Staff Attorney – Portland Regional Office

About the role

The Portland Regional Office of Legal Aid Services of Oregon is seeking a bilingual (Spanish-speaking) attorney to serve domestic and sexual violence survivors in Multnomah County. The position is a hard-funded position. This will primarily be a family law caseload including representation of clients in restraining orders, divorce and custody matters with the opportunity to expand into other areas of civil litigation as it relates to survivor rights.

This position is primarily funded by Oregon’s State Justice Reinvestment Grant Program and services are restricted to survivors of crime with legal matters that arise in Multnomah County.

Background

LASO is a non-profit organization that represents low-income clients in civil cases. LASO’s eight regional offices serve the general low-income population throughout the state and three specialized statewide programs focused on services to farmworkers, people facing tax disputes and on issues impacting Native Americans. LASO is an effective, high-quality legal services program that is committed to advocacy strategies having the broadest possible impact on client community problems.

The Portland Regional Office of LASO serves a poverty population of more than 220,000. The office serves Multnomah, Clackamas, Hood River, Sherman and Wasco counties, a diverse service area requiring the ability to work effectively with individuals from different cultures and backgrounds. The Portland Office has adopted a race equity agenda to guide its work with clients as well as its internal operations. The office has a strong commitment to building an inclusive, diverse workplace.

Responsibilities

• Conducting multiple weekly trauma-informed consultations and providing timely advice and information for survivors.
• Providing representation to survivors of crime, including domestic and sexual violence and stalking, for priority/high-lethality matters.
• Handling restraining orders, custody and divorce matters, and other civil legal needs within the litigation caseload.
• Quarterly grant reporting alongside the Regional Director.
• Working closely with community-based organizations as a liaison to LASO for organizations that serve BIPOC and immigrant communities to receive referrals, identify legal issues important to crime victims, conduct regular trainings, and attend outreach events.

Qualifications

• Bilingual in English and Spanish;
• Current member of the Oregon State Bar or able to gain admission through reciprocity;
• Proven interest and commitment to advocating for the legal rights of low-income Oregonians, specifically DV/SA survivors;
• Experience providing trauma-informed services to survivors;
• Enthusiasm, creativity, good judgment, initiative, and willingness to work collaboratively in a high volume environment;
• Demonstrate an understanding and commitment to anti-bias principles, cultural competency, and addressing systemic racism and other forms of oppression.

Salary/Benefits

Compensation is based on a 35-hour work week. Salary range is $66,200 – 73,700 for 0-5 years’ experience; $75,200 – 81,200 for 6-10 years’ experience and $82,700 - $105,200 for 11-30 years’ experience annually; salaries are determined by relevant work experience and our collective bargaining agreement. An additional $4,300 to $5,700 annually is available to bilingual staff, depending on proficiency. In addition, LASO offers a full benefits package including individual and family health, vision, and dental insurance coverage; 6% employer retirement contribution; generous paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave; and paid moving expenses.

Closing Date

Open until filled. Review of resumes to begin May 15, 2026.

Applications

To apply, send resume and letter of interest (including a response to the supplemental question below) to: Melissa Haggerty

Supplemental question

Please provide a written response to the following question and submit as part of your application materials. Limit response to 500 words.

How do you think your personal background or experiences, professional or otherwise, have prepared you to:

• Serve our diverse client communities effectively?
• Work effectively with colleagues from backgrounds different than your own?
• Acknowledge the systemic barriers that our clients face?
• Contribute to our efforts to achieve racial justice?

Feel free to provide examples and apply various aspects of your life and personal experiences in your response.