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Attorney (JustChildren Program)

Description: 

About the Legal Aid Justice Center LAJC is a nationally-recognized anti-poverty non-profit with offices in Charlottesville, Richmond, Petersburg, and Falls Church, Virginia. In addition to providing free direct representation for low-income individuals in our immediate service areas, our staff engage in systemic advocacy to benefit all low-income Virginians using a wide array of strategies aimed at ending generational poverty, including high-impact litigation, community organizing, and legislative/policy advocacy. For more information, visit www.justice4all.org.

About the JustChildren Program
The JustChildren Program of LAJC is Virginia’s largest children’s law program. JustChildren’s team relies on a range of strategies to ensure the Commonwealth’s most vulnerable young people receive the services and supports they need to lead successful lives in their communities. The Program’s primary focuses are education and juvenile justice, but the work sometimes touches on other child-serving systems such as mental health and foster care.

About the Position LAJC is seeking a full-time attorney for its JustChildren Program. The attorney will have a variety of responsibilities but will focus primarily on developing impact campaigns, with an emphasis on impact litigation.

Responsibilities will include:
• Focus on systemic change in Virginia’s child-serving systems through impact litigation and administrative complaints
• Provide legal advice and representation for low-income families in education cases (e.g., special education, suspension and expulsion, discrimination, etc.) and juvenile justice cases (e.g., serious offender review hearings, services during confinement and re-entry, etc.) for the purpose of investigating systemic violations
• Provide technical assistance to attorneys representing youths and parents in education and juvenile justice cases
• Advocate for education and juvenile justice legislation, regulations, and policies that support young people, especially youth of color, those from low-wealth communities, and students with disabilities
• Attend and testify at legislative committee meetings, state agency meetings, school board and other local meetings
• Communicate and collaborate with legislators, school division and state agency staff, school boards members, and other local officials
• Partner with community organizers and grassroots leaders to develop and implement systems change initiatives
• Participate in various work groups, advisory groups, coalitions, etc.
• Attend community events and conduct presentations and trainings
• Produce publications, including reports, issue briefs, fact sheets, op-eds, and blog posts
• Draft press releases, organize press conferences, and respond to media inquiries
• Utilize LAJC’s social media and action alert software

Salary range is $48K to $82K based on a formal salary scale that depends on years of relevant experience. Exceptional fringe benefits include generous leave, fully paid health insurance, retirement plan, student loan repayment assistance, and a great work environment.

Start Date: December 2018, with some flexibility

Requirements: 

Required Qualifications
• Virginia Bar licensure, or ability to waive in to the Virginia Bar
• Strong commitment to public interest law
• Experience working in low-wealth communities
• Outstanding oral advocacy, research, writing, organizational, and leadership skills
• Ability to work effectively both independently and collaboratively
• Reliable personal transportation and willingness to travel statewide occasionally
• Sense of humor

Preferred Qualifications
• At least two years of relevant litigation experience
• Familiarity with education and/or juvenile justice law and policy
• Comfort with technology and social media
• Experience with data analysis
• Diverse economic, social, and/or cultural experiences

To Apply: 

Benefits
• Generous leave
• Excellent family health insurance
• Loan repayment assistance
• 403(b) pension plan

Application Instructions Email a cover letter, resume, three references, and a writing sample to Cynthia Neff, Executive Director, at hiring@justice4all.org. The cover letter should highlight experience in building impact campaigns, including relevant litigation experience. The cover letter should also highlight any specialized skills, such as language fluency or technology skills.

The positions will be open until filled, but applications will start being reviewed on November 12, 2018.  Questions?  Contact Rachael Deane, JustChildren Legal Director, at rachael@justice4all.org or 804-521-7304.
 
The Legal Aid Justice Center is an equal opportunity employer, committed to inclusive hiring and dedicated to diversity in our work and staff.  We strongly encourage candidates of all identities, experiences, and communities to apply. The Legal Aid Justice Center is committed to strengthening the voices of our low-income clients, working in collaboration with community partners, and rooting out the inequities that keep people in poverty. We strive to take on the issues that have broad impact on our client communities and to be responsive to client input.  Recognizing the particular impact of racism on our clients and staff, we devote special attention to dismantling racial injustice. All applicants must be dedicated to working in and sustaining an environment that enables staff and clients to feel empowered, valued, respected, and safe. In reviewing applications, we look for evidence that applicants have experience and/or thoughtfulness in working with traditionally marginalized populations.

Information

Submission Deadline: 
December 15, 2018
Organization Information: 
Legal Aid Justice Center
123 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
United States
Phone: 434-977-0553