POSITION: Consumer/Debt Relief Attorney – Economic Stability Workgroup
LOCATION: East Los Angeles Community Office
SALARY: $74257.70 – $88553.69k /annually DOE, with excellent benefits
APPLICATION DEADLINE: Immediately/Continuous until position is filled.
Are you interested in joining an organization dedicated to increasing access to justice while addressing systemic inequities among the most vulnerable members of the Greater Los Angeles area? If yes, LAFLA is the place for you!
The Organization: LAFLA is a nonprofit law firm that protects and advances the rights of the most underserved—leveling the playing field and ensuring that everyone can have access to the justice system. With more than 90 years of service, LAFLA is the first and most experienced legal aid organization in Greater Los Angeles. LAFLA has more than 150 employees, including more than 70 attorneys, who provide free services and resources on a broad range of civil legal issues that impact healthy, safety, and self-sufficiency. Every year, LAFLA helps more than 100,000 people find their voice, regain control of their lives, and build a brighter future. Our unique combination of neighborhood offices, self-help centers at courthouses, and domestic violence clinics puts LAFLA on the frontlines in communities at the forefront of change. LAFLA also engages in impact litigation to help enact long-term systemic change—actively collaborating with a network of public and private partners to expand access to justice, identify needs in the communities we serve, and change laws and policies that adversely affect the underserved. For more information, please visit www.lafla.org.
The Workgroup: The Economic Stability Workgroup (ESWG) helps people obtain benefits to fulfill basic needs (food, shelter, medical care, and services to attain self-sufficiency); fights wage theft and denial of unemployment insurance benefits; and advises on wrongful terminations and discriminatory employment practices. ESWG also helps people struggling with student loan debt and other types of debt, helping them to assert defenses and fight predatory debt and illegal collection practices. In addition to direct service, ESWG engages in policy advocacy and impact litigation to address systemic problems.
The Position: The Consumer and Student Loan Debt Relief Attorney will provide direct representation to individuals dealing with a variety of debt related issues including credit reporting and unfair or abusive collection of unsecured debts of various types. The attorney will also engage in impact policy and litigation.
LAFLA is currently accepting applications for the position of Consumer/Debt Relief Attorney.
QUALIFICATIONS:
• Active membership in the California State Bar with two to four years experience;
• Demonstrated commitment to serving the needs of low-income people;
• Litigation experience, including case evaluation, legal research and writing, discovery, negotiations, and administrative hearing or trial experience preferred;
• Familiarity with federal and state debt collection laws, laws governing consumer financial services, fair credit reporting, and unfair and deceptive acts and practices laws;
• Previous public interest experience preferred; and
• Willingness to work beyond a minimum 7.0 hour workday, including evening and weekend meetings and events, and workweeks in excess of 35 hours when caseload or other obligations so necessitate.
EXAMPLES OF DUTIES:
• Provide direct representation to individuals dealing with a variety of debt related issues, including credit reporting and unfair or abusive collection of unsecured debts of various types, such as housing debt and predatory financial products and services aimed at low-income people;
• Represent low-income consumers in defending debt collection lawsuits at every stage of litigation, including motions, discovery, arbitration, and trials;
• Identify systemic financial services and debt collection abuses that impact low-income consumers and address these issues through affirmative litigation and policy work;
• Maintain caseload including work on affirmative litigation cases involving illegal debt collection and unlawful, unfair, and deceptive business practices related to financial consumer services;
• Participate in state and federal policy work regarding debt collection and financial consumer services;
• Collaborate with the local and national consumer justice community;
• Provide workshops to community partners and client community on consumer debt rights;
• Develop relationships with and engage in collaboration with a range of public and private community partners, including governmental agencies, courts, and community-based organizations to ensure integrative services and address systemic barriers facing LAFLA’s client community;
• Work with LAFLA’s development and communications team to promote LAFLA’s mission and resource development; and
• Participate in and support LAFLA and other legal services task forces.
HOW TO APPLY: Please submit a cover letter and resume online to eswgjobs@lafla.org. Include “Attorney – Consumer Debt Justice / ESWG” in the subject line.
INTRODUCTORY PERIOD: A one-year introductory period will be required.
AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: Selection will be based solely on merit and will be without discrimination because of race, color, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship, creed, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, age, religion, genetic information, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military or veteran status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition, marital or registered domestic partners status, or any other legally protected status.
The company is committed to equal employment opportunity and providing reasonable accommodations to qualified candidates and employees pursuant to applicable law. We value and encourage diversity and solicit applications from all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, gender, sex, age, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military and veteran status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. If you require reasonable accommodation as part of the application process or expect to require an accommodation if hired, please contact humanresources@lafla.org.
VACCINATION POLICY AND COVID-19 PROTOCOLS: LAFLA requires all staff, including new hires, to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 (i.e., at least 2 weeks after last dose) and have received at least one COVID-19 booster shot. If hired, all employees must present proof of vaccination by their start date.
BENEFITS AND COMPENSATION: LAFLA offers a diverse environment with competitive compensation based on comparable public interest salaries. We also offer a generous benefits package for full-time employees including medical, dental, and vision for employees and dependents, life insurance, long-term disability and long-term care insurance, and 403(b) retirement plan. Employees may also qualify for bilingual supplements, law student loan reimbursements, and a cell phone stipend.