Full-Time and Exempt Employee
Reports to the Directors of Community Inclusion and Services Program and Treatment Facilities Program
Disability Rights Washington (DRW) seeks to fill an attorney position in our Legal Advocacy program.
DRW understands the importance and contribution of candidates with lived experience. People with disabilities, African American, Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), and LGBTQ+ people are particularly encouraged to apply. Disabilities include, but are not limited to, mental health conditions, physical and sensory disabilities, learning and intellectual disabilities, traumatic brain injuries, and chronic health conditions.
Candidates must be dedicated to participating in DRW’s daily attempts to apply Disability Justice and race equity principles to our work. Information about Disability Justice can be found here: https://www.sinsinvalid.org/blog/10-principles-of-disability-justice. DRW is committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and expects employees to participate in DEI-related work and trainings. Information about DRW and DEI can be found here: https://www.disabilityrightswa.org/diversity-equity-inclusion/.
This position will be based in either our Seattle or Spokane office, fulltime remote work is typical for much of the workweek.
Reasonable Disability Accommodations
DRW is committed to providing reasonable disability accommodations at all steps of the hiring process. If you are unsure about what may be considered a disability or what accommodations may work for you, the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) provides information about potential accommodations that are searchable by disability, work-related function, and accommodation. Applicants for DRW employment seeking reasonable disability accommodations for the application and hiring processes can contact Jodi Rose, DRW’s HR & IT Manager, by calling (800) 562-2702 or (206) 324-1521 or by emailing info@dr-wa.org.
Job Overview
DRW’s Legal Advocacy Team seeks a litigation attorney with a demonstrated interest in conducting impact litigation and other systemic advocacy to enforce the legal rights of individuals suffering from abuse, neglect, or other human and civil rights violations. This position will require a licensed attorney, or an individual who will soon become a licensed attorney, with the ability to conduct systemic investigations, develop complex advocacy strategies, and represent both classes and individuals.
The ideal candidate would have lived and/or professional experience relating to DRW’s practice areas, which include, but are not limited to: addressing discrimination, accessing public benefits or long term care services, community re-entry from institutionalization or incarceration, resolving housing instability, and/or ending abuse and neglect. The attorney for this position must have a commitment and capacity to produce high quality legal analyses and to provide effective advocacy through complex civil litigation as well as informal and alternative dispute resolution. All DRW attorneys must demonstrate dedication to DRW’s values of inclusion, diversity, and equity as well as the values of individual autonomy, community integration, universal accessibility, freedom from restraint, and respectful language. DRW seeks applicants who enjoy working in a team environment and are seeking to join in our mission to “advance the dignity, equality, and self-determination of people with disabilities.”
This job involves unsupervised contact with children and vulnerable adults.
Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities
Legal Advocacy:
Conducts legal research and gathers relevant information
Helps clients define problems
Provides legal advice and counseling
Designs action plans for advocacy on behalf of clients
Designs advocacy plans for systemic impact on behalf of clients
Takes assertive action to implement action plans
Provides appropriate follow-up once matters are resolved
Represents people with disabilities on issues pertaining to service requests, advocacy projects, and litigation
Educating Policy Makers:
Engages in policy analysis/advocacy
Prepares public comment or policy reports/writing
Monitoring/Investigation:
Conducts monitoring of community based settings were people with disabilities are served
Conducts investigations into abuse, neglect, and rights violations
Collects accurate and sufficient information regarding complaint allegations, as well as relevant written policies, regulations, directives, and client records
Interviews witnesses and other involved parties as necessary to ascertain facts
Technical Assistance:
Conducts interviews service recipients to define problems, understand relevant information, and design action plans to provide self-advocacy support
Carefully researches information for the purpose of assisting a service recipient in resolving their issue
Provides written and oral information and appropriate referrals to service recipient
Conflict Resolution:
Effectively utilizes conflict resolution and advocacy skills to resolve both internal and external conflicts
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI): Contributes substantively to the pursuit of DRW’s goals related to diversity, equity, and inclusion
Actively engages in agency and team work to practice anti-racist advocacy
Timely Paperwork and Reporting:
Submits all required reports, timesheets, and other documentation in an accurate and timely manner
Work Conditions: Work in an office environment and remotely. Also has extensive local and statewide work-related travel to meet with people in their own homes and offices.
The attorney works a standard workweek, 9:00 am – 4:30 pm (unless an alternative schedule is approved), but must be willing to work evenings, weekends, or extended hours when necessary.
All DRW staff are required to be up to date on their vaccinations against the COVID-19 virus. “Up to date” means a person has received all CDC-recommended COVID-19 vaccines, including any booster dose(s) when eligible. Staff are required to provide proof of vaccination. DRW considers all medical and religious or sincerely held belief exemption requests. In addition to vaccinations, DRW staff are required to observe public safety standards, including mask wearing, social distancing, and sanitizing of workspaces.
Workload Monitoring:
Maintain a reasonably ambitious workload and keep their immediate supervisor informed when there is insufficient work to perform and when there is a risk that work won’t be completed on a timely basis.
Requirements
Employee Commitment
All DRW employees are expected to have a commitment to the values expressed in DRW’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Philosophy Statement
Education
It is required that a DRW Attorney have a Juris Doctor degree from an accredited school of law and be a member in good standing of a state bar association and a member in good standing with the Washington State Bar Association within one year of assuming the position.
Experience Specific to the Position
It is desired that a DRW Attorney have:
Lived and/or professional experiences involving disability rights issues or public interest law
Experience working in a non-profit, public interest, or public relations setting
Deep roots in the disability community with knowledge and experience in the independent living and self-advocacy movements
Three to five years’ experience as a practicing attorney
Abilities Specific to the Position
A DRW Attorney will have:
Demonstrated ability and desire to litigate
Demonstrated skills in the areas of investigation, interviewing, legal research, case strategy, case review, administrative law, and advanced advocacy techniques
Demonstrated ability to discuss a range of current issues facing the disability community including issues related to the disability delivery systems and disability law
Demonstrated ability to effectively present information to a wide variety of audiences using a variety of media
Demonstrated ability to facilitate meetings and discussions
Demonstrated ability to maintain ethical and organizational standards, communicate a position well, respectfully consider other positions, and treat people of different positions and backgrounds with respect and dignity
Demonstrated knowledge of the disability service delivery systems and disability law
Demonstrated ability to perform all of the responsibilities set forth in this position description
Demonstrated understanding of anti-racist concepts and a working knowledge of disability justice principles
General Abilities
An employee in this position is expected to have these general abilities:
Be an effective team member
Effectively communicate verbally
Effectively relate to people with all kinds of disabilities
Exercise initiative, ingenuity, and sound judgment
Organize and manage time
Set work goals and create work plan of activities
Take direction and coordinate work with others
Use Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Outlook, and Internet
Work under pressure in a fast-paced environment
Work independently
Perform basic math functions
It is desired that an Attorney have Multi-lingual ability in languages common to Washington State residents
Transportation:
Given the people we serve live in communities all over the state, the attorney must be able to get to various locations around the state, many of which are not served by public transportation and some of which may not have access to taxi or ride-hailing services.
Background Check:
This position involves unsupervised contact with vulnerable adults and children.
DRW conducts background checks of conviction and arrest records on final candidates prior to extending offers. The hiring process will be conducted in compliance with Seattle’s Fair Chance Employment Ordinance, SMC 14.17 and Washington’s Fair Chance Act, RCW RCW 49.94. Applicants will be provided an opportunity to explain and correct background information. A criminal background does not automatically eliminate candidates from consideration. If a criminal background exists, the nature of the offense will be considered in the context of the essential functions of the position.
About Disability Rights Washington (DRW)
DRW is a private nonprofit organization that advances the dignity, equality, and self-determination of people with disabilities. We are designated by the governor of Washington as the independent federally mandated protection and advocacy system for Washington State. We work to pursue justice on matters related to human and legal rights. Our Board of Directors, which is majority Black, Indigenous, people of color, and majority disabled, sets the priorities of our work in consultation with two advisory councils and input from the community to ensure leadership by the most impacted and “nothing about us without us.” Information about our priorities can be found here: https://www.disabilityrightswa.org/priorities/.
DRW is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. DRW encourages applications from all qualified individuals, including individuals of all races, colors, religions, genders, sexual orientations, gender identities or expressions, ages, national origins, marital statuses, disabilities, and veteran status backgrounds.
For information about us, please visit: http://www.disabilityrightswa.org/.
Position Title: Staff Attorney
Company Name: Disability Rights Washington (DRW)
Location: Remote to start and then in the either our Seattle or Spokane office
Posted: March 16, 2023
Education and Experience required: Document review and/or interview skills to conduct investigations, see full description for more detail.
Job Category: Program
Job Type: Full-time, Exempt
Salary $74,238-$78,224
Generous benefits including 401k contribution, health, dental, vision care, long-term disability, life insurance, transit benefit, Costco membership, holiday, vacation, sick and other types of leave.
To Apply
Please fill out the online application here: https://www.disabilityrightswa.org/impact-litigation-attorney/ and include a cover letter and resume. You may also mail your application to: Disability Rights Washington, Attn: Jodi Rose, 315 Fifth Avenue South, Suite 850, Seattle, WA 98104
DRW is committed to promoting universal accessibility and fairness in our interview process. At least three business days before an interview, DRW will tell applicants the names, pronouns, and titles of DRW interviewers and will provide the interview questions, which will be the same for all applicants. During interviews, DRW will provide a visual description of the interviewers and turn on captions for online interviews. We also know that other efforts to make our process more accessible may be needed based on individual needs and we will provide reasonable accommodations for any portion of the application or interview process. You can request them by contacting Jodi Rose, DRW’s HR & IT Manager, using the information provided above. If you are not sure if you would benefit from an accommodation, you can review the Job Accommodations Network (JAN) website, which provides many ideas about possible accommodations that have worked for others, and you are more than welcome to call Jodi to discuss ideas you have or what we have done in the past. JAN is located here: https://askjan.org/soar.cfm.
Submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis and will be accepted until the position is filled. The first review of applications will take place on May 2, 2023 with the hope of contacting selected applicants that week and starting interviews the following week. Applicants will only be contacted if they are selected for an interview. The interview process will include two rounds of interviews. If selected as a finalist, DRW may ask the applicant for contacts to verify previous employment.
When applying, mention you saw this opening listed on Disability Scoop.