Full-time lawyer to join Pivot team
Pivot is looking for a full-time staff lawyer to work at the intersection of housing and gender to help end homelessness and violence against women.
About You
You are a passionate feminist lawyer with a deep understanding of the legal issues faced by homeless and under-housed people, women who have experienced violence and other marginalized groups. You are hungry to create real social change, are a leader, a good listener, and have a strong sense of justice.
You have a successful track record of working/volunteering with not-for-profit or advocacy groups. You have been called to the bar for at least 2 years and have experience providing summary advice, representing clients in court, at Judicial Reviews hearings and at the Human Rights tribunal. You are ready for the challenge of combining legal work with community engagement, communications strategies and political advocacy. Direct experience with family law, housing issues and sex workers’ rights issues are important assets.
About Us
We are a small team of lawyers and activists committed to using the law to advance the interest of those living most on the margins. We conduct public interest campaigns in a variety of areas, including housing, drug policy, sex work, and police accountability. At the heart of our work is a deep connection with people’s lived experience of poverty and social exclusion. By making the most tangible violations of human rights the focal point of our efforts, we exert maximum pressure in order to shift society toward greater equality, inclusivity, and compassion.
About the position
The successful candidate will balance her/his time between our Housing for All campaign, our Jane Doe Legal Network, which seeks to enhance access to justice for women who have experienced violence, as well as to identify issues and cases that span the two issues.
Pivot’s model has all staff participating in our team-based structure - we will be looking for your ideas on campaigning, communications, and fundraising. You will be expected to work through our team structure to develop robust social change campaigns that include engagement with impacted communities, legal action, communications strategies and political advocacy. In this position you will be reporting directly to our Campaigns Director.
Detailed breakdown of the responsibilities:
• Work with Pivot’s campaign team and legal advisory team to identify test cases of legal merit and broad potential
impact for higher-level litigation and develop legal strategies for those cases
• Litigate cases in the areas of housing, income security, gender-based violence and gender-based discrimination
• Liaise with front-line advocates and impacted communities to identify legal problems of a systemic or chronic nature
experienced by marginalized persons in Vancouver and British Columbia
• Engage in political advocacy and public engagement related to housing and violence against women
• Coordinate Jane Doe Advocates’ Group for service providers working with women who have experienced
violence
• Coordinate and deliver legal education workshops for frontline service providers
• Coordinate and staff weekly summary advice clinic
• Act as a media spokesperson on housing and violence against women issues
• Attend and participate in Pivot’s team meetings
• Assist where required with organizational tasks and other duties as assigned
The salary for this position is 50K plus benefits and includes 6 weeks paid vacation, professional development, law society fees and insurance, and the chance to be part of a nimble, collaborative team. This is a one-year contract position with the possibility to extend.
Interested? If so, we want to hear from you. Please fill out the form at the bottom of this page. Include a download link to your resume and cover letter (dropbox, sendspace, google drive). Apply soon! We will be doing rolling interviews until the position is filled, but we love when people act quickly.
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