Education Law Expert

Duties

This contract does not contemplate and will not include litigation initiated by the contracted attorney but rather is intended to provide expert legal advocacy for individual foster children and youth currently represented by OCLA-contracted attorneys and who are facing discreet legal issues related to their education.

The education law expert can expect the following:

• Compensation: The compensation rate for a part-time (50% FTE) contract is $105,000 annually. This rate is based off of the full-time contract compensation rate of $210,000 annually. Contracted compensation is intended to cover a contracted attorney’s salary as well as any associated business operating expenses (e.g. office rent, supplies, support staff).
• Caseload: A part-time (50% FTE) caseload under this contract amounts to 20-25 advocacy-level referrals at any one time plus any number of advice and consultation-level engagements the attorney is reasonably able to provide given the complexity of their caseload at a given time. The number of advocacy-level cases may be adjusted downward temporarily as needed to account for caseload complexity, including complex legal issues; the needs of the clients; or the geographic diversity of the overall caseload.
• Support: CRP-contracted attorneys have access to funds for expert services as well as access to technical support from CRP staff. The CRP also coordinates and hosts several CLEs annually to ensure contractors meet contractual training requirements.
• Travel: Services under this contract will cover the state, so frequent travel is expected. Contractors are eligible for reimbursement for mileage, lodging, and incidental expenses incurred during the course of qualifying case-related travel.

Qualifications

• Licensed member in good standing of the Washington State Bar Association.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in the practice of education law representing children and youth, preferably dependent children and youth, in matters concerning, but not limited to school discipline, exclusion, Individualized Education Plans, enrollment, reasonable accommodations, and access to a free and public education.
• Ability and willingness to meet OCLA’s Children’s Representation Program Standards, including: Participation in OCLA’s case activity and outcome tracking requirements and use of OCLA’s Case Activity, Reporting and Oversight System (CAROS). Completion of OCLA CRP’s web-based foundational training series. Participation in eight (8) hours of OCLA-approved child welfare and education-law related trainings and CLEs on an annual basis. Maintaining professional liability insurance. Submitting to semi-annual reviews by CRP staff as part of the CRP’s oversight function. Engaging in regular consultation with CRP Staff on issues relating to the provision of contracted legal representation. Demonstrated commitment to providing high-quality, culturally sensitive, and equity-informed representation to children and youth. Ability to employ effective, trauma-informed communication with children and youth consistent with their developmental ability to understand. Demonstrated commitment to investigating and raising issues relating to structural inequities and systemic biases that are prejudicial to the child or youth consistent with the youth’s stated interests. Demonstrated interest and commitment to public interest law, especially child welfare law, or experience practicing public interest law, especially child welfare law. For attorneys with no or limited experience in dependency law, willingness to actively participate in regional Communities of Practice and the CRP Attorney Mentorship program.