ADVOCACY COORDINATOR

CLS seeks Advocacy Coordinator for Statewide Support and Coordination

Columbia Legal Services Advocacy Coordinators, under the supervision of the Deputy Director and Director, support the broad variety of client advocacy being undertaken by CLS staff. Much of CLS's work for clients addresses systemic problems and is conducted on a large scale. See www.columbialegal.org/OurWork. Advocacy Coordinators play a vital role in this work, supporting and helping to organize and back up the work while also helping staff expand and improve their skills. Advocacy Coordinators do not carry their own caseload, and instead work with advocates on the advocates' cases. CLS currently has one Advocacy Coordinator on staff and is adding a second coordinator position.

CLS offices carry statewide responsibility for special forum or special procedure client representation for the Washington Alliance for Equal Justice, including class actions, legislative and administrative rulemaking activity, and other work for clients. Staff attorneys and other advocates are responsible for identifying creative legal solutions to address systemic issues affecting those who suffer from disparate treatment or disproportionate burdens of poverty based on special needs, disability, race, ethnicity, language barriers or other obstacles. Staff attorneys also represent individuals on high priority matters. Staff are expected to be able to use the full range of potential forums appropriate to address relevant issues for our clients, including litigation, alternative dispute resolution, and administrative or legislative representation. The changing needs of our clients require CLS staff to engage in an ongoing effort to gain and share expertise and resources with their coworkers and others throughout the Alliance for Equal Justice. The work is challenging, and it is addressed in a collegial atmosphere that emphasizes teamwork, flexibility and mutual accountability. Staff members are expected to strive to understand the values, cultures, and concerns of the client communities we serve.

Advocacy Coordinators' responsibilities include:

• Providing advocacy support to all CLS staff
• Helping to create and support staff teams for litigation and other methods of client representation, including involving private counsel and nonprofit law firms as co-counsel when appropriate
• Identifying training needs and creating training opportunities for staff and for the larger equal justice community
• Working with Managing Attorneys of regional offices in supporting professional development and performance management of CLS advocates
• Developing resources to assist with client representation, including litigation management technology resources
• Occasionally assisting in large cases as co-counsel
• Coordinating with other legal aid providers on advocacy and training
• Working with advocates on legal strategy, written and oral advocacy, advocacy resources, ethical questions, and other advocacy issues
• Coordinating the CLS Advocacy Coordination Group, which reviews and comments on proposals for expenditures of large amounts of resources
• Identifying and strengthening pro bono and co-counseling assistance
• Participating in program leadership, planning, and accountability activities.

Qualifications:
• Strong oral communication and writing skills, including the ability to facilitate teamwork, mentor staff, and support complex advocacy in a variety of forums.
• Experience in complex litigation is necessary. Experience in legislative and administrative agency representation, and project-based work with clients, is preferred. Experience in some substantive area or areas of law relevant to CLS's work, including housing, youth, employment, elder, public benefits, community economic development, and related areas, is preferred. Legal supervisory experience is preferred.
• Demonstrated commitment to addressing issues facing low-income and vulnerable persons, and to exploring creative solutions to problems faced by the client population.
• Five years or more experience in legal services or analogous office setting.
• Evidence of exceptional prior work.
• The ability to speak another language in addition to English spoken by a significant number of people in the populations CLS represents is a plus.
• Substantial travel is required in supporting advocates in six offices in various locations around the State of Washington.
• Law degree and license to practice in Washington or willingness to take next Washington bar exam.

Salary dependent on experience; excellent benefits.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Position is open until filled. Please note that due to the volume of applications received, CLS is unable to respond to every application received.
CLS will contact you if we will be pursuing your application.

Program Policy: Columbia Legal Services is committed to a policy of pluralism and equal opportunity in an environment free of barriers and discriminatory practices for its client communities, Board and staff. Pluralism refers to the active promotion of mutual respect, acceptance, teamwork and productivity among people who are diverse in work background, experience, education, race, color, national origin, sex, age, religious preference, marital status, sexual orientation, sensory, mental and physical abilities, veteran status, or any other perceived differences. The resulting diversity is both a source of program strength and a matter of fundamental human fairness.

Please e-mail (Sharon.nyland@columbialegal.org) or submit resume, writing sample,
list of references to:
Sharon Nyland
Columbia Legal Services
101 Yesler Way, Suite 300
Seattle, Washington 98104