Description:

Title: Director of Legal Services, Enhanced Family Foster Care (EFFC)

Reports To: Senior Vice President, Enhanced Family Foster Care

Location: 7 West Burnside, Bronx, New York 10453 Hours:
Schedule: 35 Hours/Week; Exempt

Salary: $160,000 - $170,000

Job Summary: To direct a range of legal support services to assist the Enhanced Family Foster Care program in achieving their permanency goals by overseeing:
Responsibilities include:

TPR Process:

Review Termination of Parental Rights (TPR) referrals for legal sufficiency. Assess the case record and confer with case planning teams to ensure that there is a cause of action to support filing a TPR.
Review and approve TPR packages, ensure that service upon the respondents is effectuated, and attend court hearings as necessary to complete the TPR.
Oversee diligent searches for participants as needed.
Gather evidence, provide discovery to opposing counsel, and submit all exhibits via EDDS.
Prepare witnesses for trial
Draft freeing orders and submit to court within two weeks of a court's decision.
Respond to or file Orders to Show Cause and other motions as necessary.
Prepare and oversee execution of surrenders.
Provide affirmations of status of appeal to the Director of the Permanency Team.

Adoption and KinGAP Process:

Work closely with Senior Vice President and Senior Program Director to expedite adoption and KinGAP finalizations.
Provide monthly updates to Adoption and KinGAP Coordinator to track the status of EFFC youth with goals of adoption or KinGAP.
Consult with Adoption attorneys, as appropriate, regarding barriers related to adoptions and KinGAPs.

Additional Legal Processes:

Supervise EFFC Legal Assistant.
Communicate with FCLS attorneys, child's attorneys, and birth parent attorneys to facilitate permanency.
Review Permanency Hearing Reports, offer feedback to the teams on legal matters andattend permanency hearings and other hearings on neglect/PINS/destitute children dockets as necessary.
Review and ensure compliance with subpoenas. Forward redacted records to appropriate parties.
Provide periodic legal trainings as necessary.
Research any legal issues as needed.
Represent the agency as necessary at outside meetings with our funders or others.
Attend Directors/Leadership and other administrative meetings, as necessary.
Participate in a variety of inter and intra agency meetings, committees and task forces as assigned.
Attend Trauma-Informed Practice meetings and lead the implementation of Trauma
Informed Practice within the department/program.
Encourage and advance the use of the Sanctuary Model tools: safety plans, community meetings, psycho-educational groups, team meetings, red flag reviews, treatment planning conferences (or similar), and self-care in the department/program to create a non-violent and trauma-sensitive culture.
Promote and model the seven Sanctuary Model commitments to create a non-violent and trauma-sensitive culture.
Integrate the Sanctuary Model SELF (Safety, Emotional Management, Loss and Future) framework into daily practice to ensure quality care and an effective work environment.

Risk Management:

Plans accordingly to minimize risk and impact on programs, participants and the agency
Responds appropriately to specific incidents and incident trends, and implements corrective action or programmatic change as needed
Periodically reviews policies and procedures to ensure best practices and necessary changes are made in a timely fashion
Communicates effectively to appropriate levels of accountability
Ensures staff participate in regulatory/compliance training prior to due dates to reduce program liabilities and risk
Ensures all staff are notified of all policies, liabilities and compliance requirements when onboarded and regularly when changes are introduced

Required Qualifications:

Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree; admitted to the New York State Bar and member in good standing.
Minimum of three (3) years of experience practicing in New York State Family Court.
Litigation experience representing or supporting children, youth, and/or families.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to collaborate effectively with internal teams and external partners.
Excellent organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities.
Demonstrated commitment to working from a strengths-based, youth development, and trauma-informed perspective, consistent with the agency's mission and values.