Staff Attorney

The Children's Law Center; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 86,700 - 140,472; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

Loan forgiveness programs

Job summary

The Children’s Law Center in New York, NY, seeks a staff attorney to advance the agency’s mission in child custody and related proceedings. You will manage your own caseload, collaborate with paralegals, social workers and a writing unit, and provide zealous representation from intake through trial.

Eligibility requires admission to the NYS bar, strong advocacy skills, and a commitment to public interest work.

Qualifications

• Admitted to practice law in New York State.
• Demonstrated advocacy, cultural competence, mediation and interviewing skills.
• Commitment to public interest and policy.
• Knowledge of family court, custody, domestic violence, and child welfare preferred.
• Ability to work independently with sound judgment and meet deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Conduct client interviews and appearances.
• Handle court appearances and filings.
• Prepare cases with necessary documents.
• Maintain organized case files and manage caseloads.
• Prepare for conference, negotiation or trial.
• Collaborate with Writing, Social Work, Paralegal and Client Services teams.
• Communicate with Court and opposing counsel in a timely manner.
• Maintain ethical standards and respond to concerns.
• Attend training relevant to practice.

Skills

Advocacy

Cultural competence

Mediation

Interviewing

Time management

Organization

Professionalism

Education

Admitted to NYS bar

Job description

About the Organization

The Children's Law Center (CLC) is a non‑profit legal services organization that represents children in custody, visitation, guardianship, paternity, family offense, and related child protective (abuse or neglect) proceedings in the Family Courts and the Integrated Domestic Violence Parts of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, and in appeals therefrom. CLC represents approximately 5,000 children annually in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island, providing holistic and zealous representation and support in the Court, the community and the legislature. CLC's mission is to empower our clients, prevent trauma and promote wellbeing.

Job description

Under the leadership of the Borough Director, the staff attorney will work to effectuate the mission of CLC. The staff attorney will ensure that CLC maintains high standards of representation and client services. In collaboration with paralegals, social workers and a writing unit, staff attorneys maintain their own caseloads, taking responsibility for zealous representation from intake through trial.

• Conduct interviews with clients and other individuals;
• Handle court appearances;
• Subpoena or otherwise obtain all necessary documentation in order to prepare cases;
• Maintain comprehensive and well‑organized case files on case management system;
• Regularly handle intake, comprehensively prepare cases for conference, negotiation or trial;
• Analyze legal issues, develop legal strategy and facilitate its implementation;
• Properly evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of a case;
• Explore alternatives to litigation and negotiate the best possible resolution for clients;
• Collaborate with the Writing, Social Work, Paralegal and Client Services teams to best represent CLC clients;
• Communicate with the Court, opposing counsel, and others in a timely manner, as necessary;
• Maintain ethical standards of practice;
• Regularly and appropriately respond to client, community and staff concerns;
• Attend training sessions pertinent to practice;
• Perform other duties as requested

Key Qualifications and Competencies

• Admitted to practice law in New York State
• Demonstrated skills in advocacy, cultural competence, mediation and interviewing
• Demonstrated commitment to public interest and policy
• Preference for knowledge of family court, custody, domestic violence, and child welfare
• Demonstrated experience teaming with colleagues to find solutions to complex situations
• Effective communication skills (written and verbal), time management, and organizational skills
• Curiosity and eagerness to continue learning new skills and grow professionally and take an optimistic approach to new challenges
• Proven ability to work independently with excellent judgment, diplomacy, professionalism and able to prioritize requests, track and manage multiple tasks simultaneously, and meet deadlines;
• Demonstrated ability to exercise complete discretion when working with confidential and sensitive information;
• Desire to work in a busy organization that represents children

Salary Requirements

The expected salary range for this position ranges from $86,700 – $140,472.20 annually. Salary offers, pursuant to the CLC Collective Bargaining Agreement, are based on the number of years employed in a legal position including performed work analogous to the practice of law.

Benefits

At The Children’s Law Center, we provide a comprehensive benefits package to support your wellbeing. Our offerings include health, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) plan including employer contribution and match, paid time off, and opportunities for professional growth. We are dedicated to creating a supportive and balanced work environment where you can thrive both personally and professionally. As an employee of The Children’s Law Center, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs. For more information, please visit https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

Hybrid Schedule

Full‑time employees shall work in‑person no less than two (2) days per week, plus up to an additional two (2) days per month that are designated as team days.

As an equal opportunity employer, The Children's Law Center is committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable work environment. All qualified applicants will be afforded equal employment opportunities without discrimination because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability or marital status.