Status: NOLSW Bargaining Unit  

Be a critical member in a team of dedicated social justice advocates! The Public Justice Center seeks an attorney to join its Workplace Justice Project.

 

The PJC pursues systemic change to build a just society. Founded in Maryland in 1985, the PJC uses legal advocacy tools to pursue social justice, economic and racial equity, and fundamental human rights for people who are struggling to provide for their basic needs. The PJC is a civil legal aid office that provides advice and representation to low-income clients, advocates before legislatures and government agencies, and collaborates with community and advocacy organizations. For more about PJC, visit our website:  www.publicjustice.org. 

 

The PJC’s Workplace Justice Project seeks to advance justice, equity, and worker power in the workplace. Project attorneys approach this mission through a broad array of strategies, including representing low-wage workers in wage-theft suits in state and federal courts; providing know-your-rights education to workers and community groups; and engaging in worker-focused policy advocacy before the Maryland General Assembly in partnership with other advocates and organizations. We also make space to take on additional work outside of these areas as needed. We work closely with unions, grassroots membership organizations, and other community groups and follow the lead of the individuals most impacted by injustice. We focus on industries where wage theft is common and where people of color comprise a disproportionate part of the workforce. 

 

Attorneys in the Workplace Justice Project are encouraged to develop and pursue their own ideas in line with the PJC’s priorities and approaches to systemic change. The attorney will report to the managing attorney of the Workplace Justice team. 

 

Recent examples of the Workplace Justice Project’s successes include: 

·         In a landmark ruling, obtaining a preliminary injunction requiring Governor Hogan to reinstate prematurely terminated federal unemployment insurance benefits on behalf of hundreds of thousands of Maryland workers.

·         Obtaining a Fourth Circuit decision establishing a new, employee-friendly standard for joint employment under the Fair Labor Standards Act, making it harder for employers to skirt their responsibilities to employees through layers of subcontracting.  

·         Settling a suit alleging unpaid wages and employment discrimination against a construction company for approximately $1,050,000 on behalf of 250 workers.

·         Helping draft and lead the successful advocacy campaign for the Healthy Working Families Act, Maryland’s sick and safe leave law.

·         Obtaining partial summary judgment and a subsequent settlement of $412,099.08 for 13 paratransit drivers who had been misclassified as independent contractors and subjected to egregious wage theft. 

·         Prevailing after a week-long trial in federal court and obtaining $93,450 on behalf of 11 construction workers who worked on a fitness facility for weeks to months with no pay at all.

 

 

Desired Skills and Experience:   The following qualifications are valued for this position. Applicants should also identify other related or supplementary skills and experiences. 

 

Compensation: This is a full-time, exempt, professional position. The attorney may be called upon to work hours more than 40 hours in a workweek, including the potential for evening and weekend work. Local travel will be required at times. Salary is determined by the PJC’s pay scale; the range for an attorney with 3 to 7 years of experience is $78,000 - $89,000 and increases with experience, plus a $3,000 Spanish language annual salary supplement if qualified. An excellent cafeteria benefit package in the annual amount of $16,800 is also provided.  This package offers health, dental, vision and disability insurance, and retirement options. Cafeteria benefits packages give employees flexibility to choose how to direct their benefits. For example, this package can cover 100% of employee healthcare premiums, but an employee can choose to direct those funds towards retirement if they already have health insurance, or can have remaining funds added to the employee’s taxable salary. PJC employees receive at least 15 days of paid leave, with increases based on length of tenure, 12 paid holidays, and 15 days of sick leave annually. In addition, the PJC closes for two paid rest weeks each year in June and December.

 

Applications: We will accept applications and conduct interviews on a rolling basis until the position is filled, but priority consideration will be given to applications received by March 30, 2026. To apply, please submit (1) a cover letter explaining your interest, (2) a resume, (3) two legal writing samples, and (4) the names, telephone numbers, and email addresses of three references. Please put your cover letter, writing samples, and references in a single PDF to upload in the “Cover Letter” portion of the application module. 

 

Most PJC positions, including this one, generally have the option of working in our office in downtown Baltimore City or at home. The attorney will be required to come to the office, the courts, or other meetings as necessary. 

 

Physical/Mental Demands and Office Environment: The physical/mental demands described in this job announcement are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

 

Equal Employment Opportunity: The Public Justice Center is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer that encourages all interested persons to apply regardless of race, color, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship, creed, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, age, religion, genetic information, physical or mental disability, marital status, or any other legally protected status. We strongly encourage Black, Latine, Indigenous, and other applicants of color, people with disabilities, and other people historically underrepresented in the practice of law to apply.