Staff Attorney

JCI Empresarios La Paz; San Jose (CA); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Generous PTO

403(b) retirement option

Job summary

Dependency Advocacy Center (DAC), a nonprofit focused on family defense, seeks a Staff Attorney to represent parents and some children in juvenile dependency court. You will handle a full caseload, attend numerous court hearings, interview clients, and coordinate with social workers and other professionals to build strong, client-centered cases.

Hybrid work is possible, with a start date of October 1, 2026.

Qualifications

• Active California Bar membership
• Experience in juvenile dependency law preferred
• Strong courtroom advocacy experience preferred
• Bilingual skills preferred

Responsibilities

• Handle full caseload representing parents and some children in juvenile dependency court.
• Extensive court appearances and daily client contact.
• Interview clients, confer with social workers and opposing counsel, and prepare witnesses.
• Participate in mediations and present cases at hearings and trials.

Skills

Bar admission

Dependency law

Courtroom advocacy

Client empathy

Professionalism

Judicial courtesy

Public interest

High-energy environment

Multi-tasking

Communication skills

Bilingual

Team collaboration

Education

J.D. Required

Job description

Nonprofit

Published 4 days ago

Staff Attorney

Dependency Advocacy Center

Hybrid, Work must be performed in or near San Jose, CA

Details

Job Type

Full Time

Start Date

October 1, 2026

Application Deadline

September 30, 2026

Education

J.D. Required

Salary

USD $90,000 - $100,000 / year

Cause Areas

Family, Legal Assistance

Description

Dependency Advocacy Center (DAC), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, provides interdisciplinary family defense legal services to indigent parents and children involved with Santa Clara County’s child welfare system and the juvenile dependency court. Our adult clients face the risk of permanent separation from their children due to allegations of abuse and neglect. Substance use disorder, intimate partner violence, and mental health concerns are commonly presenting issues, often rooted in the layered effects of poverty, marginalization, and intergenerational trauma. DAC was founded on the belief that traditional legal advocacy is insufficient to adequately represent our parent and youth clients. Our approach to holistic family defense utilizes an interdisciplinary team of attorneys, social workers, and mentor parents to create client-centered legal strategies designed to support the family’s long-term success.

Mission Statement

Dependency Advocacy Center provides zealous legal representation to indigent clients in the juvenile dependency system to promote timely reunification and preservation of familiesin a safe, healthy environment. DAC believes that every parent and child entering the dependency system has a right to be treated with dignity, compassion and respect.

Responsibilities And Duties

The staff attorney will be responsible for a full caseload representing parents and some children at all stages of the juvenile dependency process. This is a full-time and in-court trial attorney position; the position requires extensive court appearances and daily client contact. When the court schedule allows, hybrid work is possible. Representation includes client interviews, providing ongoing assessments of the merits of cases, conferring with social workers, opposing counsel, and other service providers, appearing at all court hearings,preparing witnesses for trial, participating in mediations and presenting clients’ cases to the court during uncontested hearings and bench trials. The attorney will also participate in frequent trainings to build legal knowledge, strengthen courtroom skills, and develop a deeper understanding of relevant systemic and social issues.

Desired Qualifications

• Member in good standing of the State Bar of California (attorney candidates who are eligible under the California Multi-Jurisdictional Practice Rule may be considered)
• Knowledge and experience of juvenile dependency law preferred
• Experience in courtroom advocacy preferred
• Ability to work compassionately and respectfully with clients in crisis
• High degree of professionalism
• Ability to interact respectfully with judicial officers and adhere to the court’s schedule
• Demonstrated commitment to public interest issues
• Ability to flourish in a high-energy environment
• Ability to multi-task and be a productive team player
• Excellent verbal, interpersonal, writing, interviewing, and organizational skills
• Bilingual skills preferred
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of an interdisciplinary team of social workers and mentor parents

Salary/Benefits

Salary range is $90,000 to $100,000 depending upon experience. Medical, dental, and vision coverage available.

DAC’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Mission Statement

At Dependency Advocacy Center, our mission is to create an inclusive, equitable, and accessible environment where respect, kindness, and empathy guide all interactions with our staff, stakeholders, and clients. We are dedicated to fostering a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion within our organization. We firmly believe that every parent and child entering the dependency system deserves to be treated with dignity, compassion, and respect. These values are not only applicable to our clients but also extend to all staff members.

We are committed to continuous learning and self-reflection on matters concerning diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Through ongoing education, training, and critical analysis of our progress, we seek to deepen our understanding and awareness of these issues and the impact it has on our clients and staff members. By doing so, we can more effectively advocate for clients and promote all aspects of inclusion, including diverse representation in our leadership and staff.

At DAC, we are determined to increase representative diversity within our organization. We aspire to become an actively pro diversity company and a strong ally to all the communities we serve. We recognize the importance of intentional efforts to support individuals of diverse ethnicities, abilities, genders, gender identities, sexual orientation, ages, and, and all races and religious affiliations.

Incorporating diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility practices is central to our daily work at DAC. We strive to integrate these principles into every aspect of our organization to ensure a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision coverage available. Generous PTO. Generous PTO. 403(b) retirement option.

Location

Hybrid

Work must be performed in or near San Jose, CA

Associated Location

San Jose, CA, USA