Public Trust Liaison

Job Description

Office of the Public Trust Liaison

Annual Salary Range: $160,148 - $213,531

FLSA Exempt / Non-Union Represented

This position allows for up to four days of remote work per week

About the Office

The Office of Public Trust Liaison helps educate members of the public about how the State Bar can help them within the areas of our public protection mission.

With an initial focus on attorney discipline and admissions issues, the Public Trust Liaison receives inquiries, responds to questions and concerns brought by members of the public that remain unresolved through other channels, and investigates to ensure proper procedures are followed. The Public Trust Liaison focuses on being proactive, independent, impartial, and confidential.

Definition

The Public Trust Liaison (PTL) is an advocate for State Bar accountability, and ensures that members of the public, applicants for admission, legal consumers, attorneys, and other constituents are able to meaningfully voice their complaints about State Bar action or inaction and receive assistance in having their concerns addressed. The PTL is a primary point of contact for any individual or agency seeking to provide feedback or suggestions to the State Bar. The PTL primarily focuses on the State Bar's admissions and disciplinary functions, but also assists with other areas of the organization. The PTL reports directly to the Executive Director and has a dotted line relationship to the Board of Trustees' Audit Committee.

The PTL is responsible for the development of tools to assist consumers in filing complaints with the State Bar; responding to consumer complaints about the State Bar; assisting consumers in identifying resources to help them address problems they are experiencing; filing an annual report with key stakeholders outlining the types of concerns raised to the PTL and corresponding organizational response; and making recommendations for policy and operational reforms to address any systemic issues identified. The PTL designs and oversees annual public education campaigns, produces multimedia content including YouTube videos, and makes media appearances to empower legal consumers and the general public with knowledge about the State Bar's services and consumer rights. The PTL oversees the Contact Center, which is assists State Bar callers through phone and chat, and leads the Attorney-Client Bridge Program, which diverts complaints between attorneys and clients related communication issues and file retrieval without resorting to formal disciplinary processes.

The PTL does not:

• draft attorney discipline complaints;
• act as an advocate or representative for any particular member of the public in any matter;
• intervene or participate in any pending disciplinary matter or any formal process for the resolution of disciplinary complaints;
• overturn, reverse, or modify a finding or decision regarding any disciplinary complaint or by any dispute resolution or appellate bodies; or
• make binding decisions or mandate policies.

Through proactive consumer education, systematic issue identification, and policy recommendations, the PTL drives continuous improvement in furtherance of the State Bar's public protection mission.

Examples of Essential Duties

Consumer Protection and Advocacy:

• Design and implement comprehensive consumer education campaigns to increase public awareness of State Bar services.
• Develop accessible, user-friendly tools and resources to assist consumers in filing attorney discipline complaints and requests for review of complaint closures.
• Provide assistance and guidance to individuals navigating the admissions process.
• Address concerns about the actions or inaction of the State Bar, and inform complainants of relevant policies, procedures, regulations, and laws. This includes, but is not limited to, identifying options for resolution of concerns, both internal and external to the State Bar.
• Analyze complaint patterns to identify systemic issues and recommend policy solutions to leadership.
• Recommend closed cases for review by the Office of Chief Trial Counsel's external auditors.
• Make recommendations for policy, rule, and statutory changes.

Operational Excellence

• Direct Contact Center operations, establishing service standards and performance metrics that enhance public experience.
• Oversee the Attorney-Client Bridge Program, achieving measurable reduction in formal disciplinary proceedings through early intervention.
• Develop, track, and report on metrics in relation to the performance of PTL functions that inform organizational decision-making and demonstrate program impact, including through an annual report.

Organizational Leadership

• Collaborate with executive leadership to translate public feedback into actionable operational improvements.
• Build effective relationships across departments while maintaining independence in oversight functions.
• Manage budget and personnel resources to maximize program effectiveness and team development.
• Collaborate with the Office of Strategic Communications and Stakeholder Engagement to implement outreach strategies.
• Respond to inquiries from the Board of Trustees, other State Bar committees and commissions, and stakeholders in a timely manner.
• Promote the mission, integrity, objectivity, and efficacy of the State Bar.
• Facilitate the personal and professional growth of a team through active performance management and nurturing an inclusive team environment.
• Other duties as required.

Employment Standards

Knowledge and Skills:

• Demonstrated experience in organizational ombuds work, consumer advocacy, or similar oversight role, including issue identification and conflict resolution.
• Experience with data analysis and performance metrics development.
• Experience with employee, customer and member feedback systems, including education, data collection and sourcing, action planning, and related outcome-focused activities.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively.
• Effective writing and verbal presentation, including public speaking.
• Expertise in policy analysis and implementation.
• Ability to manage diverse teams, foster inclusive environments, and apply performance management principles effectively.
• Ability to be neutral and impartial.
• Ability to perform all job functions in an inclusive and equity-informed manner.

Essential Elements / Ability to:

• Handle confidential information appropriately.
• Learn quickly on the job.
• Work within shifting, sometimes ambiguous parameters while still driving toward practical solutions in support of the State Bar's mission.
• Communicate effectively with officials in the legislative, judicial, and executive branches of California State government.
• Exercise good judgment and integrity in handling crises.
• Identify problems, analyze responses, and implement relevant solutions.
• Communicate effectively within institutional parameters considering different constituencies.
• Review and analyze complex written documents.
• Obtain and present material in oral and/or written form.
• Effectively interact with others in a collaborative environment.
• Effectively apply conflict resolution techniques to de-escalate and resolve contentious issues.
• Establish inclusive processes and practices.
• Use performance management principles and techniques to manage and develop teams and individuals. Develop high-trust relationships with own team and extended organization.
• Facilitate change by bringing different stakeholders together to find creative solutions to difficult problems.
• Create a culture of service, rigorous analysis, impartiality, fairness, and confidentiality.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in a field that develops skills related to essential duties or equivalent academic achievement.
• Master's or JD is preferred and may substitute for up to x number of years of experience.

Experience:

• Five (5) years of professional experience in conflict resolution, customer service, mediation, consensus-building and facilitation, or related field.
• Experience as an ombuds or consumer advocate preferred.
• Experience working in the State Bar's discipline or admissions system preferred.

License, Certificate, Registration Requirements:

• None required.
• Juris Doctorate and/or special Qualifications including specialized knowledge, abilities, education, experience, or license may be established for individual positions.

Other Requirements:

• Travel by air and automobile.

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be required to successfully complete the State Bar'sselection process for this classification.

About the State Bar

The State Bar of California's mission is to protect the public and includes the primary functions of licensing, regulation, and discipline of attorneys; the advancement of the ethical and competent practice of law; and support of efforts for greater access to, and inclusion in, the legal system.

Our Values

Clarity | Investing in Our People | Excellence | Respect | Growth Mindset

Learn more about our values.

DEI Statement

We are a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where all of our employees and prospective employees experience fairness, dignity, and respect.

Learn more about our commitment to DEI.

• 

• The State Bar of California

Show more