Employment Opportunities

ABOUT US: Oregon Law Center (OLC) is a legal services program committed to achieving justice for the low-income communities of Oregon by providing a full range of the highest quality civil legal services.  OLC operates eleven offices around the state.  It has a litigation support unit, legislative advocacy unit, and statewide farmworker program. 

OLC strives to create a supportive work culture enriched by values of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) for all staff. Our commitment to advancing DEI work is deeply connected to our ability to achieve client-oriented advocacy and access to justice for our low-income communities. The diversity of our staff is a strength and an asset to our organization that helps reflect and effectively advocate for our low-income client communities of diverse backgrounds. 

POSITION/RESPONSIBILITIES: OLC seeks a Communications and Grants Specialist to manage the communication needs of OLC, to promote the organization’s activities, convey impact, and engage our community.  As a member of our statewide administrative team, the Communications and Grants Specialist will also manage OLC’s grant portfolio, reviewing all grant proposals and occasionally assisting in the drafting of grant applications. This position may be based in Portland or may work remotely from another city in which OLC has an office.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree.
• 2-4 years of communications, and grant writing experience in the nonprofit or corporate sector.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, publishing software, and case management software.
• Experience in development of communication plans including, but not limited to, websites, social media, newsletters, email communication, and press releases. 
• Experience with content creation and management of social media accounts.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to prioritize and work on multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
• Ability to work effectively with a wide range of key contacts and stakeholders.
• Experience monitoring grant compliance and expenditures.
• Experience collecting and using data for communication with stakeholders, and data-driven decision making.  
• Experience researching and identifying partners for potential funding and projects.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and ethical standards.
• Ability to work typical business hours during weekdays but be available 24/7 for emergency assistance and work on evenings and weekends as required to serve program needs.

PREFERENCES:

• Fluency in spoken and written Spanish.
• Legal experience is helpful but not required.
• Experience working with underserved communities. 

OLC is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive work environment. OLC encourages applications from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences, including members of historically underrepresented groups, such as Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) individuals, individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and others. Even if you are unsure whether you meet every qualification described, we welcome your application.

SALARY/BENEFITS: Compensation is based on a 35-hour work week and ranges from $74,500 to $111,250, based on years of relevant experience. Additional compensation for bilingual ability. Competitive benefits package includes individual and family health, vision and dental insurance coverage, 6% employer retirement contribution, generous paid holidays, vacation and sick leave, and paid moving expenses, among others.

HOW TO APPLY: Resume review begins on May 21,2025. Position open until filled. To apply, please submit your resume, cover letter, and list of three references to Heather Kemper, Deputy Director, [email protected]. Incomplete submissions will not be reviewed.

As part of your cover letter, please address the following:

OLC is committed to achieving justice for the low-income communities of Oregon.  Our client communities include people of color, farmworkers, LGBTQ+ people, immigrants, seniors, people with lived experiences of homelessness, veterans, people with disabilities, and people from other underrepresented groups. It is essential, in serving clients, that we are also committed to building and maintaining an inclusive and respectful workplace in which differences are acknowledged and valued.  How do you think your personal background or experiences, professional or otherwise, have prepared you to assist OLC in achieving these commitments?

If you require reasonable accommodation for a disability during the application/hiring process, please contact Heather Kemper, Deputy Director, at [email protected].

ABOUT US: OLC is a legal services program committed to achieving justice for the low-income communities of Oregon by providing a full range of the highest quality civil legal services.  OLC operates eleven offices around the state.  It has a litigation support unit, legislative advocacy unit, and statewide farmworker program. 

OLC’s Woodburn Farmworker office comprises three staff attorneys, one supervising attorney, one paralegal.  Additionally, the Program Director and Managing Attorney of the Farmworker Program both work from the Woodburn Farmworker Office. The Farmworker Program sets priorities according to client need: current priorities include employment, occupational safety, immigration, and health, housing, and civil rights.  Most of our clients speak Spanish or one of the indigenous languages native to Mexico and Central America, such as Mixteco, Triqui, Zapoteco, Mam, and Akateco.  They experience a wide variety of legal problems, including unpaid wages, inadequate housing, unsafe work conditions including excessive heat, hazardous chemicals, violence, and sexual harassment. The most common form of discrimination they face is retaliation for asserting their legal protections.

Position: Oregon Law Center (OLC) seeks a staff attorney to provide civil legal services to low-income individuals on employment and employment-related housing, health and safety, and civil rights, matters.  In addition, related to employment and housing conditions, OLC seeks a staff attorney in this position to also provide immigration legal services, in particular assisting clients with T and U visas and SIJS applications.  The position is based in Woodburn, Oregon and serves farmworkers statewide.  Woodburn is located in the heart of the Willamette Valley between Salem and Portland and has a rich history of farmworker movements, from the labor movement to the development of off-farm community housing, to community health, and more. 

Responsibilities:  The staff attorney will handle all phases of litigation in state and federal courts including intake, investigation, filing complaints, engaging in discovery, making, and defending dispositive motions, alternative dispute resolution, and trial.  The staff attorney will also analyze eligibility for U and T visas, and SIJS relief.  There will be a significant emphasis on impact work that affects large numbers of farmworkers, such as class actions. The staff attorney will meet, investigate, and interview farmworkers on assigned cases, sometimes outside of normal business hours, as well as engage in intensive community outreach and education together with OLC’s community educators involving educational presentations to farmworkers and community-based groups.  Attorneys in the Farmworker Program work some irregular hours, with some travel during the daytime and occasionally overnight, and some outreach to clients in the evenings. 

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Requirements:

• Admission to Oregon Bar.
• Demonstrated proficiency in spoken and written Spanish.
• Experience with immigration law, in particular affirmative relief claims.
• Desire and ability to work successfully as part of a team.
• Demonstrated commitment to justice for low-income communities.
• A high degree of initiative and ability to manage a litigation caseload.
• Commitment to developing litigation and other advocacy skills.
• Excellent written and verbal advocacy skills.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills
• Willingness to work irregular hours to meet the needs of clients.
• Proficient use of Microsoft Office Suite (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), Adobe, and web-based video conferencing and learning platforms (e.g., Zoom, Microsoft Teams).
• Demonstrated ability to take direction and guidance from low-income clients and their self-identified priorities and work for solutions within the legal process.

Preferences:

• Experience representing low-income clients, especially farmworkers.
• Experience with complex, impact litigation.
• Employment law experience.

Salary/Benefits:  The salary scale ranges from $65,500 to $102,500 and placement on the scale is determined by years of relevant experience.  Additional compensation for bilingual ability.  Competitive benefits package includes individual and family health, vision and dental insurance coverage, employer retirement contribution, generous paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave, paid moving expenses and bar study leave, among others.  

Application:  Review of applications will begin February 17, 2025.  To apply, please submit your resume, a description of your Spanish proficiency, and list of three references to Heather Kemper, Deputy Director, Oregon Law Center, [email protected].