Job Description

Description:

Oregon Law Center (OLC) seeks a managing attorney to provide leadership and management for the five-person office located in Ontario, Oregon.

Background: OLC is an effective legal services program committed to achieving justice for the low-income communities of Oregon by providing a full range of the highest quality civil legal services. OLC does not receive funding from the federal Legal Services Corporation. OLC operates eleven offices around the state. It has a litigation support unit, legislative advocacy unit, and statewide farmworker program. OLC works closely with Legal Aid Services of Oregon and other partners in Oregon\'s coordinated civil legal services delivery system.

The Ontario office provides legal services to four counties in rural Eastern Oregon. The office service area includes a high poverty rate and a high percentage of people who speak Spanish and other languages. The office has a history of being an integral part of the community and effectively using advocacy skills to improve conditions for clients through complex litigation and policy advocacy. Office priorities are set according to client need. Ontario is a rural community, located on the Snake River in the Treasure Valley at the border with Idaho. It is approximately one hour west of Boise and an easy drive to beautiful deserts, mountains, and rivers.

Responsibilities: The managing attorney is responsible for creating and maintaining an excellent legal aid office as defined by our criteria for manager evaluation and program values statement. The managing attorney will handle and supervise impact litigation and individual cases, with a significant emphasis on class action lawsuits and other impact cases in state and federal courts. The managing attorney will engage in education and outreach to clients and community groups and will build positive and effective relationships with community partners. The managing attorney will promote mutual respect, acceptance, and teamwork among a diverse staff, and will challenge and inspire others to achieve positive results and grow professionally. This position offers an exciting opportunity to use leadership skills to make a real difference for the low-income communities of Oregon.

OLC is proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a healthy work environment for a diverse staff. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds and communities to apply.

Requirements:

• Demonstrated commitment to serving low-income communities.
• A high degree of initiative and willingness to work collaboratively.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills, a sense of humor, and positive attitude.
• Experience with complex, impact litigation.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor individuals and diverse teams and help foster effective team interactions and collaboration.
• Demonstrated ability to think creatively about how to address low-income clients\' legal issues.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor individuals and facilitate effective team interactions.
• Proficient use of Microsoft Office Suite (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), Adobe, and web-based video conferencing and learning platforms (e.g., Zoom, Microsoft Teams).
• Admission to Oregon Bar or willingness to take next exam.

Preferences:

• Experience representing low-income clients, especially non-English-speaking communities.
• Fluency in spoken and written Spanish.
• Leadership and supervision training and/or experience.
• Personal experience with poverty, disability, or any other minority status or affiliation.

To Apply:

Salary/Benefits: The salary scale ranges from $74,500 to $111,250 and placement on the scale is determined by years of relevant experience. Additional compensation for bilingual ability. Competitive benefits package includes individual and family health, vision and dental insurance coverage, employer retirement contribution, generous paid holidays, vacation and sick leave, and paid moving expenses, among others.

How To Apply: Send resume, cover letter, and list of references to Heather Kemper, . Resumes reviewed on a rolling basis. Open until filled.

As part of your cover letter, please address the following:

OLC is committed to achieving justice for the low-income communities of Oregon. Our client communities include people of color, farmworkers, LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, seniors, people with lived experiences of homelessness, veterans, people with disabilities, and people from other underrepresented groups. It is essential to our work to serve clients that we also work to create an inclusive and respectful workplace in which differences are acknowledged and valued.

How do you think your personal background or experiences, professional or otherwise, have prepared you to: (1) serve our diverse client communities effectively, (2) work effectively with colleagues from backgrounds different than your own, (3) acknowledge the systemic barriers that our clients and some colleagues face, and (4) contribute to our efforts to achieve racial justice? Feel free to provide examples, and apply various aspects of your life and personal experiences, as you respond to this question.

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