Family Law Attorney

Saahas for Cause is seeking a dedicated, mission-driven Family Law Attorney to serve as a founding member of its newly established in-house legal team, made possible through the OVW Expanding Legal Services Initiative (ELSI) grant. This is a rare and uniquely rewarding opportunity to build and shape a legal program from its foundation within a nationally recognized, woman-led nonprofit that has served over 334 South Asian immigrant survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking since its inception in 2019.

The Family Law Attorney will deliver culturally competent, trauma-informed, full-scope legal representation to South Asian immigrant survivors in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, working at the intersection of law, social work, and community advocacy. The attorney will collaborate with case managers, counselors, outreach staff, and external partner organizations to ensure that every client receives holistic, coordinated, and survivor-centered legal and support services.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Trauma-Informed Legal Representation

• Provide full-scope legal representation to survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in all family law proceedings, including emergency protective orders, temporary and permanent domestic violence restraining orders, divorce, legal separation, child custody and visitation, child support, and spousal support (alimony).

• Deliver all legal services in a culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and client-centered manner; translate complex legal processes into accessible language tailored to each client’s background and engage in ongoing secondary trauma self-care practices.

2. Court Representation and Litigation

• Represent clients in family law proceedings in Los Angeles County Superior Court and Orange County Superior Court.

• Prepare and file all required pleadings, motions, declarations, and proposed orders; conduct targeted legal research; and advocate effectively before judges and court personnel, countering harmful misconceptions about trauma responses.

• Engage in ongoing safety planning with clients throughout the legal process, recognizing that legal proceedings may escalate risk, and that safety planning must be integrated into case strategy.

3. Multidisciplinary Team Collaboration

• When requested by the client, and consistent with attorney-client privilege and VAWA confidentiality requirements, coordinate with Saahas case managers, counselors, and community advocates to address survivors’ legal, safety, and holistic support needs.

• Work in close coordination with the Project Coordinator on caseload management, grant reporting data, and program development, while modeling trauma-informed best practices across the team.

• Support clients’ immigration-related needs by identifying and referring immigration-specific matters to qualified external partners (AJSOCAL and Tahirih Justice Center); coordinate with clients’ immigration attorneys when requested by the client.

4. Community Outreach

• Participate in community outreach activities that inform South Asian immigrant survivors about available legal services and connect them with Saahas’ in-house legal program and relevant external resources. Outreach activities shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the attorney’s total grant-funded time.

5. Program Development and Policy Participation

• Contribute substantively to the development and ongoing refinement of all legal program policies and procedures and make recommendations for service improvement.

6. Grant Compliance, Documentation, and Reporting

• Ensure compliance with all OVW funder requirements, including maintaining thorough and accurate case documentation, tracking required VAWA client data, completing OVW Programmatic Progress and Financial Quarterly Reports, and attending trainings mandated by the funder and organization.

7. Professional Development

• Attend and actively engage in trainings mandated by the funder and other legal and professional development trainings; maintain current California State Bar membership in good standing throughout the grant period.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required Qualifications

Education

Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an ABA-accredited law school.

Licensure

Active membership in the California State Bar in good standing; maintained throughout employment.

Experience

Minimum of two (2) years of legal experience in family law and/or domestic violence legal services. This may include supervised clinical experience and internships/externships.

Legal Knowledge

Comprehensive knowledge of California Family Code and California Rules of Court.

Cultural Competence

Demonstrated cultural humility and ability to work effectively with clients from diverse linguistic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds, including South Asian immigrant communities.

Communication

Excellent communication skills; ability to communicate complex legal concepts in plain, accessible language for clients with limited English proficiency or legal literacy.

Ethics

Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to professional responsibility requirements, including attorney-client privilege, confidentiality obligations under California Rules of Professional Conduct, and VAWA confidentiality provisions.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYMENT

Saahas for Cause is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of employment. Saahas does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Saahas strongly encourages applications from individuals with lived experience of the South Asian immigrant community and from survivors of gender-based violence.

This project was supported by Grant No. 15JOVW-25-GG-00526-LEGA awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Justice.