Graduate Legal Fellow Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Position Summary

This position is open to those who will be taking the July 2026 California Bar exam. The position is intended to transition into a full-time staff attorney position on the SSI Team, as described below. Under the general supervision of the SSI Team’s Managing Attorney and Supervising Attorneys, the Post-Bar Fellow will be provided with training regarding the basics of SSI/SSDI eligibility screenings, applications, appeals, and hearings. The Post-Bar Fellow will attend outreach events, during which the Post-Bar Fellow will interview prospective clients; determine program eligibility; render legal advice; and draft initial applications and other documents. The Post-Bar Fellow will also assist attorneys in all phases of the administrative hearing process, including research, drafting pleadings, preparing clients, and drafting appeals. Upon passage of the July 2026 California Bar exam, a favorable performance evaluation, and subject to available funding, it is anticipated the Post-Bar Fellow will be offered full-time, permanent employment as a Staff Attorney on one of LASSD’s practice teams.

About the Organization

Legal Aid Society of San Diego (LASSD), the largest poverty law firm serving San Diego County since 1953, strengthens our communities by redressing our clients’ legal problems, empowering our clients to access and effectively participate within the legal, governmental, and social systems and encouraging self-empowerment in the fight against poverty and injustice. LASSD continues to be a proud, committed, and compassionate group of people dedicated to providing equal access to justice for San Diegans through aggressive, quality legal services.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

• Participates in outreach activities to educate community groups on their rights and on available services.

• Conducts eligibility screenings of prospective clients and determines qualification for SSI/SSDI programs.

• Develops and manages their own workload, through the workup of intakes and cases assigned.

• Drafts initial application forms, letters, requests for records, appeals, briefs, and other legal documents for review by attorneys.

• Conducts legal research, gathers documentation and evidence, and provides legal analysis.

• Provides legal information under the supervision of attorneys.

• Shadows experienced attorneys in client interviews and in court.

• Participates in scheduled team meetings, training sessions, case reviews, and other functions as deemed appropriate or necessary by the Managing Attorney.

• Timely and accurately enters required information on each case into the computerized case management database.

• Maintains compliance with all program and grant requirements, as well as eligibility criteria and professional conduct regulations.

• Maintains the confidentiality and integrity of all information related to all cases, clients, and applicants.

• Other duties as assigned by Managing/Supervising Attorneys and/or Executive Management.

Qualifications:

• Applicant must be a recent law school graduate who will be taking the July 2026 California Bar Exam.

• Excellent written and oral communication, research, and analytical skills.

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.

• Ability to handle a substantial workload while functioning professionally and effectively.

• Ability to work effectively with community members, staff, volunteers, students, attorneys, and government agencies.

• Desire to work in public interest law and represent our client communities.

• Ability to respond to clients in a calm, empathetic, and professional manner while courteously directing the conversation to the pertinent issues.

• Ability to work independently as well as support team efforts.

• Ability to strategize and prioritize to timely and consistently meet case deadlines, grant deliverables, and reporting requirements.

• Must have reliable transportation.

Desired Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Experience working in a public interest organization/agency preferred.

• Fluency in written and spoken Spanish, or another language, preferred.

• Demonstrated commitment to serving low-income people.

• Ability to work successfully with people from diverse backgrounds and with LASSD’s client communities.

• Knowledge and/or experience with Social Security Disability benefits.

Fellowship Terms:

Upon passage of the July 2026 California Bar exam, a favorable performance evaluation, and subject to available funding, it is anticipated the Post-Bar Fellow will be offered full-time, permanent employment as a Staff Attorney on one of LASSD’s practice teams, and that they will commit to remaining in their Staff Attorney position for at least one (1) year. There is no guarantee of ongoing employment should the post-bar law fellow not successfully pass the July 2026 California Bar exam and/or not be admitted for membership to the State Bar of California. Furthermore, successfully passing the California Bar exam and being admitted for membership to the State Bar of California does not guarantee employment on the same practice team that the fellow was assigned to during the post-bar law fellowship.

Pay and Benefits:

The Post-Bar Fellow position is a non-exempt position with a pay rate of $37.37 per hour. In addition, there is a bilingual pay increase of 2% for passing an oral test and 2% for passing a written test for threshold languages other than English.

LASSD offers a generous benefits package, a 35-hour workweek, paid vacation leave and sick leave and 100% employer-paid medical premium, 50% employer-paid premium for dependents under LASSD health plan, as well as dental, vision, and life benefits. Staff also have the option to participate in a 403(b)-retirement plan and dependent and health flex savings accounts (FSA). LASSD has its own law school loan repayment program and is an eligible nonprofit employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program.

LASSD is an equal opportunity employer, we hire without regard to race, color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, marital status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, reproductive health decision making, age (40 years and over), sexual orientation, veteran and/or military status, domestic violence victim status, political affiliation, and any other status protected by state or federal law.

Hybrid Work Environment:

Legal Aid Society of San Diego (“LASSD”) has adopted a hybrid work environment in which most staff are required to work in the office two days of the week and permitted to work remotely for the remainder of the week, provided their job duties allow. All employees are issued LASSD computers and provided with appropriate supplies to perform their work. LASSD has implemented and continues to explore additional technologies to make our hybrid working environment as efficient and connected as possible. All employees must be available to travel to LASSD offices and service locations throughout San Diego County as needed and in compliance with public health advisories. Applicants must reside in or near San Diego County or plan to relocate in or near the County prior to their start date and must be able to commute to the physical Legal Aid Society of San Diego office locations or service delivery locations within San Diego County. LASSD’s normal business hours are 9am-5pm, but we are open to providing flexible work schedules to the extent feasible for the position. LASSD reserves the right to change these policies at any time.