Public Counsel Reviews

3.6

65% would recommend to a friend

(27 total reviews)

Hernán D. Vera

42% approve of CEO

48% positive business outlook

Public Counsel has an employee rating of 3.6 out of 5 stars, based on 27 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Public Counsel employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Legal industry (3.8 stars).

Reviews by job title

27 reviews
2.0
17 Aug 2014

It's all too personal in this "big family" -- and often dysfunctional too.

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Best benefit package in town! Also, the opportunity to help the most vulnerable people in our society can be very gratifying.

Cons

These comments are from a non-attorney working at this firm. There are about nine practice areas at this time, and each works in their own silo. No ability to cross-train and learn the different services offered; no mobility enabling staff to move from one "silo" to another as permanent staff. Non-attorney staff are often treated arbitrarily, with no realistic mechanism to redress grievances. An almost manic cheerfulness is promoted here and variations from that standard are often reprimanded. There is also a strong Hispanic core culture at the firm which excludes employees of different backgrounds. The physical work environment also becomes more stressful with time. Management greedily chases varieties of grants, hires new staff with the grant money -- and crowds two and three staff people into each office space. Too many rats in a cage and we will start nibbling at each others toes soon. Majority of staff are very young. Constant churn as members go on maternity leave (often leaving the firm), get married, or pursue a spouse at work. If a college-dorm culture is not fun for you any longer, you may not enjoy working here.

1.0
25 Mar 2025

Toxic work environment & white saviorism

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

There are many great people who work here, it is mainly the POC staff, the benefits are good

Cons

This org, like other nonprofits in LA, is run by a board that is filled with right-wing conservatives. On top of that, the Board and management, insulates racist bullies, and elevates white/privileged staff, Public Counsel has a history of being a very white nonprofit, lacking diversity. It is still that way. They have no connection to the neighborhood in Koreatown, they do not have staff that can communicate with the community, and their focus now is just to rebrand to get more money, but they continue to ignore the diversity of LA, especially the Asian and Black community. You would be treated better at a firm & doing pro bono for them rather than an actual attorney.

1.0
18 Oct 2022

This place needs work

Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Not many. Benefits are great.

Cons

Honestly this has been a terrible experience. Pay is below average. I recommend diversity be seriously considered before accepting a job here, especially if you’re not white.

Viewing 1 - 3 of 27 Reviews

Glassdoor has 45 Public Counsel reviews submitted anonymously by Public Counsel employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Public Counsel is right for you.