Staff Attorney

Staff Attorney

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis starting November 13th @ 5pm

About UnCommon Law

UnCommon Law fights to ensure that all people incarcerated for violent crime have access to effective legal representation and opportunities for healing. Through our unique, trauma-informed model of advocacy, we provide the space currently missing in the system for healing, accountability, and safe pathways home from prison. In developing new self-narratives, the people we serve are able to more effectively disrupt violence inside and outside prison and become leaders who change negative societal narratives about those incarcerated for violent crime. Our groundbreaking approach is changing policy and outcomes, driven by the voices and experiences of system-impacted communities.

UnCommon Law’s values include accountability, audacity, authenticity, collaboration, community, empathy, imagination, joy, liberation, and sustainability.

About the Role

Staff Attorneys at UnCommon Law are responsible for the provision of legal services to clients and participants across a range of representation modalities, including direct representation in parole hearings; consultation management and delivery; habeas and other litigation; and legal services offered through Home After Harm and related in-prison workshops. This Staff Attorney’s time will be allocated as outlined below. 

This exempt position reports directly to the Supervising Attorney and offers an annual salary range of $84,000 to $100,800+ commensurate with years of direct relevant experience. As a mission-driven organization, we strive to balance competitive pay with our values. Final salary offers are determined based on the candidate’s job-related skills, experience, and expertise, as assessed during the interview process and aligned with our structured salary schedule. Our office is based in Oakland, CA, and we offer a hybrid work model to our employees. The anticipated start date for this position is Spring 2027.

Key Duties and Responsibilities 

Direct Representation (70%)

• Manage a caseload of individual clients in preparation for parole hearings
• Client representation includes:
  • Conducting intake visits and assessments 
  • One-on-one visits with clients in-person, via video, or via telephone
  • Written correspondence and follow-up
  • Communication with supporters and loved ones
  •  Document review and feedback
  •  Representation of clients at their parole hearings
  • Other advocacy on behalf of clients in parole processes (e.g. correcting risk assessments, written and oral statements at en banc hearings, etc.)
• Draft, edit, and submit other legal advocacy documents to Board of Parole Hearings or Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation officials as needed
• Engage in continued learning and training opportunities, including:
  • Bi-Weekly (semimonthly) Attorney Case Rounds and Bi-Weekly Legal/Clinical Trainings (semimonthly) 
  • Quarterly parole hearing observation

Home After Harm (HAH) Pilot Program (15%) 

• Manage a caseload of Home After Harm participants, including:
  • Opening case correspondence (opening letter, attorney-client agreement)
  • In-person legal visits, including preparation and follow-up 
  • Transcript reviews for eligible participants
  • Participation in educational workshops
  • Miscellaneous written correspondence and follow-up
• Assist in revising and editing existing HAH legal workshops (as needed)

Educational Training and Events (10%) 

• Participate in Pathways to Parole Success (PPS) Workshops inside California state prisons
• Participate in Lifer School and other UCL community education trainings
• May engage with community organizations and/or legal organizations to provide trainings on the parole process

Organization-Wide (5%)

• Participate in regular staff meetings
• Occasionally participate in in-person team building activities and retreats
• Occasionally assist in cross-team collaborative opportunities, such as policy, non-client mail, and fundraising

Experience

• J.D. with 0-6+ years of experience as a practicing attorney
• Active membership in good standing in the California State Bar
• Demonstrated history of working in a similar or related legal field either prior to or during law school (preferred but not required)
• Experience working with people incarcerated in jail or prison (preferred but not required)
• Experience or familiarity with California’s discretionary parole system (preferred but not required)
• Bilingual skills in Spanish highly preferred

Abilities and Attributes

• Excellent legal writing skills with an ability to be persuasive, kind, and clear for various audiences
• Creative, problem-solving mentality and approach to overcoming obstacles
• A willingness to approach client work with kindness, non-judgement, and confidentiality
• Ability to work independently with minimal, take initiative, and be self-motivated
• Communicative team player who can manage competing and time-sensitive priorities
• Proficiency in providing trauma-informed client services
• Compassion for incarcerated persons and their family members, and a demonstrated interest in criminal justice reform
• Ability to pass a background check that would permit entry into California prisons, e.g. valid ID or DL
• Proficient with Microsoft Office, Google Suite, Box, and Slack, or an ability to learn on the job
• Proficiency in Spanish (strongly preferred but not required)

Benefits and Support

UnCommon Law offers 100% Paid Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage for employees on select insurance plans and covers 75% for dependents. To support our team’s mental wellbeing, UnCommon Law also provides a Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) of $200/month in reimbursable funds for therapeutic expenses. As a 501(c)(3) organization, UnCommon Law is a qualifying employer for purposes of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. 

We have a flexible time off policy and close for two weeks from late December to early January each year. We offer a family leave policy, flexible hours, FSA and retirement plans, regular access to training and clinical support, 13 paid holidays, and 12 days of sick leave. 

In addition to the formal benefits, we are committed to building and maintaining an equitable culture that is sustainable and joyful and where each team member can thrive. You’ll see this in the acknowledgements in weekly staff meetings, in-office lunches, and community gatherings.

Application Instructions

Please submit a resume and a cover letter describing your interest and relevant experience for the role, along with contact information for two professional, academic or other relevant references to our hiring portal (https://uncommonlaw.bamboohr.com/jobs/). Applicants who submit cover letters that are not tailored to the position or the organization will not be considered.

Please note that all correspondence in the hiring process will be through the BambooHR portal. Following the submission of your application, you should receive an automatic response (via email) thanking you for your application. If you do not receive this, please check your spam folder.

UCL is committed to providing an inclusive, welcoming, and culturally responsive environment for all members of our staff, volunteers, subcontractors, vendors, and clients. UCL does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, or prior contact with the criminal justice system. We strongly encourage applications from people impacted by incarceration as well as from traditionally underrepresented communities.