Contract CHINS Public Defender — Advocate for Families

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 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.