Staff Attorney

About the role

Genesis Women's Shelter & Support provides safety, shelter and support for women who have experienced domestic violence and their children. The Staff Attorney will work to end the epidemic of domestic violence by raising awareness against its cause, prevalence and impact, and provide legal assistance in areas of family law.

Responsibilities

• Gather evidence, advise clients about their rights, draft legal documents, and conduct civil lawsuits
• Interview clients and witnesses with cultural competence, and handle other tasks in representing clients
• Represent clients in court and provide legal assistance in areas of family law, including divorces, child custody, protective orders, modifications, and enforcement
• Design and carry out outreach and community legal education, and work closely with the community and community groups to further Genesis mission
• Supervise and coordinate activities of legal, clerical, volunteer, or student workers
• Carry a caseload of clients who are needing representation in family law matters in Dallas County
• Advise and strategize with clients about the proper approach to their cases to achieve the client’s goals
• Empower the client to participate in the court process against her abuse
• Provide trauma-informed legal representation to the client
• Interpret laws, rulings and regulations for client’s best interest
• Advocate for client’s legal needs in court and provide trauma-informed explanations and guidance about the family court process to the client
• Advocate for domestic violence survivors and survivor-focused policies in the family court system
• Work closely with the Legal Program Director and other staff attorneys to promote successful communication and collaboration between all attorneys
• Assist other Legal Program attorneys with their hearings, drafting, court appearances (when other attorney has a conflict)
• Attend and eventually conduct speaking engagements within the community about domestic violence, related topics and the GWSS response

Qualifications

• Law degree (JD or LLM) from an ABA-accredited U.S. institution and admission in good standing to Texas State Bar
• Minimum two (2) years of relevant family law experience including divorces, child custody, protective orders, modifications, and enforcement
• Licensed to practice in Texas
• Bilingual (Spanish/English) preferred
• Demonstrated organizational and leadership skills, including ability to manage a caseload of approx. 20 individual clients and prioritize client-centered and trauma-informed services
• Experience working with marginalized or impacted communities, grassroots organizations, and/or non-governmental organizations
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills
• Strong computer literacy, research and analysis skills
• Excellent written and verbal skills required