Fellowship Opportunity

THE ORGANIZATION

The mission of Los Angeles Center for Law and Justice (LACLJ) is to secure justice for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault and empower them to create their own future. Located in East Los Angeles, LACLJ is a non-profit law firm serving survivors throughout Los Angeles County. LACLJ’s primary practice areas are family law and immigration. However, LACLJ strives to provide clients with holistic legal services and has both a growing criminal justice advocacy and appellate practice. Additionally, through our integrated legal/social worker service model, LACLJ Community Advocates work alongside our attorneys providing supportive services such as education, safety planning, and linkages to other service providers as part of the legal team. LACLJ is committed to a trauma-informed and culturally-responsive workplace and service provision.

OVERVIEW

LACLJ is seeking applicants to pursue fellowships, including but not limited to Equal Justice Works (EJW) and Skadden fellowships, beginning in 2024. Upon selection of its candidates for the fellowship, LACLJ will work with the chosen candidates to develop a fellowship proposal and jointly apply for the fellowship.

LACLJ is particularly interested in hosting a fellow for a project to work with undocumented and immigrant survivors of human trafficking, domestic violence, and sexual assault to clear criminal conviction and arrest records by applying for vacatur relief. The project would include building capacity within our pro bono partners to take on these cases and represent survivors in their petitions for to vacate convictions and arrests occurring while they were a survivor of trafficking or abuse. However, LACLJ is also willing to consider other project proposals of particular interest to the candidate that expand on our work to serve survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, and sexual assault.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Candidates must be anticipating their J.D. by May 2024, a recent law graduate, or an experienced attorney seeking to make a career change to public interest work.

• Candidates must not have held a full-time, permanent public interest attorney position previously (although those currently or previously involved in AmeriCorps or other EJW programs are eligible to apply).

• Fluency in oral and written English and Spanish is required.

PREFFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Candidates transitioning from the private sector are encouraged to apply, as are those in the midst of finishing clerkships.

• Some experience working with vulnerable individuals, including victims of sexual and/or gender-based violence is preferred.

• Knowledge of family law, immigration law, or criminal justice advocacy is preferred.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

Salary range for this 2-year, full-time, exempt position is $64,500 to $70,000. LACLJ offers a generous benefits package, including a 35-hour workweek, bilingual pay, paid vacation and holiday leave, 100% employer-paid medical (Kaiser), dental, vision (80% for dependents), long-term disability, life insurance. LACLJ also offers the option to participate in a 403(b)-retirement plan and dependent and health flex savings accounts.