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Legal Aid Chicago · 1 month ago

Staff Attorney - Children & Families

Chicago,IL,US

Full-time

Hybrid

Senior Level, Lead/Staff

$69K/yr - $77K/yr

0+ years exp

Legal Aid Chicago has been providing free civil legal assistance for over 50 years, focusing on individuals living in poverty in metropolitan Chicago. The Staff Attorney in the Children & Families Practice Group will maintain a caseload of family law cases and advocate for clients facing issues such as domestic violence and child protection.

Law Practice

Responsibilities

Maintain an individual caseload of family law and family defense cases including:

Protective order proceedings in the Domestic Violence Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County

Divorce and Allocation of Parental Responsibilities proceedings in the Domestic Relations Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County

DCFS investigations and related legal services to prevent an indicated finding and/or the filing of a petition in juvenile court

DCFS administrative hearings seeking to expunge wrongful indicated findings of abuse/neglect

Service appeals in which our client has a legal right to appeal a placement or service decision with DCFS; and

Cases in the Child Protection Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County involving systemic issues of particular concern to Legal Aid Chicago's client population including poverty-based allegations of neglect, domestic violence, the State's provision of reasonable efforts to assist in reunification, and the fundamental right to due process

Maintain accurate case files and timekeeping in electronic case management system

Develop and maintain knowledge in a specialized area of law and competence in related areas of law

Work collaboratively with other Legal Aid Chicago staff and volunteers to provide comprehensive legal services

Interview eligible clients and provide advice and brief services when appropriate

Present new cases at weekly case acceptance meetings

Provide trainings to service providers and community groups about legal rights impacting low-income people

Collaborate on projects that could involve outreach to community groups, developing new strategies for serving our clients, or address systemic issues through litigation, negotiation, or advocacy

Attend trainings and maintain up-to-date knowledge on relevant issues

Participate in other activities related to poverty law including publication, permissible legislative and administrative advocacy, media relations, and fundraising as needed

Assist with grant reporting, as appropriate and applicable

Other duties as determined by the Supervisory Attorneys and Directors

Qualification

J.D. degreeLicensed to practice lawClient counselingSpanish fluencyCross-cultural competenceCommunication skillsOrganizational skillsTeam collaboration

Required

Applicants must have a J.D. degree and be licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois or licensed to practice law in another state and able to waive into the Illinois bar

Strong oral and written communication skills, organizational skills, and client counseling skills are necessary

The ability to work well independently and as part of a team is important

The successful applicant will demonstrate a commitment to and experience with our client communities and/or people living in poverty

The applicant's personal background, experience, or professional background should reflect an ability to work effectively in cross-cultural situations with clients, co-workers, and the community we serve

Preferred

Spanish fluency strongly preferred

The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated interest in providing advocacy in the areas of gender-based violence, domestic relations, family defense, or education