLegal’s regional SSI Disability Benefits practice supporting attorneys in other offices and teams. The position is based in BayLegal’s Oakland office and requires travel to all parts of the county as necessary to best serve our low-income clients. The position may require travel within BayLegal’s broader service areas for the purposes of meeting with clients in transportation challenged areas and as necessary for training and broader advocacy. This position reports directly to the Managing Attorney for Social Security/SSI Disability Benefits Advocacy and works closely with other Supervising Attorneys, the Director of Program & Advocacy, and the Director of Litigation to support your team and contribute to the development and implementation of the vision and direction of BayLegal’s work and furtherance of our mission.

As a Supervising Attorney, you will have the opportunity to:

• Learn and assist with the diverse legal needs of underserved and vulnerable communities in Alameda County and the broader Bay Area, and particularly people experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness and/or those with mental health diagnoses;
• Foster diversity and inclusion in hiring and retention and a culture of humility in working with colleagues and clients across the spectrum of diversity, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, immigration status, religion, physical and mental disabilities, and/or limited English proficiency.
• Assist Managing Attorney in mentoring and supervising the day-to-day legal work of attorneys, advocates, and volunteers in the team, and in other regional offices or teams as needed, to ensure overall effectiveness and high-quality client services, strategic policy advocacy and litigation, including:
• direct supervision of individual staff casework, including reviewing writings and pleadings, observing intakes and hearings, and co-counseling cases as needed to assure high-quality advocacy;
• regular/weekly unit review of new and ongoing cases, intake trends, case strategy, and advocacy opportunities;
• review of open and closed cases of unit advocacy staff as to quality, quantity, priorities, and compliance with BayLegal policies and funding requirements;
• guiding staff in developing and executing appropriate advocacy strategies, whether through direct client representation, community outreach and education, policy advocacy and/or impact litigation; and
• identifying and facilitating training opportunities and periodic updates to the firm and stakeholder communications on evolving legal services issues and barriers.
• Assist Managing Attorney in facilitating case reviews, including providing opportunities for attorneys practicing in other BayLegal practice teams to bring their related questions.
• Assist Managing Attorney in the professional development of staff members by:
• helping construct individual professional development and training plans;
• mentoring unit staff and encouraging particular experiences or trainings geared to improving their advocacy skills; and
• evaluating individual staff performance and providing regular constructive feedback.
• Maintain a client caseload and/or perform direct client services commensurate with supervisorial responsibilities.
• Assist in developing and overseeing legal projects, defining scope of work, ensuring compliance with grants and contracts, collecting and tracking data and progress, engaging in evaluation and reporting for funders and stakeholders.
• Engage with, build and foster broad public-private partnerships, including with governmental agencies, courts, community-based organizations, and pro bono partners, to ensure integrated services and client outreach and to address systemic barriers facing BayLegal’s client community.
• Engage the team in annual planning and periodic reviews of priorities and responses to emerging issues in the client community.
• Identify issues that require systemic advocacy, establish goals, and engage in policy advocacy and litigation.
• Engage and lead the team’s participation in relevant local, regional, and statewide taskforces and policy advocacy efforts that further the interests of clients in our community.
• Participate in BayLegal’s management team to support BayLegal’s mission, goals and operations and take on tasks as needed for such purpose.
• Work closely with BayLegal’s managing attorneys, regional counsel, supervising attorneys, development, grants and contracts, and communications team to promote BayLegal’s mission and resource development; and
• Engage in other tasks and projects that further BayLegal’s mission and operations as a non-profit social justice law firm.

Requirements/Qualifications/About the Successful Candidate:

• Humility in working with colleagues and clients across the spectrum of diversity, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status.
• Membership in good standing in the California State Bar.
• Willing to be on-site at BayLegal office or advocacy site as needed to support needs of staff and office, currently at least three days per week.
• Must have received or be willing to receive the COVID-19 vaccination by date of hire to be considered.
• Five or more years of practice as a licensed attorney, preferably including at least one year of supervisory experience, direct legal services experience working with low-income individuals in Social Security claims, public benefits, and/or representing clients with disabilities.
• Successfully clear a Live Scan background check required by funders given the position involves access to confidential information.
• Demonstrated commitment in partnering and working with individuals who are low-income, unhoused or housing unstable, disabled, and impacted by the criminal legal system, other public systems and institutions, and/or violence.
• Demonstrated commitment to racial justice, diversity, equity and inclusion and skills to lead a team in prioritizing these values.
• Experience working with and leading a diverse, dynamic team with varied communication and learning styles and levels of professional experience and ability to identify and help staff achieve professional development opportunities and goals for professional growth.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills and ability to edit and proof-read, with the ability to be detail oriented.
• Experience developing and leading projects, including defining scope of work, overseeing compliance, progress and tracking, meeting deadlines, evaluation, and reporting.
• 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 with inter-agency collaboration and a demonstrated history of working well with public, nonprofit, and private partners, including non-legal community-based organizations and service providers.
• Experience recognizing, addressing, and resolving interpersonal conflicts.
• Knowledge of issues impacting social justice advocates such as secondary trauma and burnout and demonstrated commitment to policies and practices that promote sustainability and well-being for staff.

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. Currently, most BayLegal employees work a hybrid model including on-site and in-person work at least three days per week and have the option of working from home on a part-time basis. Employees must 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. The estimated starting annual salary range for this position is: $100,000 - $125,000 (placement in range determined primarily by years of related experience). BayLegal’s benefits package includes 100% employer covered medical, dental, and life insurance for employees and up to 60% for dependents; long term disability insurance; stipends for bilingual employees whose language skills are used in the provision of work tasks; student debt repayment program; dependent childcare employer contribution program and 401k retirement plan following first year. Paid leave policy includes sick leave; parental leave; 15 holidays each year and vacation (starting at 13 days and increasing with additional years of employment).
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 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 our career application portal.

Please refer the Job description for details