Skip to content
Feb 4 / BARD CEP

Staff Attorney – Salinas, CA

Organization: California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc.

Job Title: Staff Attorney – Central Coast Safe Drinking Water and Land Use

Location: Salinas, CA

Hours and Compensation: Part Time Regular, 18.75 hrs/wk. $21,000 – $33,750 based upon bar admission date.

Application Deadline: March 27, 2013

Posted On: January 30, 2013

Organization Overview:

CRLA was founded in 1966 as a nonprofit legal services program. Our mission is to strive for economic justice and human rights on behalf of California’s rural poor.  Today, CRLA has 21 offices, many in rural communities from the Mexican border to Northern California.  Each year, we provide more than 40,000 low-income rural Californians with free legal assistance and a variety of community education and outreach programs.

Description:

Reporting to the Directing Attorney of the Salinas Migrant Office and in consultation with the Director of the Community Equity Initiative, the Staff Attorney is responsible for working with CRLA staff to develop and implement a multi-pronged strategy to ensure that all residents of Monterey County, and especially residents in disadvantaged communities, have access to safe drinking water. Primary responsibilities include legal advocacy, policy analysis and advocacy, negotiation, leadership development, community education and collaboration with non-profit, community based, and governmental organizations. The Staff Attorney’s geographic area of concentration will be Monterey Country, with particular attention to problems and policies that impact directly or indirectly the East Salinas (Alisal) area and environs. The Staff Attorney will focus on safe drinking water, and land use and health issues related to safe drinking water. Legal advocacy is provided to eligible clients in accordance with CRLA program guidelines, the ABA standards for Providers of Civil Legal Services, and the Code of Professional Responsibility.

Responsibilities:

  • Collaborate with the Directing Attorney, the CEI Director, the Safe Drinking Water Community Worked and other CRLA staff to develop and implement a comprehensive legal advocacy strategy to ensure that all residents of disadvantaged communities in Monterey County have access to safe drinking water;
  • Develop and maintain expertise in water law and in the following substantive areas as they relate to water law: land use, local governance, civil rights, environmental law, health law, local codes and ordinances, and other substantive areas of law; as necessary;
  • Conduct legal advocacy and act as lead counsel in litigation, as needed, to ensure that residents of disadvantaged communities in Monterey County have access to safe drinking water;
  • Work with community workers and other CRLA staff to develop and implement a comprehensive outreach, educational and community leadership program on safe drinking water.
  • Negotiate with public and private stakeholders for increased financial and infrastructure investment in safe drinking water.
  • Monitor and attend local, county, regional and state hearings, meetings and other gatherings related to the development, planning, and investment in safe drinking water.
  • Undertake factual research related to safe drinking water, land use and health.
  • Collaborate with funding partners and foundations generally, as needed, and specifically collaborate with Building Healthy Communities (BHC) in East Salinas.
  • Make timely reports of efforts, achievements and deliverables, as needed.
  • Comply with applicable CRLA and Legal Services Corporation (LSC) guidelines.
  • Other duties as assigned by the Directing Attorney.

Qualifications:

  • Admitted to practice law in the state of California.
  • Minimum of two years of experience as an attorney preferred.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication.
  • Proven track record of working with a wide-array of professionals and community members from varying backgrounds.
  • Two to five years of experience working on legal issues related to water, land use, and/or the environment preferred.
  • Bilingual Spanish/English preferred.
  • Ability to work evenings and weekends, as needed.

How to Apply: Send a cover letter and resume to the CRLA Human Resources Department at [email protected]. Email attachments in Word only, or copy and paste cover letter and resume into body of email. Include “Staff Attorney, Central Coast Safe Drinking Water and Land Use – Salinas Migrant” in subject line of email.

Contact Information:

http://www.crla.org

 

Leave a comment