Staff Attorney - Health

The Law Foundation of Silicon Valley (LFSV) invites California State Bar attorneys with an interest in Health Advocacy, including patient’s rights, economic justice, and public benefits (or those sitting for the next California Bar examination), to apply to join us as a Staff Attorney with our Health Program. This is a hybrid position. Attorneys must be available to commute to our office in San Jose, CA and hearings 2 days per week.

Who We Are

The Law Foundation of Silicon Valley advances the rights of historically excluded individuals and families across Santa Clara County through legal services, strategic advocacy, and educational outreach. We serve over 10,000 individuals and families each year through our Housing Program, Children & Youth Program, and Health Program. With a staff of 90 employees, we are the largest provider of free legal services in the South Bay region of the Bay Area.

The Health Program provides free legal advice and representation to individuals living in Santa Clara County who identify as having mental health conditions, developmental disabilities, and/or HIV/AIDS. We also provide free legal help through medical-legal partnerships, and to people experiencing housing instability. We approach our work with a deep commitment to addressing social determinants of health, mental health empowerment, and community-driven advocacy. We welcome new and experienced legal advocates to join our team of dedicated, passionate lawyers as we work together to support health equity for historically excluded residents in Santa Clara County. 

What You’ll Do

The Staff Attorney manages a caseload of direct services clients and broader advocacy efforts. Key responsibilities include:

• Representing and advising clients on Social Security appeals, public benefits, and other poverty-related issues (including SSDI, SSI, and Medi-Cal) to help clients achieve economic justice and receive entitled benefits
• Planning and delivering community trainings, education, and outreach on topics related to economic justice
• Engaging in community-based advocacy, coalitions, system reform, pre-litigation, and legislative efforts that concern or impact Health Unit clients
• Providing legal advice and represent clients from the Law Foundation’s Medical-Legal Partnership with the Santa Clara County Valley Medical Center, including providing onsite staffing at medical clinics throughout the county
• Representing clients in locked psychiatric facilities in civil commitment and forced medication hearings
• Ensuring compliance with patients’ rights laws, including laws governing the use of seclusion, restraint, and involuntary medication, and due process requirements for involuntary mental health treatment
• Assisting with client intake, referrals, and administrative tasks such as data entry, as needed
• Participating in Law Foundation activities, such as program meetings, special events, and fundraisers
• Assisting underserved populations, including communities of color, LGBTQIA+ community, immigrant/refugee communities, individuals living with HIV/AIDS and/or mental health disabilities, unstably housed individuals, people using drugs, and system-impacted individuals in line with the Law Foundation’s Race Equity Inclusion principles

Who You Are

• Member of the California Bar, otherwise eligible to practice law in California, or are sitting for the next California bar exam (recent graduates and mid to senior level attorneys encouraged to apply) 
• Prior experience or a general understanding of economic justice issues and public benefits preferred
• Have a passion for social justice and race equity
• Able to work sensitively and productively to identify, investigate, and resolve client problems
• Excellent verbal, interpersonal, research, writing, analytical, interviewing, and organizational skills
• Able to work independently and as a part of a team
• Excellent time and caseload management skills
• Have a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation to attend hearings, home visits, medical-legal partnership clinics, and outreach events
• Basic computer proficiency and willingness to learn new technology as needed
• Bilingual in English and Spanish or Vietnamese (preferred)
• Interest or passion for community-driven advocacy, policy advocacy, and/or impact litigation preferred

What We Offer

The annual salary scale for this position is $80,000 - $105,000. All compensation is determined by the wage table of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement between SEIU Local 521 and LFSV. Placement on the wage table will be based upon an applicant’s bar admission date and months of experience in comparable roles. Excellent benefits are provided, including:

• 19 paid holidays per year
• 12 days of sick leave per year
• Up to 6 months of parental leave
• A paid lunch break
• Fully paid medical, dental, and vision insurance premiums
• A robust Employee Assistance Program that includes free/discounted mental health therapy and wellness services for employees and their dependents
• A 401(k)-retirement plan with employer contributions after the first year of employment
• 2 weeks of paid educational leave for those scheduled to take the California Bar Examination
• A paid sabbatical after 5 years of employment
• An annual budget for professional development
• Employer paid CA Bar license fees
• An additional monthly stipend for bilingual employees who utilize their language abilities for their job
• The option to work a hybrid schedule

Location

Law Foundation is a hybrid workplace and staff will be required to commute to our San Jose offices 2+ days per week. If staff can meet the requirements above, including commuting at their own expense, staff may live anywhere in California. Due to logistical challenges regarding taxes, insurance, and time zones, we are not able to consider staff in other states at this time.

Equal Employment Opportunity 

The Law Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer. We encourage people of color, womxn, people living with disabilities, older people, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people to apply. It is the policy of the Law Foundation to prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type and to afford equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants, without regard to race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, pregnancy, medical condition or genetic information, veteran status, national origin, disability, marital or other protected status. The Law Foundation will conform to the spirit, as well as the letter of all applicable laws and regulations.

ADA Accessible Facility - Equal Opportunity Employer - Drug-Free Workplace