Employment Status: Exempt, Full-time
Reports to: Senior Staff Attorney, Racial Justice
Compensation: $70,000 to $75,000
Location: Mainly remote/work from home. Must be located in the Bay Area. Some regular work in our downtown San Francisco office will be required.
Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area (LCCRSF) seeks a detail-oriented person who works well with people, is passionate about racial justice, and has strong organizational skills, to serve a critical administrative and paralegal function at our dynamic civil rights organization.
Position Summary
The Program Coordinator will serve as administrative and research support for a team of litigators handling large-scale civil rights cases, perform various paralegal functions including interviewing clients and witnesses, drafting declarations, proof-reading and filing pleadings, conducting fact investigations, and problem solving to help our attorneys deliver quality representation to our clients.
The Program Coordinator also will assist in the supervision and management of limited direct services clinics including The People’s Clinic, which assists survivors of police violence seek redress in small claims court. Finally, the Program Coordinator will perform general administrative tasks, such as scheduling meetings and organizing internal case filing systems and client records.
About LCCRSF
As one of the most enduring civil rights institutions on the West Coast, LCCRSF works to dismantle systems of oppression and racism and to build an equitable and just society. Formed in 1968 to bridge the legal community and the Civil Rights Movement, we advance the rights of people of color, immigrants, refugees, and low-income individuals. We also invest in legal fellows and support a network of over 1,000 active pro bono attorneys and volunteers. We are in this work for the long haul. Our goal is to make this work sustainable, to rest as needed and take care of each other and our communities, so we can be fierce in the face of power through our core issue areas of Racial Justice, Immigrant Justice, and Economic Justice. Learn more at lccrsf.org.
About the Racial Justice Team
As part of our racial and economic justice work, LCCRSF is drawing on its years of experience to meet the demands of a moment defined by police brutality and oppressive systems of wealth extraction designed to target low-income Black and Brown communities. We take an integrated advocacy approach by combining cutting-edge impact litigation with targeted advocacy campaigns designed to achieve measurable wins in the fight for racial and economic justice. LCCRSF works at the direction of movement groups and grassroots allies. We also draw impact work from patterns we see in our limited-scope direct legal services clinics in Black and Brown communities including the People’s Clinic, which seeks redress for police violence. Some of our recent litigation and advocacy victories include:
Debt Collective v. Judicial Council of California, a case against the California courts for running a profit scheme that extracted hundreds of millions of dollars from low-income Black and Brown Californians for profit; our litigation and advocacy helped galvanize AB-199, a new law that eliminated more than $1.5 billion in illegally imposed court debts;
Coalition on Homelessness v. City and County of San Francisco, securing a historic preliminary injunction against San Francisco’s draconian practice of policing homeless residents who have committed no crime but sleeping in public amidst the City’s massive affordable housing shortage;
Caldwell v. Bad Boys Bail Bonds, winning a decisive appellate ruling invalidating $30+ million dollars in illegal bail debts for the families of arrestees, and declaring that unscrupulous bail bond companies must honor consumer protection laws;
White v. City of Sacramento, s ensured hundreds of curfew citations dismissed in Sacramento and San Jose in the wake of George Floyd protests, and filed litigation for people injured by the violent tactics of law enforcement to prevent future police violence and get recompense for those harmed;
Eliminating Debt Tows: We won a decisive victory at the California Court of Appeal declaring that seizing cars without a warrant just because the vehicle owner cannot afford to pay late parking tickets is unconstitutional. We also co-sponsored AB-1082—a bill that would end this practice statewide;
Making California a national model for fines and fees reform, including ending driver’s license suspensions and eliminating dozens of regressive fees.
By being grounded in community and listening to our clients and grassroots partners across the Bay Area, we are able to identify the greatest needs and how our expertise can best be used to fill critical gaps. We think strategically and creatively about how we can best mobilize pro bono partners and innovate nimble responses to the most pressing civil rights issues of our time. Learn more at www.lccrsf.org.
Your Role
This Program Coordinator position will serve a critical paralegal and administrative support role for a team of 3-4 litigators handling high-intensity, large-scale impact litigation matters and limited direct services representation. The position will require someone who is a self-starter, has exacting attention to detail, and who can remain nimble, flexible, and responsive in light of competing deadlines and tasks requested to support our impact litigators and our clients. The following are key functions the Program Coordinator will perform:
Paralegal Functions (50%)
Fielding client calls and handling client communications,
Interviewing clients and witnesses, drafting declarations and factual summaries for attorney review,
Reviewing, editing, and filing pleadings consistent with local court rules,
Conducting in-depth fact investigations under the direction of attorneys,
Active participation in discovery including review of document disclosures and responses,
Data management, file system organization, and agenda-setting and follow-up task management for major impact litigation matters, and
Note-taking at team meetings and meetings with co-counsel and opposing counsel.
Administrative Support (30%)
Assist Racial Justice Attorneys with various administrative tasks as needed, including:
Note taking and preparation of meeting minutes,
Correspondence with law firms, clients, pro bono partners, etc.,
Maintaining and organizing client and program files,
Data entry,
Grant reporting, and
Scheduling and coordinating meetings.
Serve as team representative for the 2023/2024 customization, testing and implementation of new Case Management System, Legal Server. The coordinator will also be the primary team user of the database. 10% time estimated through June 2024.
Direct Service/Clinic Support (15%)
If a direct services clinic is currently operating, the Program Coordinator will:
Organize intakes and clinics, including scheduling client meetings, screening potential clients, and managing the waitlist,
Coordinate and support work with pro bono attorneys, including tracking pro bono hours and relationships,
Work with other program staff to improve and follow clinic procedures,
Assist with case investigation and internet research,
Maintain client database and files, and
Be responsible for monitoring all deadlines and handling filings, including small claims filings, service of process paperwork, etc.
Minimum Qualifications or Equivalent Experience
Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail;
Prior experience as a trained paralegal strongly preferred;
Excellent written communication skills;
Experience with court filings strongly preferred;
Experience with discovery and/or document review strongly preferred;
Affinity for people and desire to work with clients;
Ability to take initiative on projects and meet deadlines with minimal supervision;
Demonstrated commitment to or experience with racial or economic justice issues;
Strong knowledge of Microsoft 365 applications, including Outlook, SharePoint, OneDrive, Word, and Excel;
Proficiency in Spanish preferred but not required.
Prior experience using client management databases, especially Salesforce or LegalServer, preferred
Salary, Benefits, Work location
This position is full-time, exempt, with an annual salary of $70k to $75k/year DOE. This position reports to the Racial Justice Senior Staff Attorney. Full benefits package includes 100% paid medical + 80% for dependents, phone and internet reimbursement, generous vacation and sick time, paid holidays, short Fridays, and winter break (office closure during the last week of the year).
This position may be performed on a primarily remote basis but will involve regular in-person work as required for administrative support, client meetings, investigations and research, court hearings and filings, and staff events. Our office is located on the Embarcadero in downtown San Francisco, close to many transit options. We do not yet have a target date for return to the office, but we expect to offer, at minimum, part-time remote. While remote, staff may not work outside CA for more than 30 consecutive days at a time. Employees must be fully vaccinated according to CDC COVID-19 guidelines for in-person work.
General working hours are 9am-5pm, M-F. LCCRSF is woman- and BIPOC-led, with over 30 staff. We are flexible, family-friendly, and value health, wellness and balance. We follow ADA guidelines – reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with different abilities to perform the essential functions.
Working Environment and Conditions
The working conditions described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. While performing the duties of this position, the employee must be able to remain in a stationary position, constantly operate a computer, and must have the ability to communicate information and ideas so others will understand. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions.
To Apply
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Applicants should submit 1) a thoughtful cover letter; 2) a resume; and 3) three professional references by email to careers@lccrsf.org (put “RJ Coordinator” in the subject line.) Questions can also be directed to that email.
In your cover letter, in addition to describing your interest in the position and qualifications, please respond to the following question: What in your background and experience has prepared you to work for an organization dedicated to advancing racial equity and justice? Feel free to think broadly about your response, applying professional or personal experiences.
Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area thrives as an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. BIPOC, LGBTQ+ candidates, people of all gender identities, persons with disabilities and individuals over 55 are encouraged to apply.
To apply for this job please visit lccrsf.org.
