Description:
Position Summary:The Legal Aid Society of Roanoke Valley seeks an experienced, passionate, and impact-driven attorney to serve as the inaugural Supervising Attorney for its Family Defense Pilot Program.
The position combines direct client representation with program development and leadership, supervision, strategic advocacy, and community engagement. The Supervising Attorney will lead a multidisciplinary team that provides high-quality legal representation to parents in child dependency cases and uses coordinated strategies to preserve and strengthen families. The Supervising Attorney will also be responsible for the Pilot's effective demonstration of the multidisciplinary model and, to that end, establishing program practices, evaluation and reporting, and representing the Pilot.
This position offers a unique opportunity to shape Virginia's first multidisciplinary family defense practice that will be a model for the state, make a meaningful impact for clients and their families, and advance the Legal Aid Society's mission of ensuring equal access to justice.
The Family Defense Pilot Program is funded by Virginia's 2026-2028 biennial budget. The position is guaranteed for the two-year period. Best efforts will be made to fully fund and continue the program beyond this budget cycle.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Program Leadership and Administrative Responsibilities
- Provide leadership, direction, and oversight for the Family Defense Pilot Program.
- Supervise and mentor staff attorneys, social workers, and peer parent advocates, including case strategy development, litigation support, workload management, and professional development.
- Ensure the Pilot's effective multidisciplinary representation to clients, and foster integrated, collaborative, and client-centered teams that respect and utilize the unique expertise and perspectives of each member.
- Develop and implement policies, procedures, best practices, and training consistent with holistic family defense principles.
- Ensure the program's timely and accurate case management, documentation, data collection, and compliance with funding and reporting requirements
- Monitor Pilot's performance and outcomes, and prepare reports and updates as needed by funders, partners, and organizational leadership.
- Participate in strategic planning and program development efforts to expand and strengthen the Pilot and the multidisciplinary family defense model in Virginia.
- Support coordination with attorneys in other LASRV practice areas to holistically address clients' goals and needs.
- Participate in supervision, professional development, and continuing legal education opportunities.
Multidisciplinary Legal Representation
- Provide holistic legal advocacy to parents in all stages and aspects of child dependency proceedings and litigation, including family assessments and investigations; abuse and neglect cases; foster care review and permanency hearings; termination of parental rights proceedings; appeals; visitation, services, and assistance; and Family Partnership Meetings and other conferences.
- Provide high-quality legal representation, including conducting discovery and fact investigation; maintaining active motions practice; conducting legal research; and drafting pleadings, motions, briefs, and other legal documents.
- Employ a client-centered approach to understand clients' needs and goals and empower parents in their cases.
- Maintain regular communication with clients and advise clients on their legal rights, options, obligations, and case developments.
- Work closely with social workers and a peer parent advocate as a multidisciplinary team. Develop strategies as a team integrating litigation, services, community resources, and peer support to achieve client-directed goals and address a range of issues and barriers.
- Advocate for clients both in and out of court, including communicating and assisting with the child welfare agency and caseworkers, service providers, family, and other parties.
- Ensure that representation reflects best practices in holistic family defense and strengths-based, culturally responsive, and trauma-informed approaches.
Community and Systems Advocacy
- Develop and maintain productive relationships in service of clients and the program with courts, child welfare agencies, service providers, community organizations and members, and other stakeholders.
- Represent the program in local, statewide, and national meetings, committees, and collaborative initiatives.
- Identify systemic issues and inequities affecting parents and families involved in the child welfare system and participate in efforts to improve policies and practices.
- Conduct outreach and education related to activities related to the program's mission.
Qualifications:
Required Qualifications:
- Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school.
- Active membership in good standing with the Virginia State Bar, or eligibility and willingness to promptly obtain a Legal Aid Counsel Certificate pursuant to Rule 1A:9 of the Supreme Court of Virginia and admission to the Bar.
- Minimum of five years of litigation experience, preferably in family defense, child welfare, dependency, abuse and neglect, family law, juvenile law, or a related field.
- Strong courtroom advocacy, legal writing, negotiation, and case management skills.
- Demonstrated commitment to racial, gender, sexual identity, economic, and cultural equity, and reducing disparities within the child welfare system.
- Demonstrated commitment to client-centered representation and serving low-income individuals and families.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Significant experience representing parents in child welfare proceedings.
- Experience working within the multidisciplinary family defense model.
- Knowledge of Virginia child welfare laws, regulations, and court procedures.
- Experience managing grant-funded programs or pilot initiatives.
Core Competencies:
Successful candidates will demonstrate:
Interest in early-stage program development and ability to envision, design, implement, and refine practices and procedures.
- Commitment to the multidisciplinary family defense model and maintaining program integrity.
- Ability to lead and collaborate within a multidisciplinary team environment.
- Ability to build trust and rapport with clients from diverse backgrounds.
- Commitment to client-centered, trauma-informed, and strengths-based advocacy practices.
- Ability to work effectively with clients experiencing trauma, poverty, substance use disorders, mental health challenges, or other complex life circumstances.
- Strong leadership, supervisory, mentoring, and training skills.
- Excellent communication and relationship-building abilities.
- Strategic thinking and sound professional judgment.
- Willingness to receive training and feedback – particularly in multidisciplinary family defense practice (tailored to experience with the model) – and collaborate with leadership and partners in the Pilot's development.
- Ability to manage complex litigation and competing case and programmatic priorities.
- Ability to represent and champion the program to stakeholders and funders.
Working Conditions:
This position is onsite, but occasional remote work will be allowed. This position requires regular travel throughout the Roanoke service area for court appearances, client meetings, and community and stakeholder engagement. Long-distance travel may be required for stakeholder collaboration, training, and conferences. Some evening or occasional nontraditional hours may be required.