What are the responsibilities and job description for the Civil Legal Attorney position at Community Against Violence?
REPORTS TO: Client Services Program Director
HOURS: 40 Hours per Week
BEGINNING SALARY: $46-$51/Hr. Benefits, Exempt
VACCINATION: Full vaccination is a condition of employment
SCOPE OF POSITION: Will provide skilled legal services to CAV clients who are referred by CAV Changes & Legal Services Coordinator or CAV Legal Advocate. The attorney will provide in-person/telephonic/video legal consultation, help clients fill out legal papers for filing, represent clients for order of protection hearings, provide complex family law representation (child custody, child support, property allocation, etc.), and provide legal services in other DV related issues. Representation may be state or tribal court or administrative tribunals.
CAV legal advocacy team will be responsible for initial screening and referral and scheduling of legal appointments.
Attorney will ensure competent representation of each client, which may be brief services or more extensive representation at the legal discretion of Attorney. He/she will comply with all Rules of Professional Conduct, including consulting with experienced attorneys as needed and taking trainings necessary to improve skills. Attorney will work with CAV legal advocacy team to make sure that Attorney’s schedule is not over-burdened.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Meet with clients to provide legal advice on DV-related issues.
- Representing clients in court and administrative hearings, filing legal documents, researching complex issues.
- Consulting with mentors and peers on complex issues.
- Negotiating with opposing parties.
- Provide quality legal representation for survivors of domestic violence to increase protection and safety of survivors and their children.
- Promote pro bono legal services to survivors of domestic violence and their children.
- Develop and maintain legal representation case and tracking system.
- Develop and maintain a system for case consideration and necessary materials for easy use by CAV client staff and survivors of domestic violence (e.g., guidelines, timelines, processes, applications or processes notification of selection or rejection etc.)
- Summarize results of case review and selection/rejection outcomes on a quarterly basis.
- Develop and maintain reporting formats, schedules, and records on cases carried and provide annual evaluation and summary of direct legal services outcome and impact, as required by agency and grantors.
- Other responsibilities as assigned by Changes & Legal Services Coordinator & Client Services Program Director, Associate Director or by the Executive Director.
- Responsible for completing required paperwork and maintaining files on clients. This includes preparing necessary reports as requested by the Changes & Legal Service Coordinator, & Client Services Program Director, Associate Director or by the Executive Director.
- Abide by the confidentiality of CAV with regards to clients and work.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
A minimum of a Doctor of Law from an accredited law school and licensed to practice law in New Mexico or provisions deemed appropriate by the Supreme Court of New Mexico. Twenty (20) hours of domestic violence training within three months of hire. Attorney must carry legal malpractice insurance and be licensed by the State of New Mexico and provide a copy of current license and liability insurance initially and annually at contract renewal.
CAV is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This means that all persons are eligible to be employed, promoted, or discharged, without regard to their sex, sexual orientation, race, religion, disability, age, ancestry, serious medical condition, gender identity, or national origin. CAV does not tolerate retaliation against any employee or client who filed grievance, made a complaint, or questioned the handling of a discrimination charge.