Disaster Relief Clinic Staff Attorney

The Staff Attorney will support the law practice of the Disaster Relief Clinic at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law and its pro bono and clinical responses to the 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles and other natural disasters. The staff attorney will work under the supervision of the Director of the Disaster Relief Clinic and the Associate Dean of Clinical Education & Global Programs to practice law directly with clinic clients and supervise volunteer law students.

The Clinic’s teaching practice includes legal services to clients who lost their homes or property in recent wildfires in Los Angeles, including education, advice, counsel, and advocacy on FEMA applications and appeals, insurance matters, housing issues, and rebuilding questions. The Disaster Relief Clinic is a component of the Program of Clinical Education and the Pro Bono Programs at the School of Law.

Through the pro bono programs, law students volunteer to handle basic legal matters under supervision of the director and other faculty. In the clinical course, enrolled students earn credit for a greater volume of supervised, focused work on more complex and demanding matters. The staff attorney will work with the Director to supervise pro bono students’ work in Spring 2025 and Summer 2025. Pending additional funding, the staff attorney will assist the Director in the Disaster Relief Clinic course in Fall 2025 and Spring 2026.

The successful candidate will be responsible for practice law for pro bono and clinic clients in the Disaster Relief Clinic under the management of the Director and for supervising students in legal work in the Disaster Relief Clinic and its associated programs.

The position is an appointment through July 2025, with the possibility of an extension through May 2026, pending anticipated funding.

Duties

• Supervising pro bono and clinic students' legal work for clients. 
• Practicing law directly for clients in the clinic and pro bono programs. 
• Managing significant academic and law practice documentation and records with the Clinical Program Manager.
• Performing additional duties as necessary or required.
• Upholding University mission through work performed.

The above information has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

Skills and Qualifications

Required:

• Must hold a J.D. and be licensed to practice law in California.
• Able and willing to start immediately.
• Able to work in person at the School of Law and other Pepperdine campuses with options for occasional remote work.
• Able to work irregular hours occasionally while offering events and clinics in the community.
• Willing and able to work effectively in a collaborative law practice under the direction of the Director and Associate Dean and in supervision of law students’ work.
• Holds a record that demonstrates superb lawyering, communication, and interpersonal attributes and skills.

Qualified individuals should be able to articulate a strong commitment to diversity, and have the ability to work effectively with individuals from different backgrounds.

Offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a criminal, education, and employment screening. The University conducts such screenings in compliance with applicable laws and with the objectives of evaluating risk and supporting a safe environment for students, faculty, staff, and guests; safeguarding key University assets including people, property, information, and the University’s reputation; and providing comprehensive job-related information to University leaders to enable them to make prudent hiring decisions. Qualified individuals with criminal histories will be considered for employment in compliance with applicable laws, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance.

This is a Restricted, Nonexempt, 20 hour per week position.

Expected Pay Range: $75.00 - $80.00 per hour 

The above pay range reflects what Pepperdine University reasonably expects to pay for this position at time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on relevant factors such as work experience, market conditions, education/training, and skill level. In addition to base pay, Pepperdine offers a robust and highly competitive benefits package.

Pepperdine is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of any status or condition protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.