Public Counsel · 17 hours ago
Managing Attorney
Los Angeles, CA
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
$125K/yr - $142K/yr
10+ years expPublic Counsel is a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to advancing civil rights and racial and economic justice. The Managing Attorney provides leadership and management for the impact litigation team, overseeing litigation dockets and ensuring effective staffing and execution of high-impact cases.
LegalProfessional ServicesSocial
Responsibilities
Attorney, Fellow & Intern Supervision and Mentorship Along with the Director of Litigation, leads, mentors, and supports OUL’s attorneys and fellows, fostering excellence, collaboration, and growth
Directly supervises OUL’s strategic litigation counsel, staff attorneys, and fellows (currently seven staff total), including by holding consistent individual and group check-in meetings, supporting their development, providing growth-oriented feedback, and conducting formal evaluations
Along with the Program Manager, organizes and facilitates OUL meetings, retreats, strategic planning, and team-building activities
Engages in active and intentional recruiting, hiring, onboarding, and training for OUL attorneys and fellows to attract and retain high-performing employees
Recruits and supervises OUL’s academic year and summer law student interns, and supports the integration of social work interns into the team
Substantive Litigation, Cross-Team Collaboration, and Case Staffing Along with the Director of Litigation, oversees OUL’s docket and the development of novel or complex legal theories underpinning our cases as well as the related litigation plans and media strategies
Collaborates with staff to identify, evaluate, and develop potential impact litigation matters for OUL arising from Public Counsel’s direct services work and from community needs on the local, state, and national levels—including by coordinating quarterly organization-wide system change meetings in four substantive areas (housing, economic justice, immigration, and child, youth & family/education)
Serves as counsel in select pieces of OUL’s litigation, collaborating with teams of in-house staff and pro bono counsel through all phases of litigation, including investigations, discovery, motions, trial, appeals, settlements, and settlement implementation
Implements amicus strategies for OUL’s cases, as well as identifying amicus opportunities and supervising the drafting and filing of amicus briefs by OUL
Along with the Program Manager, administers OUL case staffing to ensure sufficient and equitably distributed case coverage, placing responsibility on staff members for ownership over their cases while supporting manageable workloads for staff retention
Collaborates closely with Public Counsel’s Directing Attorneys and Senior Special Counsel for Strategic Litigation to ensure clear communication and coordinated staffing for cross-team litigation involving OUL
External Engagement and Program Administration Works with the pro bono team to recruit and support pro bono attorneys engaged in OUL’s impact litigation and amicus efforts and to ensure proper pro bono reporting
Partners with the communications team and outside media relations firms to craft compelling messaging and elevate the visibility and impact of OUL’s active litigation and related campaigns, including by representing Public Counsel at conferences, trainings, and other public-facing events
Builds and sustains strong relationships with community partners, co-counsel, coalitions, peer organizations, and external stakeholders to support coordinated and community-centered litigation
Along with the Program Manager, develops, implements, and oversees internal guidelines, resources, templates, and systems to strengthen and maintain the quality and consistency of litigation within OUL
Engages with the creation and tracking of OUL’s departmental budget and financial administration
Monitors OUL's grant compliance and deliverables and assists with grant proposals and reporting
Performs other duties as assigned
Qualification
Required
At least 10 years of legal experience
Juris Doctor degree and a member in good standing of any state bar (if not a member of the State Bar of California, must be prepared to join)
Significant management and mentorship experience, including assembling effective teams, providing sustained and meaningful supervision, overseeing case assignments, maintaining team morale, and teaching and cultivating the talents of more junior staff
Significant experience creating, implementing, and sustaining systems and procedures designed to ensure the smooth functioning of legal teams and cases
Experience in complex, high-stakes, or multi-party litigation, including in overall case management, investigations, pleadings, discovery, dispositive motions, trial work, appeals, settlements, and settlement implementation
Exceptional brief writing and editing skills, with a record of producing or overseeing top-quality trial and/or appellate filings
Experience with oral advocacy, including arguing motions or appeals in state and federal courts
Demonstrated ability to conceptualize and refine novel or complex legal theories
Demonstrated commitment to racial and economic justice, and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and in the communities Public Counsel serves
Experience and comfort working with clients living in poverty, including clients experiencing addiction or mental health issues
Demonstrated experience with and commitment to trauma-informed legal advocacy
Ability to work cooperatively across teams, levels, and functions within the organization and to navigate difficult conversations and address conflict effectively
Excellent judgment and discretion as well as excellent interpersonal, management, and organizational skills that gain and sustain respect internally and with external partners
Inspiring, decisive, collaborative, transparent, and flexible leadership style
High levels of emotional intelligence and cultural competency, including being curious, self-aware, cognizant of bias, compassionate, patient, and willing to listen, and having a growth and open mindset
Preferred
Experience developing strategic communications and engaging with press
Leadership experience and vision for—as well as demonstrated commitment to—advancing justice, with experience working in coalition with pro bono co-counsel, policy advocates, and community stakeholders
Benefits
Medical coverage with an option for 100% employer-paid employee and dependent child(ren)’s premiums; buy-up options are available for other HMO and PPO coverage
Dental and vision coverage
Option to enroll in a Flexible Spending Account
Employer-paid life insurance and disability plans
403(b) retirement plan with an elective employee contribution, and after a year of employment a discretionary employer contribution
Free on-site parking or public transportation reimbursement
$45 per pay period for employees who use non-English language skills to perform work duties
Up to 6 months of parental leave
Organizational and team wellness activities to build team cohesion and camaraderie
Professional development support and opportunities
Annual payment of dues for required licenses or certifications (state bar dues for attorneys) and for a mutually agreed-upon professional organization
Centrally located headquarters in the heart of Koreatown, a vibrant neighborhood with easy access to public transportation, diverse dining options, and cultural attractions
Company
Public Counsel
Public Counsel is law practice firm that provides legal services including advocacy and impact litigation services.
51-200 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageLeadership Team
Karla Barrow Chalif
VP, COO, General Counsel
Tracy K. Rice
Vice President and Chief Development Officer
Recent News
San Francisco Chronicle
2025-07-13
2025-06-28
Press Telegram
2025-05-29
Company data provided by crunchbase