Focused on removing records as a strategy for removing reentry barriers.

About Root & Rebound:

Root & Rebound (R&R) is a national reentry advocacy nonprofit, whose mission is to help people navigate reentry and reduce the harms perpetuated by mass incarceration. Root & Rebound provides holistic reentry legal services across all of California, with offices in Fresno and Oakland, and staff in Los Angeles as well. We provide legal know-your-rights information, and individual services on a wide variety of collateral consequences of a conviction including getting ID and voting, conditions of parole and probation, employment and housing rights as they relate to an arrest or conviction history. 

Root & Rebound operates a reentry hotline almost every Friday of the year and is R&R’s largest intake valve, serving well over one thousand justice-impacted people each year and speaking to hundreds of people each week in all stages of their reentry journeys. Approximately one out of every four R&R clients is seeking some sort of record cleaning services.

Commitment:

• One-year, full-time position, starting immediately. 

Location:

• R&R’s home office is based in Oakland, CA; hybrid work environment until further notice. 

About the Record Cleaning Fellow Position:

R&R seeks a recent law school graduate to provide reentry legal support, primarily to those who seek record cleaning assistance in the Bay Area. Record cleaning can have huge impacts on the collateral consequences of a conviction, from housing to employment and occupational licensing and more. 

New Record Cleaning laws greatly increase eligibility for dismissals of California convictions (colloquially known as “expungements”). The person in this role will be an instrumental part of the team to ensure that as many Californians as possible are able to access that record cleaning remedy. This person will work in a cross-organizational team to assist clients in developing the strongest possible petitions and file those in a timely manner. This is a high caseload position, where the attorney will be working as a vital team member in a team of staff and volunteers to achieve high impact outcomes for a large number of clients.

Record cleaning–a relatively uniform process for removing prior convictions from view on certain records in California–can have huge impacts on the collateral consequences of a conviction, from housing to employment and occupational licensing and more. After record cleaning, one client explained, “I no longer have to worry about a new employer running my background. I can also find another apartment to live in that can run my record and see nothing. I have had problems in the past and have to live in other places because I [have a felony conviction].” This work changes lives in fundamental and profound ways.

Responsibilities & Duties: The fellow’s responsibilities & duties include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Direct Legal Services:
  • Staff our intake-hotline and legal clinics with an emphasis on record cleaning cases.
  • Provide Know-Your-Rights trainings and develop factsheets on topics such as record cleaning.
  • Provide analysis of conviction histories for record cleaning eligibility, and advise clients on the impacts of record cleaning for their personal goals.
  • Serve Bay Area clients on their record cleaning petitions, including evidence of rehabilitation, and legal briefing as needed.
  • Provide court representation for other record cleaning cases as needed, based on factors including: staff capacity, budget, legal complications, and client and conviction factors (including 1203.41 & 1203.4b petitions).
  • As available, carry a small caseload of non-record cleaning cases.
  • Other responsibilities as needed. 

Qualifications: 

• Recent graduation from an accredited law school; 
• A demonstrated commitment to social, racial, and criminal justice;
• Eligibility or pending eligibility to practice law in the State of California, either by being a member of the California Bar or through California’s Multijurisdictional Practice (MJP) Program or Supervised Provisional Licensure Program.
• System involvement, or an understanding of or willingness to learn from those with system involvement.
• Ability to communicate clearly, proactively, and consistently to a broad range of audiences, verbally and in writing.
• Willingness to travel across the Bay Area and Northern California, including to rural communities. 

Commitment & Values:

• Deep commitment to racial equity, social justice, and the mission of supporting individuals navigating reentry and addressing the harms of mass incarceration.
• Proven ability to model behavior consistent with Root & Rebound’s mission, values, and vision.
• Commitment to continuous learning, including anti-racist and race equity practices.

Attributes:

• Self-directed, well-organized, and able to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
• Positive, professional, and humble attitude with a strong work ethic, resilience, and determination.
• Proactive communicator and team builder, able to engage and relate to people at all levels.
• Flexible, adaptable, and able to work in environments with ambiguity and changing priorities.
• Entrepreneurial spirit with an eagerness to try new ideas and innovate.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Proficiency in Spanish.
• Formerly incarcerated and/or system-involved individuals strongly encouraged to apply.
• Experience working with system-impacted individuals.

Compensation & Benefits:

• This role is a full-time, exempt position.  Compensation is $70,000 (annualized).  Employees who are fluent in Spanish receive an additional $2,000/year. 
• Employment benefits at R&R include:
  • Medical, vision and dental care
  • Employer-sponsored 403(b) retirement plan
  • Internal and external professional development opportunities
  • Three (3) weeks of paid time off per year, plus office closure around the December holidays and paid holidays.
  • Sabbatical Program for eligible employees after five (5) years of service.

Conflict of Interest Notice: R&R encourages current and former clients to apply to join our team. However, it is a conflict of interest for R&R to provide legal services to our own employees. We will do our best to ensure that any current clients who are hired by R&R have other legal representation prior to beginning employment. 

Application Instructions:

To apply for this position, please upload a resume, cover letter (including interest in working for Root & Rebound), one short writing sample (max. 10 pages), and at least three references (explaining your professional relationship and including their contact information) to the Root & Rebound form, linked here. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled. No phone calls, please.

*****************

Root & Rebound is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from all qualified individuals, including formerly incarcerated and/or system-involved individuals.  We look at each applicant’s full experience and consider each applicant.  We encourage people from all backgrounds and experiences to apply. Individuals with lived experience of the criminal justice system and its impacts are strongly encouraged to apply. We depend on a diverse team to accomplish our mission!