Managing Social Worker

Description

ABOUT PUBLIC COUNSEL

Public Counsel is a nonprofit public interest law firm dedicated to advancing civil rights and racial and economic justice, as well as to amplifying the power of our clients through comprehensive legal advocacy. Founded on and strengthened by a pro bono legal service model, our staff and volunteers seek justice through direct legal services, promote healthy and resilient communities through education and outreach, and support community-led efforts to transform unjust systems through litigation and policy advocacy in and beyond Los Angeles.

Public Counsel organizes its work through seven legal teams: Child, Youth & Family Advocacy, Community Development, Consumer Rights & Economic Justice, Homelessness Prevention, Immigrants’ Rights, Education Equity, and our impact litigation team, Opportunity Under Law.

Public Counsel has a staff of approximately 170. We are committed to building a diverse staff and encourage applications from people of color, people with disabilities, and people of all gender identities, gender expressions, and sexualities. We recognize the essential role of staff in achieving our goals, and we have set a long-term intention to provide competitive compensation, benefits, training, mentorship, and overall workplace wellness, making Public Counsel a leader among nonprofit law firms.

ABOUT THE SOCIAL WORK TEAM

Public Counsel’s Social Work Team works alongside attorneys and legal advocates through an interdisciplinary model that integrates social work perspectives and trauma-informed practices into legal advocacy. Staff social workers and MSW interns are embedded within legal teams and provide services in furtherance of the legal work, operating within the scope of attorney-client confidentiality. Their work focuses on addressing barriers that may prevent clients from meaningfully participating in their legal cases, strengthening client engagement, and supporting clients in achieving their legal goals. The Social Work Team also provides consultation and training to strengthen interdisciplinary advocacy throughout the organization. The MSW Internship Program, which currently supports approximately seven students each academic year, plays an important role in expanding this interdisciplinary model by creating opportunities to integrate social work across Public Counsel’s legal practice areas.

POSITION OVERVIEW

Reporting to the Director of Social Work, the new Managing Social Worker provides leadership and oversight of Public Counsel’s MSW Internship Program, professional social work volunteer initiatives, training implementation, and program operations. The Managing Social Worker will be responsible for growing the MSW Internship Program by increasing internship placements, developing new partnerships with schools of social work, and supporting legal teams in meaningfully integrating MSW interns into their work. The Managing Social Worker will work closely with the Director of Social Work to strengthen and advance Public Counsel’s interdisciplinary advocacy model, expanding and sustaining social work integration across Public Counsel’s legal teams.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

MSW Internship Program

• Serve as the primary administrator and Practicum Instructor for Public Counsel’s MSW Internship Program
• Maintain and expand partnerships with MSW programs, develop and update MSW internship outreach and recruitment materials, and represent Public Counsel at student recruitment events and activities
• Oversee MSW intern placement, onboarding, evaluation, and ongoing support, including required practicum activities and documentation in accordance with university and CSWE requirements
• Provide weekly individual supervision to MSW interns and fulfill Practicum Instructor responsibilities as required by their respective schools of social work
• Partner with, support, and train preceptors and legal teams to develop meaningful learning plans and assignments, integrate MSW interns into interdisciplinary advocacy, and monitor student progress toward social work education competencies
• Oversee MSW interns’ work to ensure compliance with Public Counsel’s policies, documentation and timekeeping requirements, and use of organizational systems
• Gather feedback from MSW interns, preceptors, and legal teams, evaluate program outcomes, and collaborate with the Director of Social Work to identify opportunities for growth, innovation, and continuous improvement
• Develop and implement strategies to grow Public Counsel’s MSW Internship Program, expanding student placement opportunities across practice areas and strengthening the program’s capacity to support interdisciplinary advocacy

Volunteer and Pro Bono Partnerships

• Lead the development, implementation, and ongoing management of Public Counsel’s professional social work volunteer program in collaboration with the Director of Social Work and the Director of Pro Bono
• Recruit, onboard, train, support, and retain professional social work volunteers while matching volunteers with organizational and team needs
• Develop and maintain an MSW internship alumni network to foster lasting connections with Public Counsel, encourage continued engagement, and create opportunities for alumni to contribute to social work and volunteer initiatives
• Collaborate with the Director of Social Work and the Director of Pro Bono to expand opportunities to integrate social work into pro bono representation, including partnerships between social workers and pro bono legal teams
• Develop and implement training, consultation, and resources that strengthen pro bono attorneys’ trauma-informed practices, cultural humility, client communication, and interdisciplinary advocacy
• Track volunteer participation, outcomes, and program effectiveness

Training, Learning & Professional Development

• Coordinate, develop, facilitate, and evaluate social work, trauma-informed, and interdisciplinary training and learning initiatives for staff, interns, volunteers, pro bono attorneys, and community partners in collaboration with the Director of Social Work
• Collaborate with the Director of Social Work to develop and maintain training curricula, case studies, educational resources, onboarding materials, and learning tools
• Plan and facilitate Social Work Team Meetings, communities of practice, guest speaker events, intern learning opportunities, and professional development activities
• Manage training logistics, participant communications, continuing education requirements, and training repositories

Program Operations, Data & Communications

• Maintain systems, records, and administrative processes that support social work programs and initiatives, including oversight of NetDocuments files and other organizational systems
• Support consistent documentation practices and data integrity, including LegalServer timekeeping, case documentation, and reporting in collaboration with legal teams and the Director of Data, Systems & Innovation
• Collect and analyze program data to support grant reporting, program evaluation, and recommendations for program improvement and collaborate with the Director of Social Work to support organization-wide client feedback collection and evaluation efforts
• Collaborate with the Communications Team to maintain and update Public Counsel's Social Work webpage, develop social media content, and identify opportunities to highlight social work integration, program accomplishments, and interdisciplinary advocacy efforts

Requirements

ESSENTIAL JOB SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• MSW degree from a CSWE-accredited program
• Minimum ten years of post-MSW professional social work experience, including experience in nonprofit, advocacy, legal services, community-based, educational, governmental, or other mission-driven settings
• Demonstrated experience working across micro, mezzo, and macro levels of social work practice, including direct work with individuals, families, or communities and experience with organizational, community, policy, or systems-level initiatives, and the ability to translate social work approaches into practical guidance and interdisciplinary collaboration
• Experience supporting social work practicum education as a Practicum Instructor, Preceptor, Practicum Faculty member, or in a similar role, including providing educational supervision, facilitating student learning, and supporting the development and application of social work education competencies in professional practice
• Experience managing programs and projects, including developing systems and processes, coordinating stakeholders, balancing priorities, and independently overseeing initiatives with strong organizational skills, accountability, and follow-through.
• Creativity, initiative, and innovative problem-solving, with the ability to identify opportunities, develop practical solutions, and continuously improve and expand programs
• Demonstrated commitment to racial and economic justice, with knowledge and application of trauma-informed principles, cultural humility, professional social work ethics, and community-centered approaches to advocacy
• Strong interpersonal, communication, relationship-building, and facilitation skills, with the ability to foster trust, navigate differing perspectives and difficult discussions, build interdisciplinary partnerships, and support collaborative decision-making
• Experience facilitating trainings, presentations, group learning experiences, or professional development activities
• Strong emotional intelligence and reflective practice, including self-awareness, recognition of personal biases, compassion, and the ability to adapt, manage uncertainty, and respond thoughtfully to changing circumstances, with a growth mindset and openness to giving and receiving constructive feedback
• Experience supervising, mentoring, or coaching interns, volunteers, or staff using a supportive approach that fosters autonomy, skill development, and accountability preferred
• Experience working in legal services, community or movement lawyering, community organizing, policy advocacy, or systems change initiatives, particularly with communities disproportionately impacted by systemic inequities strongly preferred
• Experience using data, feedback, and evaluation findings to strengthen programs and inform decision-making preferred
• Spanish-language proficiency is a plus
• Exempt employees are expected to work a minimum of 37.5 hours per week and must work all additional time necessary to accomplish job duties in a timely and professional manner. They must be flexible in work hours so as to provide superior quality and timely service to clients consistent with the position and professional responsibility obligations.

JOB TYPE AND BENEFITS

• Full-time/exempt
• Salary range is $100,000–$120,000 and commensurate with abilities and experience
• Non-bargaining

Public Counsel offers a competitive benefits package including:

• Medical coverage with an option for 100% employer-paid employee and dependent child(ren)’s premiums; buy-up options are available for other HMO and PPO coverage
• Dental and vision coverage
• Option to enroll in a Flexible Spending Account
• Employer-paid life insurance and disability plans

Generous paid time off (per year):

• 15 accrued vacation days that increase to 20 days after 3 years of employment
• 12 accrued sick days that may be used for physical and mental health needs
• 2 personal observance days
• 11 paid holidays plus 2 one-week office closures (during the summer and winter)
• Up to 60 hours of compensatory time per calendar year (for exempt staff only)

Additional benefits:

• 403(b) retirement plan with an elective employee contribution, and after a year of employment a discretionary employer contribution
• Free on-site parking or public transportation reimbursement
• $45 per pay period for employees who use non-English language skills to perform work duties
• Up to 6 months of parental leave
• Organizational and team wellness activities to build team cohesion and camaraderie
• Professional development support and opportunities
• Annual payment of dues for required licenses or certifications (state bar dues for attorneys) and for a mutually agreed-upon professional organization
• Centrally located headquarters in the heart of Koreatown, a vibrant neighborhood with easy access to public transportation, diverse dining options, and cultural attractions

HOW TO APPLY

We value lived experiences and experiences working with clients across a range of settings. Please discuss such experiences in your cover letter, especially if they are not reflected in your resume. In your cover letter, we also encourage you to address what draws you to Public Counsel’s approach to integrating social work into legal advocacy to advance racial and economic justice, and how your experiences and interests align with and prepare you to contribute to this interdisciplinary model. We strongly encourage interested candidates to apply no later than December 4, 2026. We plan to begin interviews in mid-January 2027. The target start date is May 2027, although an earlier start date may be possible. Please submit the following materials:

1. Your cover letter

2. Your resume

3. Three references, including at least:

• One person you supervised
• One person who supervised you

PUBLIC COUNSEL VACCINATION POLICY AND COVID-19 PROTOCOLS

Public Counsel requires vaccination against COVID-19 for all employees, including new hires. Pursuant to federal and state laws, Public Counsel will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified employees with disabilities or sincerely held religious beliefs, unless doing so would pose an undue hardship.

Public Counsel is generally office-based, but remote work was launched during the pandemic. All employees with Public Counsel are now required to work in the office at least one day per week, at the discretion of the head of department. Some positions require additional in-office days. This policy is subject to redesign by leadership. Public Counsel will work in a manner consistent with public health and local and state emergency orders.

PUBLIC COUNSEL EEO POLICY

Public Counsel is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate against employees or prospective employees on the basis of union membership or activity, race, religious creed, religious observance, ethnicity, color, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information or predisposition, military service, military and veteran status, pregnancy, child birth and related medical conditions, marital and family status, national origin, ancestry, age, medical conditions as defined by state or federal law, or disability, or any other basis prohibited by law.

All qualified applicants with criminal histories will be considered in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring.

Our leadership team is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities discipline, discharge and general treatment during employment.