Description:

Overview:
The Judicial Council of California is accepting applications for the position of Supervising Attorney with the Center for Families, Children & the Courts.

The Supervising Attorney supervises the operations, staff, and contractors of multiple complex projects to successfully complete the deliverables in the portfolio of the Court Assistance, Resources, and Education group related to Judicial Resources and Technical Assistance, multidisciplinary education, and projects undertaken in collaboration with state and federal partners. The Supervising Attorney supervises a portfolio of projects and related contracts in close collaboration with the Legal Services Office and other offices within the Judicial Council. These projects carry out complex, high-profile legal analysis and consultation to courts and judicial branch education on behalf of the Judicial Council in all areas of juvenile law. Given the high visibility and sensitive nature of these projects, this position requires a supervisor with strong project management skills.

This position also assigns, directs, and reviews legal analysis and consultation conducted by attorneys reviewing the application of federal law and regulation to the adjudication of juvenile dependency and juvenile justice cases; leads communication with state and federal agencies with a regulatory and funding relationship to the Judicial Branch; and supervises a complex portfolio of multidisciplinary educational efforts. The Supervising Attorney responds to inquiries from branch leadership and delivers presentations on relevant matters, as well as representatives from the executive and legislative branches of government and key justice partners. This position represents the Judicial Council in federal and state executive branch meetings and collaborates with court leadership to ensure a high-level of customer service.

The Judicial Council
The Judicial Council of California is the policy setting body for the state court system and has constitutionally conferred statewide rule-making authority. This authority includes developing, advocating for, and allocating the judicial branch budget. A majority of Council members are California state justices and judges; however, the Council also includes lawyers, legislators, and court administrators.

By enhancing its role as a leadership, knowledge, and service resource for the judicial branch, the Judicial Council's staff organization seeks to continue to evolve as one of California's most dynamic public service entities, focused on improving access to justice for all Californians by innovating and responding to the changing needs of the courts and the public. As a government body charged with improving the statewide administration of justice, the Judicial Council has multiple offices with diverse responsibilities relating to court policy and operations. As employees of the council, every member of staff should view and approach their work as one Judicial Council with a public service mission that is greater than the sum of its parts.

The Judicial Council strives for work life balance and includes substantial vacation and holiday time. In addition, we offer an excellent benefits package including pension, medical, dental, and vision coverage, flexible spending, up to $130 per month reimbursement for qualifying commuting costs, student loan forgiveness as part of Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), and retirement savings plans. In San Francisco, the office is only a 7-minute walk from the Civic Center BART station. In Sacramento, the office is located minutes from downtown, just north of Discovery Park.

The Judicial Council offers hybrid work arrangements for many positions. The successful candidate will be expected to work in person at the Judicial Council's San Francisco or Sacramento office at least two days per week, based on their office leader's direction, and reside in the areas surrounding these locations. To be eligible for Judicial Council employment and participation in the Judicial Council's Hybrid Work Program, a prospective or current employee's primary residence/remote work location must be in the State of California and within a 150-mile driving radius of their assigned reporting location.

Responsibilities:

Under the direction of the Managing Attorney, direct and oversee the legal analysis and reports of attorneys in unit working on the Judicial Resources and Technical Assistance Project.
Train new attorneys and coach all attorneys on Title IV-E judicial determinations, file review and report writing.
Review legal analysis and reports of attorneys; advise on follow-up training needs for county or court stakeholders; participate in stakeholder meetings; and lead sensitive communications with courts when necessary.
Based on findings of prior review cycles and federal audits, set priorities, file review, and legal analysis workplan for the team.
Oversee the legal and multidisciplinary education content and delivery to courts and stakeholders across the state.
Manage procedures to ensure appropriate legal review and updating of legal guides, bench cards, materials and training curricular developed by the CARE unit.
Consult with the tandem Supervisor Attorney and Supervising Analyst to align educational content with program oversight and funding requirements and collaborate on annual training plan for courts and court stakeholders across the state.
Coordinate education offerings and technical assistance with California Department of Social Services (CDSS), county child welfare directors, and chief probation officers.
Maintain effective relationships and provide legal leadership for statewide policy and grant activities involving the federal California Child and Family Services Review (CFSR), Program Improvement Plan (PIP), CIP, and Title IV E training.
Represent Judicial Council programs in meetings and maintain communication with federal Children's Bureau and state-level leadership at California Department of Social Services (CDSS); interpret California court rules and procedure for high-level state and federal policymakers.
Plan, organize, assign, supervise, review and evaluate legal analysis, legal content and other work of assigned staff and contractors, including all legal aspects relating to the Judicial Branch's role in the federal Child and Family Services Review (CFSR), Program Improvement Plan (PIP), the Court Improvement Project (CIP), and title IV-E of the Social Security Act; coordinate program administration with the Supervising Analyst.

Other Responsibilities:

Attend CARE manager/supervisor meetings and the overall CARE monthly staff meeting.
Participate in office-wide initiatives including management team meetings and work groups developed at those meetings.
Participate in stakeholder groups, conference calls and other informational and policy sessions related to federal and state child welfare and juvenile justice law and regulation.

Supervisory Duties

Recommends selection of staff;
Trains staff and proposes internal and external training courses and workshops;
Provides for career development and planning for staff;
Approves time off requests;
Reviews and approves time sheets;
Evaluates employee performance and conducts performance reviews; and
Administers discipline as required.

Qualifications:
Education and Experience:
Juris doctor and four (4) years of post-bar experience as a practicing attorney, which includes one (1) year of supervisory experience.

After passing a state bar, work experience as a Law Clerk to a federal or state judge prior to formal bar admission will be considered qualifying experience.

Or

Two (2) years as an Attorney, in the assigned area, with the Judicial Council of California or two (2) years of experience performing the duties of a class comparable in the level of responsibility to that of an Attorney in a California superior court or California state-level government entity and a) completion of training courses on topics related to effective supervision within six (6) months of promotion; or b) one (1) year of previous supervisory experience.

Licensing and Certifications
Current membership with the State Bar of California prior to hire.

Desirable Qualifications:

Expertise in juvenile dependency and juvenile justice law, including familiarity with federal requirements such as the federal Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) and accompanying Program Improvement Plan (PIP), the Court Improvement Project (CIP), and Title IV-E of the Social Security Act.
Strong leadership and supervisory skills, with proven experience developing staff, managing complex workloads, and guiding high‑visibility statewide projects or convenings.
Familiarity with California Rules of Court, Judicial Council forms, statewide policy processes, and advisory committee work.

Other Information:
Please note, if you are selected for hire, verification of employment eligibility or authorization to work in the United States will be required.

How to Apply:
To ensure consideration of your application for the earliest round of interviews, please apply by Monday, October 26, 2026. However, this