Staff Attorney (Hybrid)

Description:

A Non-Profit Organization is seeking a Staff Attorney with 2-6 years of experience to represent children in Dependency Court (foster care) in San Francisco. The Dependency Staff Attorney is a part of the EDGE (Education, Dependency, Guardianship and Emancipation) Team, will be responsible for handling a caseload of child clients at all stages of juvenile dependency proceedings, as brought pursuant to Welfare & Institutions Code 300. These cases involve allegations of parental abuse or neglect, and often involve domestic violence, substance abuse, and mental health issues. This position requires membership in the Bar Association of San Francisco Dependency Panel; applicants who are not yet members will be mentored by an LSC attorney and work toward membership. The Dependency Staff Attorney may have a small caseload of cases in other EDGE Practice areas.
Representation includes client interviews, maintaining frequent client contact, responding to calls, texts, and electronic mails in a timely manner; conducting independent and ongoing investigations and continual assessment of the cases; preparing for and participating in all hearings; advocating on client's behalf in hearings and various multi-disciplinary team meetings.
Key areas of responsibility:

• Take all necessary and appropriate legal steps to best represent children in dependency court in San Francisco, with a possible small caseload in guardianship, education, or emancipation cases. In addition to representing clients in dependency court, this may include addressing ancillary issues such as education issues, immigration issues, and qualification for government assistance as necessary to protect client's interests.
• Participate in frequent contested and non-contested appearances, pre-court staffings, hearings, and trials for parties in proceedings. These matters involve strict and fast paced timelines.
• Engage in all aspects of trial practice, including lay witness and expert witness contact, performing legal research and writing, and subpoenaing witnesses determined to be relevant.
• Create a strong trial level record and, when necessary, seek appellate relief from the decision of the Juvenile Court by preparing writs and notices of appeal.
• Meet with and interview clients (in the office, court, or a place most convenient for the client).
• Visit clients in their home, placement, and school to assess their placements as well as their physical and emotional well-being. This includes traveling outside San Francisco and occasionally to central and southern California.
• Advise clients of their rights and explain the legal proceedings in a developmentally-appropriate and trauma-informed way, help remove barriers to reunification or permanency, and empower clients to reach their identified goals.
• Communicate with interested parties such as relatives, opposing counsel, service providers, court appointed special advocates, and social services personnel regarding placements, the case status and rights of clients.
• Work collaboratively and meet regularly with multi-disciplinary teams, which may include in-house social workers and senior attorney mentors.
• Communicate frequently with the Dependency Panel mentor or LSC Legal Director.
• Participate in regular meetings with the Dependency and EDGE Teams and participate in program development and other program staff activities.
• Participate in ongoing, intensive trainings to build knowledge of the law, trauma-informed lawyering, and courtroom skills, and develop a deeper understanding of dependency practice.
• Perform general administrative duties related to representation, including maintaining electronic files and data entry of case information in the Juvenile Court Automated Tracking System (JCATS).
• On occasion, make public appearances or presentations to assist in the advancement of issues benefiting clients.
• On occasion, mentor law student interns.
• Represent LSC in local coalitions and collaboratives as needed.

Qualifications:

• Current Bar Membership in good standing with 2-6 years of experience in legal practice (including a minimum of 1 year of litigation experience) required. Dependency experience strongly preferred. Experience in family law or representing youth preferred.
• Fluency in Spanish preferred.
• Lived experience with foster care or guardianship preferred.
• Energy, optimism, and passion for serving children and youth.
• Diversity of personal and professional experience.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and prioritize workload in a fast-paced environment.
• Commitment to providing services with cultural humility and with an approach that values all individuals and respects differences regarding race, ethnicity, age, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, religion, ability, socio-economic circumstance, immigration status, and record of arrest or conviction.

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