Youth Law Center
Staff, Senior, or Directing Attorney (Full-Time, Remote)
Youth Law Center, San Francisco, California, United States, 94199
Staff, Senior, or Directing Attorney (Full-Time, Remote)
Position Summary
The Youth Law Center (YLC) is excited to announce that we are seeking a full-time Attorney to help drive our work on behalf of youth in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. We are excited to consider both early career applicants as well as those with significant levels of experience in the field. Candidates for this position should have a current California bar license or willingness to obtain California licensure.The Attorney will be part of a team of other attorneys and non-attorney advocates working in a variety of substantive areas, with a focus on protecting children and youth impacted by state level juvenile justice systems from abuse and dangerous conditions in out-of-home care. The Attorney may also work on issues including but not limited to ensuring that government and other agencies provide support and services (e.g., health, mental health, education) to enable system-involved youth to become healthy and productive adults and ensuring youth in systems have individualized, developmentally appropriate parenting as well as connections to families and to their communities.Over the past several years, YLC attorneys have worked on advocacy projects including but not limited to:California state-level policy advocacy to shift the way that the state funds the child welfare system, in an effort eliminate the use of congregate care placements and support families and communities to address the needs of children in the foster care system;Conditions litigation in Tennessee related to the use of solitary confinement, use of pepper spray and exposure to violence in Tennessee’s juvenile justice facilities;Administrative and legislative advocacy to improve access to behavioral health services for young people impacted by systems;Co-counseling and collaborative policy advocacy with civil legal aid partners to improve access to housing vouchers for older youth impacted by the child welfare system both nationally and in California, Washington and New Mexico;Providing training to and developing resources for civil legal aid partners to address the myriad civil legal needs of youth and families impacted by systems;Litigation in California to ensure that directly impacted youth and their families have the opportunity to participate in decision-making bodies in their communities regarding juvenile justice system investments; andSupporting policy and engaging in state-level advocacy to ensure that voting-eligible young people in juvenile justice facilities in California have the opportunity to access the franchise in advance of the 2024 national election.About YLC’s Advocacy
Attorneys at YLC utilize a variety of traditional and creative advocacy strategies, including policy advocacy; litigation; legislative and administrative/regulatory work; collaborative systems-reform campaigns; public education and media advocacy; legal and non-legal writing; training; and technical assistance. YLC’s advocacy approach is grounded in the belief that those most directly impacted by systems are best positioned to transform them. As advocates, we seek out the spaces and places where we can hear from those young people and their families and offer them the support they need to lift up the vision they have for change. We believe that change comes from deeply listening to young people and the organizations that support them, from helping them to translate their ideas into practice and policy change, and from working in partnership to move forward a new narrative about what’s needed to transform systems.Our advocacy goals include:Ending incarceration of youth in juvenile justice and reimagining new approaches to youth justice;Ending use of congregate care for youth in foster care and juvenile justice and ensuring youth receive excellent parenting;Improving access to education, including postsecondary education, for system-involved youth;Ensuring healthy transitions to adulthood for system-involved youth and access to required services to make that transition; andAdvocating for improved conditions in foster care and juvenile justice systems.Attorneys on our legal team also engage in strategic collaboration with our non-attorney advocacy staff who work on a variety of systems-reform efforts, including YLC’s national Quality Parenting Initiative, Just Beginnings program, and Pathways to Postsecondary Education Project.Who We’re Looking For
We want to hear from attorneys with a strong commitment to justice for youth in foster care and juvenile justice, experience with advocacy in foster care, juvenile justice, education, youth homelessness or a related area, and excitement about a movement-based lawyering approach. More specifically, we’re looking for team members who are able to develop advocacy strategies, communicate effectively within and outside of the YLC team, build partnerships, create high-quality written products, and exercise their advocacy skills in areas including litigation, policy, and training.People of color and individuals who have lived experience in the child welfare, juvenile justice, or youth homelessness systems are strongly encouraged to apply.
Skills & Experience
The list below represents what we believe to be the most important skills and experience needed for someone to be successful in this position. However, we recognize that women, people of color, LGBTQIA+ folks, and other historically economically marginalized people tend to self-select out of applying for positions if they don’t meet 100% of the listed qualifications. We encourage you to apply if you’re enthusiastic about this role, even if you don’t meet every single criterion on this list:Current active bar license or willingness to obtain California licensure, either by passing the CA bar exam or applying for
RLAA
statusFor the Staff Attorney level
– One to ten or more years of experience practicing law utilizing a variety of advocacy strategiesFor the Senior Attorney level
– A minimum of five years of experience as a practicing attorney utilizing a variety of advocacy strategies, ideally with experience with systems-level litigation, coordinating projects and leading small project teams or supervising staffFor the Directing Attorney level
– A minimum of ten years of experience as a practicing attorney utilizing a variety of advocacy strategies, including experience directing projects, leading teams and providing supervision, as well as supporting other organizational and team functions including, for example, fundraising and budgetingDemonstrated ability as an advocate in juvenile justice, child welfare, or a closely-related fieldSubstantive experience and knowledge of juvenile justice related legal issues and strategies, including litigationCreativity, passion, and vision to challenge the status quoAbility to think strategically and analytically and identify policy issuesExcellent interpersonal, listening, and communication skills, including the ability to facilitate, write persuasively and clearly, communicate effectively with diverse populations, and to build strong partnerships and coalitionsExperience and ability to work well with diverse groups of people including families and youth (especially older youth with lived experience) and a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplaceDeep commitment to elevating the voices of young people impacted by the child welfare and juvenile justice systems and the voices of the organizations that work on their behalfCapacity to take initiative on identified goals, manage multiple tasks simultaneously, work independently, and meet deadlinesDesire to be flexible, adapt to varied environments, and work as part of a teamAbility to travel regularly for a variety of meetings, events, and other activitiesStatus:
Full-time, exemptSalary:
For the
Staff Attorney
level, the position range is
$74,000 to $101,000
annually. For the
Senior Attorney
level, the position range is
$91,000 to $118,000
annually. For the
Directing Attorney
level, the position range is
$108,000 to $129,000
annually. Salary at any level will be commensurate with prior experience in relevant positions at a similar level of responsibility. All YLC staff are paid using an equitable pay structure which includes regular, planned increases.Paid Time Off:
YLC offers flexible, unlimited paid vacation to its employees as well as 13 accrued sick days and 11+ paid holidays annually.Benefits:
Comprehensive health benefits package (medical, dental, vision, long-term disability, life, EAP), plus healthcare and dependent FSA options and a 401k with employer match. Health plan premiums are 100% employer-paid for both employees and dependents.Location:
This is a remote position with some required travel to locations within California and/or regionally within the candidate’s area of residence. We provide all remote employees with a cell & internet expense reimbursement and the items you need to set up a comfortable remote workspace.To Apply
Please submit the following required documents via email to careers@ylc.org and include the position name (indicating whether you are interested in the Staff Attorney or Senior Attorney level) in the subject line:Cover letter, explaining your interest in this position, what you believe you bring to YLC’s work, and how your interests and experience are compatible with YLC’s mission and modelResumeWriting sampleList of at least three professional referencesPlease submit all required documents as attachments in either PDF or Word format at the time of application. Incomplete applications will not be considered for this position.Timeline:
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis as received; position is open until filled.If you have questions about this position or the application process, feel free to contact us at
careers@ylc.org
. Please note that due to the volume of applications we receive, we may not be able to respond to every inquiry. No phone calls about the position, please.About the Youth Law Center
YLC’s mission is to transform foster care and juvenile justice systems across the nation so every child and youth can thrive. Our goal is to ensure that, whenever a system must intervene in the life of a child, that child will receive the supports, services, and excellent parenting they need to become a flourishing adult. YLC’s specific, actionable, and sustainable advocacy strategies are shaped by the voices of youth and families most impacted by these systems and are informed by research in child development, psychology, behavioral economics, marketing and branding, and adult learning. The YLC team reflects the diverse backgrounds, experiences, and skills needed to make our creative approach to advocacy successful. Find out more about us at
ylc.org
and
qpi4kids.org
.Equal Opportunity Employer
YLC values a diverse, inclusive workforce and we provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. All qualified applicants for employment will be considered without regard to an individual’s race, color, sex, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, body size, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local laws.
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Position Summary
The Youth Law Center (YLC) is excited to announce that we are seeking a full-time Attorney to help drive our work on behalf of youth in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. We are excited to consider both early career applicants as well as those with significant levels of experience in the field. Candidates for this position should have a current California bar license or willingness to obtain California licensure.The Attorney will be part of a team of other attorneys and non-attorney advocates working in a variety of substantive areas, with a focus on protecting children and youth impacted by state level juvenile justice systems from abuse and dangerous conditions in out-of-home care. The Attorney may also work on issues including but not limited to ensuring that government and other agencies provide support and services (e.g., health, mental health, education) to enable system-involved youth to become healthy and productive adults and ensuring youth in systems have individualized, developmentally appropriate parenting as well as connections to families and to their communities.Over the past several years, YLC attorneys have worked on advocacy projects including but not limited to:California state-level policy advocacy to shift the way that the state funds the child welfare system, in an effort eliminate the use of congregate care placements and support families and communities to address the needs of children in the foster care system;Conditions litigation in Tennessee related to the use of solitary confinement, use of pepper spray and exposure to violence in Tennessee’s juvenile justice facilities;Administrative and legislative advocacy to improve access to behavioral health services for young people impacted by systems;Co-counseling and collaborative policy advocacy with civil legal aid partners to improve access to housing vouchers for older youth impacted by the child welfare system both nationally and in California, Washington and New Mexico;Providing training to and developing resources for civil legal aid partners to address the myriad civil legal needs of youth and families impacted by systems;Litigation in California to ensure that directly impacted youth and their families have the opportunity to participate in decision-making bodies in their communities regarding juvenile justice system investments; andSupporting policy and engaging in state-level advocacy to ensure that voting-eligible young people in juvenile justice facilities in California have the opportunity to access the franchise in advance of the 2024 national election.About YLC’s Advocacy
Attorneys at YLC utilize a variety of traditional and creative advocacy strategies, including policy advocacy; litigation; legislative and administrative/regulatory work; collaborative systems-reform campaigns; public education and media advocacy; legal and non-legal writing; training; and technical assistance. YLC’s advocacy approach is grounded in the belief that those most directly impacted by systems are best positioned to transform them. As advocates, we seek out the spaces and places where we can hear from those young people and their families and offer them the support they need to lift up the vision they have for change. We believe that change comes from deeply listening to young people and the organizations that support them, from helping them to translate their ideas into practice and policy change, and from working in partnership to move forward a new narrative about what’s needed to transform systems.Our advocacy goals include:Ending incarceration of youth in juvenile justice and reimagining new approaches to youth justice;Ending use of congregate care for youth in foster care and juvenile justice and ensuring youth receive excellent parenting;Improving access to education, including postsecondary education, for system-involved youth;Ensuring healthy transitions to adulthood for system-involved youth and access to required services to make that transition; andAdvocating for improved conditions in foster care and juvenile justice systems.Attorneys on our legal team also engage in strategic collaboration with our non-attorney advocacy staff who work on a variety of systems-reform efforts, including YLC’s national Quality Parenting Initiative, Just Beginnings program, and Pathways to Postsecondary Education Project.Who We’re Looking For
We want to hear from attorneys with a strong commitment to justice for youth in foster care and juvenile justice, experience with advocacy in foster care, juvenile justice, education, youth homelessness or a related area, and excitement about a movement-based lawyering approach. More specifically, we’re looking for team members who are able to develop advocacy strategies, communicate effectively within and outside of the YLC team, build partnerships, create high-quality written products, and exercise their advocacy skills in areas including litigation, policy, and training.People of color and individuals who have lived experience in the child welfare, juvenile justice, or youth homelessness systems are strongly encouraged to apply.
Skills & Experience
The list below represents what we believe to be the most important skills and experience needed for someone to be successful in this position. However, we recognize that women, people of color, LGBTQIA+ folks, and other historically economically marginalized people tend to self-select out of applying for positions if they don’t meet 100% of the listed qualifications. We encourage you to apply if you’re enthusiastic about this role, even if you don’t meet every single criterion on this list:Current active bar license or willingness to obtain California licensure, either by passing the CA bar exam or applying for
RLAA
statusFor the Staff Attorney level
– One to ten or more years of experience practicing law utilizing a variety of advocacy strategiesFor the Senior Attorney level
– A minimum of five years of experience as a practicing attorney utilizing a variety of advocacy strategies, ideally with experience with systems-level litigation, coordinating projects and leading small project teams or supervising staffFor the Directing Attorney level
– A minimum of ten years of experience as a practicing attorney utilizing a variety of advocacy strategies, including experience directing projects, leading teams and providing supervision, as well as supporting other organizational and team functions including, for example, fundraising and budgetingDemonstrated ability as an advocate in juvenile justice, child welfare, or a closely-related fieldSubstantive experience and knowledge of juvenile justice related legal issues and strategies, including litigationCreativity, passion, and vision to challenge the status quoAbility to think strategically and analytically and identify policy issuesExcellent interpersonal, listening, and communication skills, including the ability to facilitate, write persuasively and clearly, communicate effectively with diverse populations, and to build strong partnerships and coalitionsExperience and ability to work well with diverse groups of people including families and youth (especially older youth with lived experience) and a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplaceDeep commitment to elevating the voices of young people impacted by the child welfare and juvenile justice systems and the voices of the organizations that work on their behalfCapacity to take initiative on identified goals, manage multiple tasks simultaneously, work independently, and meet deadlinesDesire to be flexible, adapt to varied environments, and work as part of a teamAbility to travel regularly for a variety of meetings, events, and other activitiesStatus:
Full-time, exemptSalary:
For the
Staff Attorney
level, the position range is
$74,000 to $101,000
annually. For the
Senior Attorney
level, the position range is
$91,000 to $118,000
annually. For the
Directing Attorney
level, the position range is
$108,000 to $129,000
annually. Salary at any level will be commensurate with prior experience in relevant positions at a similar level of responsibility. All YLC staff are paid using an equitable pay structure which includes regular, planned increases.Paid Time Off:
YLC offers flexible, unlimited paid vacation to its employees as well as 13 accrued sick days and 11+ paid holidays annually.Benefits:
Comprehensive health benefits package (medical, dental, vision, long-term disability, life, EAP), plus healthcare and dependent FSA options and a 401k with employer match. Health plan premiums are 100% employer-paid for both employees and dependents.Location:
This is a remote position with some required travel to locations within California and/or regionally within the candidate’s area of residence. We provide all remote employees with a cell & internet expense reimbursement and the items you need to set up a comfortable remote workspace.To Apply
Please submit the following required documents via email to careers@ylc.org and include the position name (indicating whether you are interested in the Staff Attorney or Senior Attorney level) in the subject line:Cover letter, explaining your interest in this position, what you believe you bring to YLC’s work, and how your interests and experience are compatible with YLC’s mission and modelResumeWriting sampleList of at least three professional referencesPlease submit all required documents as attachments in either PDF or Word format at the time of application. Incomplete applications will not be considered for this position.Timeline:
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis as received; position is open until filled.If you have questions about this position or the application process, feel free to contact us at
careers@ylc.org
. Please note that due to the volume of applications we receive, we may not be able to respond to every inquiry. No phone calls about the position, please.About the Youth Law Center
YLC’s mission is to transform foster care and juvenile justice systems across the nation so every child and youth can thrive. Our goal is to ensure that, whenever a system must intervene in the life of a child, that child will receive the supports, services, and excellent parenting they need to become a flourishing adult. YLC’s specific, actionable, and sustainable advocacy strategies are shaped by the voices of youth and families most impacted by these systems and are informed by research in child development, psychology, behavioral economics, marketing and branding, and adult learning. The YLC team reflects the diverse backgrounds, experiences, and skills needed to make our creative approach to advocacy successful. Find out more about us at
ylc.org
and
qpi4kids.org
.Equal Opportunity Employer
YLC values a diverse, inclusive workforce and we provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. All qualified applicants for employment will be considered without regard to an individual’s race, color, sex, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, body size, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local laws.
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