Family Law/DV Attorney - Temporary

About the role

Bay Area Legal Aid (BayLegal) is a non-profit law firm providing free civil legal services to individuals and families living in poverty throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. The organization uses a community‑based service model with legal hotlines, six physical offices, and community‑based advocacy clinics and intake points. It works in inter‑related legal areas to prevent homelessness, increase economic stability, protect low‑income consumers, expand healthcare access, and enhance safety for survivors of interpersonal violence. Clients include the working poor, families with children, foster youth, seniors, immigrants, veterans, individuals impacted by the criminal and juvenile legal systems, and persons with disabilities. The Family Law/DV Practice Team represents domestic violence survivors in restraining order actions, child custody and visitation, dissolutions, child and spousal support, and immigration relief (VAWA, U Visa, etc.), and engages in community education, policy advocacy, and litigation. The position is for a family law attorney based in BayLegal’s San Mateo County office, with some travel required for client meetings, court appearances, and other work. This is a temporary position lasting approximately six months.

Responsibilities

• Learn about and advocate for the diverse legal needs of undeserved and vulnerable communities in San Mateo and the broader Bay Area to reduce homelessness, enhance stability, and address social justice.
• Represent low‑income survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in an array of family court proceedings, including dissolution, child custody and support, parentage actions, and restraining orders.
• Represent immigrant survivors of interpersonal violence in seeking and obtaining immigration relief through U Visa, VAWA, and Adjustment of Status petitions.
• Work with colleagues to identify issues and ways to improve access and legal protections for survivors of interpersonal violence.
• Provide workshops and technical assistance to community partners and client communities on family law and a broad range of civil legal issues.
• Work collaboratively with attorneys practicing in BayLegal’s other substantive areas.
• Engage with, build and foster broad public‑private partnerships, including with governmental agencies, courts, community‑based organizations, and pro bono partners to ensure integrated services, client outreach and address barriers facing BayLegal's client community.
• Engage in other tasks and projects that further the interest of fostering BayLegal's mission and operations as a non‑profit.

Schedule

BayLegal employees are expected to work on‑site and in‑person at a designated BayLegal office or community‑based advocacy site at least three (3) days per week and may work remotely from home on a part‑time basis. Employees must reside in California and at a distance allowing them to commute to their physical BayLegal base location during the standard work week.