Litigation Supervisor, Family Defense Practice, Bronx

SDCBA Resource Hub; New York (NY); On-site; USD 121,000 - 145,000; Full time

Job summary

CFR is seeking a Litigation Supervisor in the Bronx to supervise staff attorneys supporting parents in Article 10 and related court proceedings. The role involves guiding teams across interdisciplinary groups including social work, family advocates, and paralegals to represent parents and develop litigation mastery.

The supervisor will work with CFR leadership to inform strategic planning, training, and practice materials, while ensuring effective staff supervision and compliance with CFR’s DEI

Qualifications

• Four to six years of experience in Article 10/TPR family court proceedings or seven years representing indigent parties in related proceedings.
• Prior supervisory experience preferred.
• Experience with organizational or program development, training, and ancillary proceedings (i.e. custody).
• Strong interpersonal communication skills, demonstrated teamwork, and staff management aptitude.

Responsibilities

• Supervise staff attorneys in interdisciplinary teams handling Article 10/TPR matters and related proceedings.
• Coordinate case practice, attorney workgroup meetings, and professional development reviews.
• Develop practice materials for CFR staff and collaborate with family court and ACS staff to address issues affecting court-based practice.
• Support strategic planning, program development, and policy work with CFR leadership and HR.

Skills

Staff supervision

Interpersonal communication

Teamwork

Problem solving

Staff management

Job description

Description

CFR is committed to providing robust supervision to program staff, and we have a need for a Litigation Supervisor in the Bronx. Under the supervision of borough Co-Directors, the Litigation Supervisor’s primary responsibility will be to supervise staff attorneys of varying degrees of experience who work in interdisciplinary teams with social work, family advocate, parent advocate and paralegal staff to represent parents in Article 10 and associated proceedings (Custody, Orders of Protection, Guardianship, and Termination of Parental Rights). Litigation Supervisors are responsible for helping attorneys develop mastery in all aspects of litigation as well as in reinforcing and building upon skills and values introduced in initial and ongoing trainings. Litigation Supervisors write professional development reviews, periodically coordinate case practice and attorney workgroup meetings, and from time to time, develop practice materials useful for staff at CFR. Litigation Supervisors also work with family court staff and staff from other agencies, including ACS, to address substantive and operational issues that affect a large court-based practice.

The Litigation Supervisor will work with other Supervisors and Senior Staff as well as with the Director of Litigation, Director of Holistic Practice, Training Supervisor, Development & HR staff, and Executive Director to inform decisions on strategic planning and overall program development and improvement for the entire agency. In those areas, activities may include administration, hiring and recruitment, training, policy work, development, progressive discipline, fellowships, and appeals. All Supervisors are expected to demonstrate an aptitude for productive problem-solving, a commitment to CFR’s current DEI work, and a desire to contribute to the stewardship of CFR; this includes the ability to positively and productively contribute to the work culture at CFR in communications and work with staff at all levels, including progressive discipline if necessary. Candidates for supervisor also need to be well organized in order to work efficiently and effectively beyond their own caseload and to effectively supervise multiple staff with possibly varying levels of experience.

Qualifications

• Candidates must have at least four to six years of experience in Article 10/TPR family court proceedings or at least seven years of experience representing indigent parties in other related proceedings (i.e. criminal, immigration, housing, benefits, or mental hygiene)
• Prior supervisory experience is preferred.
• Experience with organizational or program development, training, and ancillary proceedings (i.e. custody) are all desirable.
• Candidates must have strong interpersonal communication skills, demonstrated teamwork skills, and an aptitude for problem solving and management of staff.

Salary

$120,500 (L4) - $144,700 (L15)

Application Thought/Writing Exercise Prompt

In lieu of a cover letter, applicants should respond, to the following prompt:

After judges place children in foster care, it is a common and longstanding practice for family court jurists to enter visiting orders that give ACS and foster agencies the discretion to determine the manner, frequency and type of contact between parents and their children. This discretion has proven to both benefit and disadvantage our clients. What issues do you identify with the court’s practice of granting discretion to ACS and agencies to make these decisions?

As a Litigation Supervisor, how would you counsel attorney, social work and parent advocate teams surrounding how to navigate these orders? What instructions do you give, and how would you assist the team to execute it? What legal issues do you identify with this practice? What do you think CFR’s practice should be regarding the court’s delegation of decisions regarding parenting time to ACS and foster agencies? Should it change? If yes, how? If no, why not?