CHINS Public Defender- Independent Contractor

Memorial Coliseum; Fort Wayne (IN); On-site; USD 76,000 - 117,000; Full time

Job summary

CHINS Public Defender – Independent Contractor in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is a contract position under the Public Defender Department. The attorney will represent indigent clients in CHINS cases, work with court personnel, and attend court and team meetings as needed.

Hours are variable, approximately 37.5 hours per week, with duties including advocacy, negotiating with counsel, and ensuring confidentiality and loyalty to clients.

Qualifications

• Graduation from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Valid Indiana license to practice law.
• Completed CHINS/TPR training (6 hours).

Responsibilities

• Represents the client by attending facilitation and advising on outcomes.
• Presents at court on assigned dates while protecting the child’s best interests.
• Negotiate with opposing counsel, GAL, service providers, and court personnel.
• Maintain client contact through calls, meetings, and correspondence.
• Attend family team meetings to represent the client’s best interests.

Skills

Advocacy

Communication

Negotiation

Ethics

Time management

Education

ABA-accredited law school

Indiana bar license

CHINS/TPR training

Job description

CHINS Public Defender- Independent Contractor

Public Defender - Department, 1 East Main Street, Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States of America

Job Description

Posted Thursday, August 27, 2026 at 4:00 AM

THIS IS AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR POSTING AND IS NOT AN ALLEN COUNTY GOVERNMENT OR ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE EMPLOYEE

The CHINS (Children in Need of Services) Public Defender represents indigent parents in the Allen County Superior Court Family Division, in CHINS Cases, as mandated by the U.S. Constitution, the Indiana Constitution and Indiana state law. This position is a contract position.

Hours vary; 37.5 hours/week

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Works directly with client and maintains regular contact with clients through correspondence, phone calls, and in person meetings, while upholding ethical duties of loyalty and confidentiality.
• Represents defendant by attending Facilitation and advising client of the benefits, possible outcomes and results of admission or stipulation, versus a Fact-Finding trial.
• Negotiates and works with opposing counsel, Guardian ad Litem, service providers and court personnel to work towards successful resolution of the CHINS case.
• Presents at court on dates when cases are assigned, representing the client while maintaining concern for the best interest of the child and overall permanency.
• Attends family team meetings and service provider meetings to represent the best interest of the client.

Job Requirements:

REQUIREMENTS:

• Graduation from an ABA accredited school of law
• Valid Indiana license to practice law
• Completed the six hours of training in CHINS/TPR practice in a course approved by the Public Defender Commission
• At least 2 years of progressively responsible experience as an attorney, in litigation, motion practice and defense in civil cases and/or other public defender experience with knowledge of trial procedure and local rules
• Have litigated at least one TPR (Termination of Parental Rights) to completion as lead or co-counsel and/or have more than one year of experience in TPR litigation
• Knowledge and familiarity with local rules and court procedures related to CHINS (Children in Need of Services ) cases
• Thorough understanding of the underlying law in Title 31, specifically those sections dealing with CHINS (Children in Need of Services) and primarily found in I.C. 31-34-1-1 et seq.
• Understanding of the unique quality of CHINS law
• Excellent written and communication skills
• Ability to handle multiple priorities and a large volume of work

LICENSING:
Valid Indiana license to practice law
Completed the six hours of training in CHINS (Children in Need of Services)/TPR (Termination of Parental Rights) practice in a course approved by the Public Defender Commission

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer (EEO). Accordingly, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, age, disability or medical condition, national origin, and veteran status, and all other categories protected by federal, state, and local anti-discrimination laws. Reasonable accommodations for persons with a known disabling condition will be considered in accordance with State and Federal Law.

Public Defender - Department, 1 East Main Street, Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States of America