Unhoused Advocacy Fellow, Health in San Jose, California at Law Foundation of Silicon Valley

Who We Are

The Law Foundation of Silicon Valley (“Law Foundation”) is dedicated to advancing the rights of historically excluded individuals and families throughout Santa Clara County. Through our legal services, strategic advocacy, and educational outreach, we empower over 14,000 individuals and families each year. Our Housing, Children & Youth, Health and Pro Bono Programs use legal advocacy as a catalyst for social change, creating innovative solutions to the legal challenges facing low-income communities in our region. With a dedicated team of over 85 employees, we are the largest provider of free legal services in the South Bay region of the Bay Area. Learn more at https://www.lawfoundation.org/ .

The Opportunity

We are excited to offer an opportunity for a Legal Fellow to join our Health Program at the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley. The Health Program provides free legal advice and representation to individuals in Santa Clara County who identify as living with mental health disabilities. We also provide free legal help to patients of Valley Homeless Health Program, Valley Health Center Downtown Clinic, Gender Health Center, and individuals experiencing homelessness in Santa Clara County.

The Legal Fellow will be assigned to the Health Program, specifically focusing on unhoused outreach and legal advocacy, including advocacy related to economic rights, RV tow hearings, property claims, small claims matters, and other related legal issues. This project also engages in local policy advocacy regarding unhoused individuals and coalition building between organizations supporting unhoused individuals.

Proposed Project

You will undertake a project focusing on adult housing insecurity and homelessness. In California, older adults are estimated to be the fastest-growing group in the unhoused community. From 2017 to 2021, California’s overall older adult population grew by 7%, but the number of people 55 and over who sought homelessness services increased 84% — more than any other age group — according to the state’s Homeless Data Integration System. There is a need to focus on the older population facing economic and housing instability.

Accordingly, during this fellowship, your time will be spent working on unhoused outreach and handling legal cases, with a specific focus on serving unhoused adults. You will identify these clients through Unhoused outreach and various existing referral sources. Outreach will be conducted in encampments, shelters, and with partner organizations. You will be responsible for developing new and maintaining existing partnerships with organizations supporting older unhoused people. Through this outreach, you will identify older adults who are facing insecure housing or are currently unhoused and assist them with various legal issues.

In addition to the outreach, your legal advocacy for clients will include assisting clients with pre- and post-eligibility public benefits matters at the County and Federal level, identifying and applying for temporary and ultimately permanent housing, representing clients at RV tow hearings, assisting with property claims against the City of San Jose and other relevant parties, assisting on small claims matters, representing clients on criminal expungement matters, and providing other related legal assistance, as needed.

What You’ll Do

As a Legal Fellow, you will manage a caseload of individual clients and broader advocacy efforts, including:

• Engage in outreach designed to educate the unhoused community about their legal rights and to connect them to our legal services.
• Provide legal advocacy and representation to unhoused adults.
• Represent and advise clients on public benefits issues (including Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and Medi-Cal) to help clients maintain or prevent the loss of entitled benefits, as needed.
• Engage in community-based advocacy, coalitions, system reform, pre-litigation, and legislative efforts that concern or impact unhoused clients.
• Assist with client intake, referrals, and administrative tasks such as data entry, as needed.
• Participate in Law Foundation activities, such as program meetings, special events, and fundraisers.
• Assist underserved populations, including communities of color, LGBTQIA+ community, immigrant/refugee communities, individuals living with physical and/or mental health disabilities, unstably housed individuals, people using drugs, and system-impacted individuals in line with the Law Foundation’s Race Equity Inclusion principles.

Who You Are

• Applicants must be current members in good standing with the California State Bar, plan to take the next California Bar Examination, or be graduating law students eligible to sit for the upcoming exam and in the process of obtaining a positive moral character determination. Recent graduates and junior-level attorneys are encouraged to apply.
• Prior experience or a general understanding of legal aid services and the communities most impacted.
• A passion for social justice and race equity.
• Able to work sensitively and productively to identify, investigate, and resolve client problems.
• Excellent verbal, interpersonal, research, writing, analytical, interviewing, and organizational skills.
• Able to work independently and as a part of a team.
• Excellent time and caseload management skills; ability to work independently to get your tasks done.
• Have a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation to attend hearings, home visits, and outreach events.
• Basic computer proficiency and willingness to learn new technology as needed.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish or Vietnamese (preferred).
• Interest or passion in community-driven advocacy, policy advocacy, and/or impact litigation preferred.
• Awareness of how race and other identities shape our work with communities; commitment to
  inclusion and belonging.
• Alignment with the mission and values of LFSV.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 or similar, with openness to learning new tools.

Preferred Qualifications (Strongly Desired)

• Bilingual in English and Spanish

What We Offer

This is a full-time, exempt position reporting to the Directing Attorney. This is a fixed-term position with an anticipated end date of June 30, 2027.

The annual salary range for this role is $76,000-$109,000 determined by the current Collective Bargaining Agreement between SEIU Local 521 and Law Foundation. Compensation will be determined based on the selected candidate's classification and experience. Staff Attorney compensation is based on bar admission date and comparable months of post J.D. legal experience. JD Advocate compensation is based on qualifications and comparable professional experience.

We are committed to supporting the well-being, growth, and professional development of our team members. To that end, we offer a comprehensive and competitive benefit package, which includes:

• 19 paid holidays per year
• 3-5 weeks of vacation per year
• 12 days of sick leave per year
• Up to 6 months of parental leave
• Fully paid medical, dental, and vision insurance premiums
• A robust Employee Assistance Program that includes free/discounted mental health therapy and wellness services for employees and their dependents
• An additional monthly stipend for those who are bilingual and utilize their language abilities in the course of their job
• An annual budget for professional development
• Employer paid CA Bar license
• The flexibility to work a hybrid schedule
• An office building that offers a fully equipped gym, outdoor terrace, convenient on-site parking, bike storage, lounge areas, and 24/7 security

Workplace Expectations

Law Foundation is a hybrid workplace. Please note that the Legal Fellow may be expected to work in our San Jose office a minimum of 2 days/week.

Employees must be California State residents. Due to logistical challenges regarding taxes, insurance, and time zones, we are not able to consider staff in other states at this time.

Working At Law Foundation

Law Foundation is a unionized workplace, and members of the bargaining unit are represented by SEIU Local 521. This position is part of the bargaining unit.

Additionally, Law Foundation is strongly committed to building a culturally diverse workplace centered on equity and providing an inclusive, welcoming, and culturally responsive environment for our staff, volunteers, clients, and partners. To achieve this goal, the Law Foundation actively works to improve communications, community engagement, systems and structures, and office culture to create an inclusive and respectful workplace where differences are acknowledged and valued.

We strongly encourage individuals from traditionally underrepresented communities to apply. Law Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religious creed, sex, gender, gender expression, gender identity, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior contact with the criminal legal system, or any other basis prohibited by law.

Application Process

Application materials must include:

• A cover letter that addresses the following: How has your personal background or experiences, professional or otherwise, prepared you to contribute to social justice, race equity and diversity among our staff?
• A resume
• Contact information for three professional references. We will always ask for your consent and inform you before contacting any of your references.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Priority review will be given to applications received by August 1, 2026. Please note that our interview process includes interviewing by phone, video, and/or in-person.

If you are passionate about making a difference and want to be part of a team that values people, trust, accountability, creativity, joy, and fun, we would love to hear from you!

Equal Opportunity Employment

The Law Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer. We encourage people of color, womxn, people living with disabilities, older people, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people to apply. It is the policy of the Law Foundation to prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type and to afford equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants, without regard to race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, pregnancy, medical condition or genetic information, veteran status, national origin, disability, marital or other protected status. The Law Foundation will conform to the spirit, as well as the letter of all applicable laws and regulations.

ADA Accessible Facility - Equal Opportunity Employer - Drug-Free Workplace