Staff Attorney - Family Advocacy Unit, Community Legal Services of Philadelphia

About the role

Community Legal Services, Inc. of Philadelphia (CLS) is a non-profit public interest agency providing free civil legal services to low-income Philadelphia residents. As the largest provider of free civil legal services in the Philadelphia area, CLS is both locally and nationally renowned as a premier legal services provider dedicated to ensuring access to justice for all low-income individuals and communities. CLS provides high quality direct legal representation, engages in systemic policy advocacy with the goal of effectuating broad-based change, and conducts community education and outreach. CLS has ten legal units covering a wide range of civil legal services. The Family Advocacy Unit (FAU) seeks a staff attorney. This exciting and demanding position combines courtroom representation of individual parents with systems and policy advocacy to improve outcomes for vulnerable families in the child welfare system. The role entails significant courtroom advocacy with a heavy focus on high-quality client representation. Lawyers in the FAU zealously represent parents involved with the Philadelphia child welfare system in their effort to maintain or regain custody of their children. The FAU uses an interdisciplinary team model to provide high quality representation to these parents who are often facing complex issues that include domestic violence, addiction, mental health problems, poverty, housing issues, and utility issues. FAU lawyers also engage in non-litigation focused advocacy, including policy, administrative and legislative advocacy as well as organizing and teaching community and professional education sessions. Lawyers may also be asked to provide supervision and support to paralegals, social workers, parent peer partners and interns who are providing advice, brief service, and some representation.

Responsibilities

• Represent parents in Philadelphia child welfare court proceedings to maintain or regain custody of their children.
• Conduct high-quality client representation with a focus on courtroom advocacy.
• Engage in systems and policy advocacy, including administrative, legislative, and community education efforts.
• Provide supervision and support to paralegals, social workers, parent peer partners, and interns.
• Work within an interdisciplinary team model addressing complex client issues such as domestic violence, addiction, mental health, poverty, housing, and utility concerns.

Required Qualifications

• 2 years litigation experience preferred; will consider clinic or moot court experience for outstanding candidates.
• Excellent oral advocacy skills.
• Excellent legal research and writing skills.
• Experience and ability to work with low-income and vulnerable individuals.
• Excellent work ethic, organization, and communication skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to public interest work.
• Experience and interest in policy and other forms of advocacy.
• High level commitment to racial justice advocacy.
• Strong networking, relationship building and communication skills.
• Exhibit sound professional and legal judgment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with child welfare or family law preferred, but not required.
• Fluency in another language is helpful, but not required.

Skills

Oral advocacy, legal research and writing, working with low-income populations, organization, communication, public interest commitment, policy advocacy, racial justice commitment, networking, professional judgment.

Pay

This is a full-time position covered by the collective bargaining agreement between CLS and the Philadelphia Legal Services Union N.O.L.S.W./Local 2320/UAW. CLS offers a competitive salary based on experience. The current minimum starting salary is $65,000 for newly admitted attorneys, which increases with relevant years of experience and according to the provisions of the current collective bargaining agreement.

Benefits

• 100% employer paid medical (including gender affirming care), life, and short/long-term disability benefits.
• 403(b)-retirement plan with employer contribution.
• Generous leave package, including 13 paid holidays and five personal holidays each year.

Schedule

Full-time.