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Neighborhood Defender Service · 2 months ago

Staff Attorney (Family Defense Practice) - NDS Harlem

US-NY-New York

Full-time

Onsite

Lead/Staff

$82K/yr - $170K/yr

The Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem (NDS) is a community-based public defense office providing legal representation in various courts. They are seeking a Staff Attorney to represent parents in family policing cases, ensuring holistic advocacy and collaboration with a team to achieve optimal outcomes for clients.

CharityLegalNon Profit

Culture & Values

Responsibilities

Provide excellent representation with energy, enthusiasm and a commitment to striving for client-centered holistic advocacy throughout the case

Take primary responsibility, with appropriate supervisory support, of all aspects of Article 10 and related custody, visitation, guardianship, paternity, termination of parental rights and other cases including client counseling, motion practice, discovery, oral argument, settlement negotiations, and hearings and trials

Meet frequently in-person with clients to prepare for court proceedings

Collaborate and meet regularly with social workers, client advocates, litigation assistants and other attorneys to strategize case strategy and prepare and coordinate in- and out- of court advocacy to secure optimal outcomes on behalf of clients

Engage in frequent in-person and virtual court hearings and litigation, often on an emergency basis

Engage in formal and informal advocacy with opposing counsel and attorney(s) for children

Staff intake in court regularly, as assigned

File motions, briefs and other related court papers on a frequent, timely basis

Provide effective oral advocacy in negotiation and argument in Family Court

Be responsive to and communicate clearly with clients who are often under great stress

Work under high pressure in an atmosphere of frequent emergencies and tight deadlines

Maintain thorough and accurate records and client files by timely saving documents in NDS’s cloud server and entering notes and other data into NDS’s case management system

Collaborate with and provide mentorship to less experienced staff attorneys when appropriate and commensurate with experience

Must be able to work a minimum of 14 plus hours a week in person in the Harlem or Bronx offices (as per borough assignment), court satellite offices, or in court, and more as needed in support of providing excellent representation

Qualification

J.D. degreeAdmission to practice lawExperience in Article 10 casesWritten communicationOral communicationOrganizational skillsClient-centered advocacyLived experience with Family PolicingFluency in SpanishCollaboration with colleaguesProblem-solving skills

Required

J.D. degree and admission to practice law in New York State or eligible for admission

Demonstrated commitment to parents' rights, indigent defense, social justice issues and/or the Harlem communities

Must be very flexible and possess a high level of organizational and administrative skills in order to manage a high caseload

Must possess excellent written and oral communication skills

Must be able to work cooperatively with NDS colleagues and opposing counsel, and problem-solve independently

Preferred

Candidates with experience representing parents in Article 10 Abuse and Neglect proceedings or equivalent experience providing defense/direct representation are strongly encouraged to apply

Lived experience with the Family Policing System and other systems impacting NDS's clients preferred

Fluency in Spanish is strongly preferred