Staff Attorney - Housing and Disability Advocacy Program (HDAP)

Job Description

Job Description

Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino

Staff Attorney – Housing and Disability Advocacy Program (HDAP)

Location: San Bernardino, California (multiple office and clinic locations throughout San Bernardino and Riverside Counties)

Salary: $75,000–$90,000 annually

Classification: Full-time · Exempt

Work Arrangement: Hybrid — in-person required for client home visits, field appointments, court appearances, and team support; some remote work available when offsite work does not require an in-person presence

Reports to: Coordinating Attorney

Job Summary

The Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino (LASSB) has an immediate, full-time opening for a Staff Attorney in our Housing and Disability Advocacy Program (HDAP). Working alongside our Coordinating Attorney and Social Services Advocate, the Staff Attorney provides legal representation and advocacy to clients who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness and who are likely eligible for disability benefits.

This role pairs disability benefits advocacy — assisting clients with applications and appeals for SSI/SSDI and related benefits — with housing-related legal advocacy aimed at helping clients obtain and maintain stable housing. The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated commitment to serving disadvantaged populations. We will give preference to candidates who know poverty law and have experience providing services to low-income individuals.

About LASSB

The Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1958 to provide civil legal services to the indigent and needy. Since its formation, LASSB has continually offered free legal services to protect the rights of low-income people and to assist them in remedying problems that affect their daily lives. We provide free civil legal services throughout the vast counties of San Bernardino and Riverside. Our organization advocates for the rights of low-income people, and we believe the right team with a powerful vision can change how society contributes to their success.

What is HDAP?

The Housing and Disability Advocacy Program (HDAP) is a California program, administered through the Department of Social Services and county partners, that assists individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness who are likely eligible for disability benefits. HDAP combines four core components — outreach, case management, disability benefits advocacy, and housing assistance — delivered by an interdisciplinary team so that clients receive help securing both disability income and stable housing at the same time.

LASSB provides the legal advocacy component of HDAP. Our Staff Attorney represents clients in pursuing disability benefits — including SSI/SSDI applications, appeals, and administrative hearings — and addresses the legal barriers clients face in obtaining and keeping housing. As a newer program area for LASSB, this role calls for creativity, patience, flexibility, and a strong commitment as we build out systems to best serve our clients. Our legal representation is part of an interdisciplinary team that collaborates on case assessment, strategy, and service provision. Preferred candidates will have experience working with clients who have disabilities, serious mental illness, or substance use disorders, and experience serving clients who are unhoused or in supportive housing. The ideal advocate will possess excellent organizational skills and a willingness to work collaboratively across legal and social work disciplines.

Benefits

•    Health care coverage

•    Life insurance

•    Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays

•    401(k) retirement plan

Minimum Qualifications

•    Active member of the State Bar of California in good standing

•    Strong written, verbal, and interviewing skills

•    Patient, flexible, and kind

•    Works well in a team

•    Ability to independently manage a caseload

Highly Desirable

•    Experience with disability benefits advocacy, including SSI/SSDI applications, appeals, and Social Security administrative hearings

•    Experience working with clients who are experiencing homelessness or housing instability, including those in supportive or Single Room Occupancy (SRO) housing

•    Experience working with clients who are severely mentally ill, or who have psychotic disorders, cognitive disabilities, or substance use disorders

•    Bilingual in English and Spanish

•    Experience working with elderly individuals, veterans, adults with disabilities, and/or unhoused individuals or those experiencing a crisis

•    Knowledge of legal issues related to poverty, public benefits, housing, and/or aging

•    Trial, administrative hearing, or courtroom experience

•    A familiarity and comfort with San Bernardino neighborhoods

•    A commitment to contributing to your community and advancing justice for low-income individuals, seniors, and adults with disabilities

Duties and Responsibilities

•    Provide full-scope legal representation to HDAP clients, including disability benefits advocacy (SSI/SSDI applications, appeals, and administrative hearings) and housing-related legal advocacy

•    Work closely with LASSB's Social Services Advocate and the case management team to advance clients' interests in securing disability benefits and stable housing

•    As this is a newer program for LASSB, work with LASSB leadership to develop systems and internal procedures to best serve our clients

•    Conduct intake interviews with new clients in various settings, such as at home, Single Room Occupancy (SRO) hotels, shelters, court, and other community-based settings

•    Collaborate as part of an interdisciplinary team on case assessment, advocacy strategy, and service provision

•    Provide in-office “backup” on a rotating basis, responding to client emergencies and agency inquiries

•    Maintain accurate case records and support grant compliance and reporting requirements

•    Support community outreach and education related to HDAP, disability benefits, and housing stability

Supervision

This position is supervised by the Coordinating Attorney.

Work Arrangement

This is a hybrid position. The role requires regular in-person work, including field-based client home visits and other community-based appointments, in-person court and administrative hearing appearances, and being physically present to support and collaborate with the interdisciplinary team. When work does not require an in-person presence, a hybrid schedule with some remote work may be available. Because client home visits and team support are essential functions of this role, the successful candidate must be able to reliably work in person and in the field as scheduled and as client and program needs require. Reliable transportation for local travel is required. Some evening and weekend work may be necessary, and we aim to modify schedules to accommodate these needs.

Working Conditions

This position requires working with individuals during times of extreme stress and instability, providing culturally sensitive and empathetic services. It also involves traveling to various neighborhoods and meeting clients in diverse settings, such as their homes, Single Room Occupancy (SRO) hotels, shelters, court, and other community-based locations. Local travel between LASSB offices, clinic locations, and community-based settings is required, and reliable transportation is needed.

Physical Requirements

This position requires sitting, standing, walking, and occasional lifting of office and case materials weighing up to approximately 25 pounds. Reasonable accommodations will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities to enable them to perform the essential functions of the position.

Compensation

Salary: $75,000–$90,000 annually, depending on qualifications and experience.

This salary range represents LASSB's good-faith estimate of the compensation reasonably expected to be offered for this position, in compliance with California law. Starting salary will be determined based on the selected candidate's qualifications, experience, and internal equity considerations. Consistent with California law, LASSB does not seek or consider an applicant's salary history in making employment decisions.

How to Apply / Who We Encourage to Apply

If you meet many of the qualifications in this job description, we encourage you to apply and to explain in your cover letter why your experience makes you a good fit for the position. We understand that strong candidates might self-select out of the process if they do not meet every qualification, which can disproportionately affect individuals from historically marginalized backgrounds. Our strength lies in the diversity of our team, and a welcoming, inclusive, and culturally diverse staff enables us to best serve our community. We look forward to receiving your application.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino seeks to fill all positions with individuals who share our values, including our commitment to diversity. We encourage all interested individuals to apply, especially people of color; women; individuals from low-income backgrounds; people with disabilities; and those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender non-conforming, or non-binary, as well as anyone belonging to any other federal- or state-protected category.

The Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, reproductive health decision-making, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, California, or local law. We believe in equal employment opportunity for all and are committed to non-discrimination on any basis prohibited by applicable law.

Employment is contingent upon successful completion of any required background check and verification of eligibility to work in the United States, consistent with applicable law. Applicants who require a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process are encouraged to contact LASSB so that appropriate accommodations can be provided.