Interested in Law and Social Justice?
California is experiencing an explosion in the numbers of individuals appearing before the court without professional legal representation on a variety of matters from family law to housing. California courts report up to 95 percent self-representation rates in family law and housing related cases, 55 percent in probate and 50 percent in general civil cases. In all, over 4.3 million California court users are self-represented. The majority of these individuals do not obtain legal representation because they cannot afford it.
Resources available to meet the needs of these self-represented individuals are sorely lacking. In fact, the ratio of un-represented litigants to legal aid attorneys in California is 10,000 to 1.
Inability to resolve legal matters jeopardizes litigants’ ability to secure safe, affordable housing, to overcome barriers to employment, to obtain guardianships, or to avoid domestic violence and elder abuse. Through their service, JusticeCorps Fellows help to address the needs of self-represented litigants. Helping them to help themselves find justice and learning about the law and life in return for their service.
Bay Area JusticeCorps Fellows will be responsible for direct service to self-represented litigants including: assistance with forms, providing legal information and referrals, assisting in and leading workshops, translation, in-court assistance to litigants as well as taking on complex long-term projects. In addition to these responsibilities Team Leaders will provide an additional layer of leadership and support for the corps’ college members (who serve 300 hours over the course of two semesters) by: serving as on-site mentors, coordinating members service schedules, helping members to track their progress towards program completion, familiarizing members with site practices and procedures and, will perform related work as required.
EXAMPLES OF DUTIES
1) Provide one-on-one assistance to self-represented litigants in court-based self-help centers.
2) Work closely with site supervisors and university representatives to support college student
interns.
3) Conduct workshops for litigants.
4) Serve as a role model and provide information and resources on best practices to student interns
5) Communicate with program staff, site supervisors, and other members to ensure the execution
of a quality program.
6) Coordinate interns’ service schedules and schedule requests.
7) Other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
Education
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
And
Experience
Experience as a JusticeCorps/AmeriCorps member or participation in a similar national, international or community-based service program is desirable. Familiarity with AmeriCorps, community service or civic engagement programs is desirable. Experience working with self-represented litigants or other access to justice issues is also desirable.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Skills and Abilities to:
- 2nd language proficiency (fluency or near fluency) in Spanish, Chinese or Vietnamese or other languages widely spoken in the Bay Area is desirable.
- Communicate effectively orally and in writing.
- Work in a fast paced, high volume environment.
- Work with individuals who are under emotional stress.
- Ability to serve Continuously between August 20th, 2024 and August 1st 2025.
- Ability to participate in training on the weekend of September 7th and 8th 2024 as well as several selected Saturdays during the program year.
Knowledge of:
- Family law, small claims, restraining orders, or housing law is desirable.
- Court practices and procedures is desirable.
Location:
Positions may be available in: San Francisco, Hayward and Redwood City.
Compensation/Benefits:
Living Allowance: $34,500/year plus Health Insurance, Department of Education loan forbearance, and childcare benefits.
In addition to the living allowance all Fellows who complete the mandatory 1,700 hours of service will earn, a $10,000 in Education Awards (Awards can be used to pay back qualified student loans or for future education at a qualified degree granting institution.)
Term
This is a one-year position beginning of August 19th 2025. Fellows must successfully complete 1,700 hours of service by August 1st 2026.
To Apply:
Applications are available at:
http://www.bayareajusticecorps.org/
Please make sure that the application you complete is for the Bay Area Fellow position. Other applications will not be accepted.
Applications must be received by midnight on 2/17/2025.
Notes:
JusticeCorps Fellowships are offered pending available funding. The number and availability of these positions could change based on state, federal or court budget allocations.