Staff Attorney – Victim Services Program

Family Services Inc.; Altoona (PA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401K/Life

Vacation

Sick leave and holidays

Job summary

Family Services Inc. seeks an attorney to provide legal information, consultation and representation to victims of domestic violence involved in the Victim Services Program’s Civil Legal Representation Program in Blair County, PA.

The successful candidate must be a PA-licensed attorney with civil/family law knowledge, ready to complete mandatory domestic violence training and ongoing CLE requirements, and able to travel as needed to serve program participants.

Qualifications

• Graduated from an accredited law school and licensed to practice in Pennsylvania.
• Knowledge of civil and family law concepts, procedures and practices.
• Must complete 40 hours of domestic violence training provided by Family Services.
• Maintain PA licensure by completing CLE requirements.
• Pass criminal and child abuse background checks upon hire and annually.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks independently and efficiently.
• Willing to schedule hours to align with office priorities and work with diverse populations.
• Travel required; access to reliable transportation; some overnight travel.

Responsibilities

• Provide civil representation in family law and economic justice matters for program participants.
• Represent clients in interviews, filings, hearings, trials, and appeals as needed.
• Coordinate advocacy with Victim Services Program staff to address domestic abuse holistically.

Skills

Civil/Family Law

Legal Research

Litigation

Independent Work

Travel Flexibility

Education

Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Job description

Primary Function:

Provide legal information, consultation and representation to victims of domestic violence who are program participants of Family Services Incorporated’s Victim Services Program through the Civil Legal Representation Program.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Provide representation to program participants in civil matters such as family law and economic justice work which will include custody, spousal and child support, divorce, Protection from Abuse Orders, housing, public benefits, and immigration. Representation may include, but not be limited to, interviews, filings, court appearances, trials, and all necessary subsequent litigation such as contempt petitions and appeals.
• Responsible for identifying gaps in the judicial system or changes needed to protect victims’ rights. Conduct ongoing systems advocacy in Blair County to improve the response to victims in all relevant systems including the community, law enforcement, courts, law profession, and social service organizations.
• Coordinate advocacy and intervention services with Victim Services Program staff to assure a multi-faceted approach to addressing domestic abuse in Blair County and ensure a holistic response to the complex needs of the program participant.

Qualifications:

• Must be a graduate of an accredited law school and be licensed and eligible to practice law in Pennsylvania.
• Must be familiar with a variety of civil/legal concepts, practices, and procedures.
• Required to obtain mandatory 40 hours of domestic violence training, which will be provided by Family Services.
• Required to maintain Pennsylvania licensure by completion of required CLE training credits.
• Must be able to pass a criminal and child abuse clearance upon hire and thereafter annually or as requested.
• Ability to work independently and efficiently handle multiple tasks.
• Must be willing to schedule working hours to coincide with the priorities of the law office and project a high level of comfort working with diverse populations.
• Travel is necessary and access to reliable transportation is essential, including for training and development which may necessitate being out of the area for a short period of time and overnight.
• The successful candidate for this position cannot maintain a private legal practice, but may accept cases other than domestic violence center cases only to satisfy any state or local bar association pro bono requirements.

Benefits:

• health insurance
• 401K/Life
• vacation
• sick leave and holidays