Description:

Job Description:
Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (LSHV) has an immediate opening for a full-time staff attorney in Westchester County to be part of the multidisciplinary Family Defense Unit (FDU) to represent parents who are accused of neglect and abuse in investigations, administrative hearings, Article 10, Permanency Planning, and Termination of Parental Rights matters as well as other related family court matters in the White Plains, Yonkers, and New Rochelle Family Courts. The position will be based out of the White Plains Office but will require travel throughout Westchester County and appearances in all three Family Courts. The FDU also works to prevent placement of children in foster care by advocating for parents at the earliest stages of child welfare engagement including at the investigation stage and by litigating emergency removal hearings. Using a ground-breaking and nationally recognized client-centered approach to assisting parents, the Staff Attorney will be part of a team which includes staff attorneys, social workers and parent advocates.

Duties of the Position: intakes and individual case work, litigation in state courts, including appellate practice, and education and outreach efforts directed at community members, advocates and service providers. The persons hired will also be expected to adhere to program and case handling standards, funder requirements, the highest professional standards, and be available as a resource to LSHV staff and access to justice communities.

Requirements:

Member in good standing of the New York State Bar;
Three or more years of legal experience preferably in Family Law and child welfare matters, including litigation, or its equivalent; ability to provide high-quality zealous representation in high-stakes cases and the ability to conduct hearings on short notice;
Excellent people skills;
Excellent written and verbal communication skills; Ability to work effectively with a diverse group of stakeholders;
Ability to collaborate in a multidisciplinary team with other attorneys, legal professionals, social workers, government agencies and other service providers;
Demonstrated enthusiasm for the work of defending parents in Child Welfare Proceedings and Investigations;
Valid driver's license and access to a car.

Preferred: