Staff Attorney (Pro Bono - Appellate Practice & Access to Justice)

ABOUT PUBLIC COUNSEL

Public Counsel is a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to advancing civil rights and racial and economic justice, as well as to amplifying the power of our clients through comprehensive legal advocacy. Founded on and strengthened by a pro bono legal service model, our staff and volunteers seek justice through direct legal services, promote healthy and resilient communities through education and outreach, and support community-led efforts to transform unjust systems through litigation and policy advocacy in and beyond Los Angeles.

Public Counsel organizes its work through seven legal teams: Child, Youth & Family Advocacy, Community Development, Consumer Rights & Economic Justice, Homelessness Prevention, Immigrants’ Rights, Education Equity, and our impact litigation team, Opportunity Under Law.

Public Counsel has a staff of approximately 170. We are committed to building a diverse staff and encourage applications from people of color, people with disabilities, and people of all gender identities, gender expressions, and sexualities. We recognize the essential role of staff in achieving our goals, and we have set a long-term intention to provide competitive compensation, benefits, training, mentorship, and overall workplace wellness, making Public Counsel a leader among nonprofit law firms.

ABOUT THE PRO BONO TEAM

Public Counsel’s Pro Bono Team develops and leads programs that leverage the skills and resources of law firms, corporate legal departments, individual attorneys, law students, and other volunteers to expand access to justice. The team focuses particularly on areas of unmet legal need where well-designed pro bono partnerships can increase the number of people served, strengthen existing legal services, support impact litigation, systemic and policy advocacy, and create sustainable models for delivering assistance. Working across Public Counsel and with external partners, the team helps identify opportunities to strategically integrate pro bono into the organization’s work and develops volunteer opportunities ranging from limited-scope clinics and discrete programs to full-scope representation, impact litigation support, and other service models. The team also builds organization-wide infrastructure for effective volunteer engagement, including partnerships, trainings, resources, technology, and systems for recruiting, supporting, and retaining volunteers.

JOB SUMMARY

The Staff Attorney will collaborate with Public Counsel’s legal teams to support appellate strategies, including brief writing and oral argument; lead Public Counsel’s appellate self-help clinic, which will be a primary focus of the position and is expected to operate on-site at the Court of Appeal approximately three days per week in downtown Los Angeles, with additional remote services; and support the Pro Bono Team’s efforts to strengthen and expand pro bono opportunities across the organization. Reporting to the Director of Pro Bono, the Staff Attorney will:

• Collaborate with Public Counsel’s legal teams to support appellate strategies across the organization, including direct appellate advocacy, drafting briefs, and presenting oral arguments on writs, appeals, and amicus briefs in state and federal courts
• Manage the provision of appellate self-help services at the California Second District Court of Appeal in downtown Los Angeles, which is expected to operate on-site three days per week, with a goal of expanding services to other appellate districts Assist the Director of Pro Bono in expanding the program’s volunteer network and developing relationships with law firms, appellate practitioners, technology experts, and other pro bono partners
• Recruit, engage, train, and supervise volunteers to support clinic operations and to develop resources, including self-help materials, trainings, templates, and other tools for self-represented litigants
• Train and supervise volunteers providing limited guidance to self-represented litigants, including on the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) and other technology tools in appellate matters
• Coordinate and supervise volunteer review of draft appellate briefs and identify matters suitable for more extended pro bono representation, as appropriate
• Utilize and manage AI and other technology tools to enhance clinic services, improve efficiency, and expand access to appellate resources
• Manage existing grants, including tracking deliverables and reporting requirements, and assist the Director of Pro Bono in pursuing additional funding opportunities for appellate and access to justice initiatives
• Contribute to Public Counsel as a whole by participating in organization-wide activities, including integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion policies into our work and workplace
• Represent Public Counsel in external meetings and events, as appropriate
• Perform other duties as assigned