Legal Director

Benefits : Dependent Care

FSA

EAP

403(b)

Dental insurance

Health insurance

Paid time off

Vision insurance

Organization Description

Dependency Advocacy Center (DAC), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, provides interdisciplinary family defense legal services to indigent parents and children involved with Santa Clara County's juvenile dependency system. Our adult clients face the risk of permanent separation from their children due to allegations of abuse and neglect. Substance use disorder, intimate partner violence, and mental health concerns are commonly presenting issues, often rooted in the layered effects of poverty, marginalization, and intergenerational trauma. DAC was founded on the belief that traditional legal advocacy is insufficient to adequately represent our parent and youth clients. Our approach to holistic family defense utilizes an interdisciplinary team of attorneys, social workers, and mentor parents to create client-centered legal strategies designed to support the family's long-term success.

Mission Statement

Dependency Advocacy Center provides zealous legal representation to indigent clients in the juvenile dependency system to promote timely reunification and preservation of families in a safe, healthy environment. DAC believes that every parent and child entering the dependency system has a right to be treated with dignity, compassion and respect.

Work Location

This position requires 3 days in-person per week, which will include court appearances and / or office hours.

Responsibilities and Duties

The Legal Director is responsible for coordinating Dependency Advocacy Center's legal services. The Director reports to executive leadership (Chief Executive Officer, Chief Programs Officer, Chief Operations Officer) and works in close coordination with DAC's management team.

Providing administrative supervision to the attorneys who practice in juvenile dependency court.

Developing sample motions, brief banks, and other practice material that can be utilized by court attorneys.

Providing regular updates on case law and policy relevant to field and practice.

Training new court attorneys and / or legal interns, and developing an onboarding curriculum and structure.

Organizing legal training and professional development opportunities.

Attending local justice partner meetings and meeting with local stakeholders.

Hiring attorneys as needed and developing hiring pipelines for attorney staff.

In conjunction with executive leadership, directing litigation and appellate strategies that further the organization's overall mission and goals in the child welfare arena.

Desired Qualifications

J.D. required, CWLS preferred. Must be licensed attorney in good standing with the State Bar of California.

Minimum 5 years of practice in juvenile dependency, family law, juvenile justice, or related field in California.

Minimum 3 years of management and / or supervision experience.

Trained in cultural competency, and trauma-informed practices.

Strong communication and leadership skills, with an ability to vision and implement best practices around legal service delivery.

Understanding of interdisciplinary collaboration between attorneys, social workers, and lived experience experts.

Application Process

Please submit your cover letter and resume.

In your cover letter, please include the following information :

Why are you interested in working in the position you are applying and at DAC specifically?

In order to best serve our clients and our community, DAC is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace in which differences are acknowledged and valued. How has your personal background or experiences, professional or otherwise, prepared you to contribute to social justice, race equity, and diversity among our staff?

DAC's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Mission Statement

At the Dependency Advocacy Center, our mission is to create an inclusive, equitable, and accessible environment where respect, kindness, and empathy guide all interactions with our staff, stakeholders, and clients. We are dedicated to fostering a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion within our organization. We firmly believe that every parent and child entering the dependency system deserves to be treated with dignity, compassion, and respect. These values are not only applicable to our clients but also extend to all staff members.

We are committed to continuous learning and self-reflection on matters concerning diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Through ongoing education, training, and critical analysis of our progress, we seek to deepen our understanding and awareness of these issues and the impact it has on our clients and staff members. By doing so, we can more effectively advocate for clients and promote all aspects of inclusion, including diverse representation in our leadership and staff.

At DAC, we are determined to increase representative diversity within our organization. We aspire to become an actively pro-diversity company and a strong ally to all the communities we serve. We recognize the importance of intentional efforts to support individuals of diverse ethnicities, abilities, genders, gender identities, sexual orientations, ages, and all races and religious affiliations.

Incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion practices is at the core of our daily work at DAC. We strive to integrate these principles into every aspect of our organization to ensure a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.

COVID-19 Considerations

DAC is taking full precautions to keep their staff and clients safe. DAC requires that all staff be fully vaccinated for COVID-19.

Flexible work from home options available.

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