Managing Attorney, Metropolitan Equity

Public Advocates seeks a collaborative, strategic senior team leader to serve as Managing Attorney of the Metropolitan Equity Team.

For more than 55 years, Public Advocates has challenged the systemic causes of poverty and racial discrimination. As a bold and highly regarded nonprofit law firm and advocacy organization, we skillfully deploy a multi-pronged approach. Using litigation and enforcement, policy advocacy, community partnership, movement-building, and communication strategies, PA achieves tangible legal and policy victories in education, housing, and transit justice and builds power with low-income communities of color.

PA was recently ranked as one of the top two most effective legislative advocacy groups out of over 100 ranked by Cal Matters. We have a team of 34 staff people, a 14-person Board of Directors, and an annual budget of $6.9 million.

Public Advocates is seeking a Managing Attorney to co-lead the Metropolitan Equity (Met) team. This team of 14 attorneys and advocates works to increase affordable homes in all communities, protect tenants and communities facing displacement pressures, support public transportation that serves the needs of low-income people, win socially just and environmentally sustainable development, and fund infrastructure that meets the needs of historically disinvested communities.

The Managing Attorney will co-lead the Met Team with the Managing Director, who brings complementary organizing, campaign, fundraising, and team leadership strengths to a shared agenda. Together, they will set the strategic direction of the team, oversee the portfolio of advocacy campaigns, projects, and cases, and manage team operations. They will also partner with other internal senior leaders on communications and fundraising and serve on the executive-level Management Team.

Within the shared leadership structure, the Managing Attorney will lead the Met team’s litigation strategy and execution, and shape legal advocacy embedded in community-driven local, state, and federal policy campaigns. The Managing Attorney will directly supervise 2-4 attorneys and/or policy advocates and mentor and coach all members of the Met Team.

The successful candidate will bring demonstrated strengths in several of these areas, along with the capacity and enthusiasm to grow in others.

Set, guide, and execute the Met team’s litigation and administrative advocacy, including partnerships with pro bono co-counsel. Lead non-litigation legal advocacy as part of community-based coalitions and campaigns, ensuring that it is high quality and pursued in authentic collaboration with our community partners so as to reflect the needs of low-income communities and communities of color.

In co-leadership with the Managing Director, set the strategic direction and management of the Met Team, translating the organizational mission into ambitious, effective work that improves material conditions and builds the power of low-income communities and communities of color, and guide the Met Team’s portfolio of local, state, and federal policy and legal advocacy projects.

Supervise, evaluate, mentor, and support the professional development of attorneys, law fellows, and/or policy advocates.

Actively contribute to organizational strategic direction and management as a part of the Management Team and support the CEO in carrying out organizational priorities.

Collaborate with the Managing Director of Communications to develop and execute program communication goals and strategies, strengthen the organization’s brand, and serve as a public spokesperson.

Lead and/or support fundraising efforts for the Met Team and Public Advocates, partnering with organizational leadership to cultivate funders and communicate impact.

Proactively implement the organization’s diversity commitments through recruitment,…