Description:
The Opportunity:The Family Court team works directly with children and families to reduce and prevent system involvement, strengthen family relationships and interrupt intergenerational cycles of trauma through its problem-solving court-based operating programs. In addition to its operations, the Family Court team also supports systemic change, through its support of the Family Justice Initiative. In partnership with the Unified Court System (UCS), and the Office of the Governor of the State of New York, the Initiative seeks to forge a fair, equitable, and sustainable path forward for Family Court and its system partners to better serve all New Yorkers. The Center's role is to develop a broad vision for what makes an effective family-serving system and lead the process to create a comprehensive plan to support that vision.
The Family Law Resource Center (FLRC) is a public/private partnership among the New York State Unified Court System and the Center for Justice Innovation. The FLRC will promote high quality legal representation in the New York State Family Court through training and support of attorneys who represent children, parents, presentment agencies, and the related professions that comprise multidisciplinary holistic representation teams.
The Family Courts Programs is seeking a Director to lead the FLRC. The Director will have the unique opportunity to help establish the FLRC and work with justice system partners to develop its mission and formulate its goals. Reporting to Chief Program Officer of Court Reform and in collaboration with the leadership of the Unified Court System, the Director will play a pivotal role in shaping the center's programs, overseeing curriculum development and training initiatives, and facilitating the provision of critical support to legal professionals in the family court system. This is an exciting opportunity lead a first-of-its-kind center dedicated to advancing family law practice through training and resource development, and to promote collaborative, trauma-informed, holistic advocacy for families and children.
Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
Program Development and Leadership:
- Lead the design, implementation, and evaluation of training programs for family law professionals, including attorneys for children, parents, and agencies, as well as social workers and support staff;
- Develop innovative training curricula that address current trends, emerging issues, and best practices in legal representation and social work practice;
- Collaborate with legal, child welfare, and social work professionals to identify knowledge gaps and resource needs, ensuring that the center's offerings are responsive and relevant;
- Coordinate and deliver specialized workshops, webinars, and in-person seminars to enhance the skills and expertise of child welfare legal practitioners; and
- Oversee the development of materials and resources for practitioners, including but not limited to toolkits, legal guides, case studies, and training videos.
- Foster partnerships with law schools, social work programs, child welfare agencies, legal service organizations, and government entities to expand the FLRC's reach and impact;
- Build and sustain relationships with key stakeholders in the child welfare and juvenile justice systems to foster alignment between the FLRC's work and the needs of the community;
- Collaborate with the state's Child Welfare Court Improvement Project; and
- Represent the FLRC at conferences, seminars, and stakeholder meetings to promote its mission.
- Develop systems to provide direct consultation and support to attorneys and social workers, to offer guidance on complex issues and case strategies;
- Recruit and train mentors and support networks of professionals in the family justice system to enhance cross-disciplinary learning and improve client outcomes; and
- Offer targeted assistance to teams working on challenging cases, ensuring that all involved parties receive the necessary support to navigate the complexities of child welfare law.
- Manage the FLRC's budget and resources, ensuring efficient allocation for maximum impact;
- Supervise a team of trainers, program managers, and support staff, fostering a positive and inclusive organizational culture; and
- Establish metrics to measure the effectiveness of training programs and resource utilization, using data to refine and improve services.
- Monitor and analyze legislative, policy, and procedural developments in family law;
- Develop communication strategies to keep stakeholders informed of developments that impact practice;
- Advocate for systemic reforms that improve the quality of legal representation and social work practices in the family justice system; and
- Additional tasks as necessary.
Qualifications:
- Juris Doctor (JD) and a minimum of 7 years of legal experience including significant experience representing children, parents, or presentment agencies in the New York State Family Court required;
- Managerial and supervisory experience;
- Prior experience developing training programs, workshops, or professional development initiatives;
- Familiarity with the challenges and needs of professionals working in child welfare, juvenile justice and/or child custody law; and
- Demonstrated experience in advocacy, policy analysis, or system change in the family justice system.
Desired Skills:
- Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate and manage a team of professionals;
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex concepts in clear, accessible language;
- Ability to work collaboratively with diverse teams, stakeholders, and community partners;
- Strong organizational and project management abilities, with an aptitude for balancing multiple priorities and meeting deadlines; and
- A deep understanding of the challenges faced by families involved in the family justice system, with a commitment to delivering trauma-informed, culturally competent services.
Position Location: Midtown Manhattan.
