Attorney - Pierce County

ATTORNEY POSITION

Pierce County, WA

At-Home Office

Full-time, Salaried

SUMMARY:

Legal Counsel for Youth and Children (LCYC) seeks a passionate, collaborative, and innovative attorney, committed to social justice and anti-racism, to provide direct representation, community outreach, and education to young people in Pierce County. Applicants must be licensed to practice law and in good standing in Washington State by September 2024.

This position is based in Pierce County, WA. LCYC is a virtual non-profit – the attorney will work from home and spend their time in Pierce County, meeting with clients in the community and at court. The attorney will provide legal assistance for young people experiencing housing instability through (1) direct legal representation (2) legal advice and consultation, and (3) legal education to youth and community partners. Working in collaboration with youth and community providers, the attorney will help identify and influence systemic barriers to the elimination of youth homelessness. The attorney will be responsible for outreach, partner relationships and generating referrals in Pierce County. The attorney may also be practicing in underlying state Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) matters, dependencies, CHINS/ARY/Becca proceedings, and minor guardianships.

The attorney will not need existing expertise in all the areas listed, but they do need to arrive at LCYC with a commitment to continual learning and adaptability. Applicants with at least 3 years of experience representing youth in either dependencies, minor guardianships, or CHINS/ARY/Becca proceedings are strongly preferred. Spanish speakers are also strongly preferred.

COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVITY, EQUITY AND REPRESENTATION:

LCYC is an equal opportunity employer committed to having a diverse staff and board reflective of the communities we serve. We strongly encourage applications from people of color, those with lived experience, people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and other underrepresented and historically marginalized groups. LCYC particularly values lived experience in our practice areas of child welfare, juvenile court, youth and family immigration, and youth homelessness.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

This is a full-time, overtime exempt, salaried position that requires a willingness to work some evenings and weekends, as well as regular travel throughout Pierce County and occasional travel within Washington State. LCYC exempt employees have some flexibility in setting their schedules each week.

This flexibility allows staff to adapt the timing of their work week with the scheduling needs of representing youth. This flexibility also allows employees to achieve better individual balance between work and home.

The salary range for the position is $73,000 - $95,000, depending on experience. Salary range is on a 10-year scale based on experience as a practicing attorney. Spanish speakers are eligible for an additional $3,000 annually, beyond their set salary.

Supportive benefits include but are not limited to Flexible Time Away, medical, dental, life and disability insurance, 403(b) plan, and paid home office needs such as laptop computer, work cellphone, stand-up desk, and printer.

LCYC does not have a shared office space. All staff work from home offices. Travel for work is compensated at the Federal reimbursement rate.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Ability to practice in Pierce County. Because this position requires in-person visits to clients in Pierce County and the courthouse, applicants must live in or be willing to live within Pierce County.

• Applicants must be licensed to practice law and in good standing in Washington State by September 2024.

• Demonstrated commitment to LCYC’s mission of protecting the interest and safety of youth in Washington by advancing their legal rights.

• Commitment to and demonstrated interest in engaging in culturally competent relationships and applying an anti-racist lens to program operations, community partnerships, and supporting young people.

• Ability to zealously advocate for clients in and outside the courtroom, including issue spotting, problem solving, providing legal advice, negotiating resolutions, and written and oral advocacy.

• Strong organizational skills. Ability to manage multiple competing priorities, ensuring tasks are completed in a timely manner and lower-priority items do not slip through the cracks.

• Ability to navigate and follow all applicable laws and court rules, including the Rules of Professional Conduct.

• Willingness to learn and utilize case management and software systems necessary for a remote office environment, following LCYC’s standards of practice.

• Demonstrated interest and ability in working with youth and families of diverse racial, cultural, socioeconomic backgrounds and inspire their confidence.

• Ability to work independently, be self-motivated and ask for help.

• Ability to communicate legal concepts, options, and potential outcomes in a developmentally appropriate manner with youth.

• Ability to work professionally with youth and diverse community partners, developing a relationship of trust and confidence.

• Ability to be flexible and adaptable, adjusting to the needs of youth and the organization.

• Understands the effects of vicarious trauma and the importance of work balance and boundaries to support well-being.

• Committed to continual learning and responsive to feedback.

• Must have access to reliable transportation to be able to regularly travel throughout Pierce County as needed and occasionally to other parts of Washington state.

• Experience working with youth and/or children is highly preferred.

• Fluency in English and Spanish is highly valued.

JOB DUTIES:

The staff attorney in Pierce County will undertake a range of duties including, but not limited to the list below.

• Conduct onsite intake for youth ages 12-17 years who are or are at risk of becoming homeless. Intake is conducted regularly at local shelter(s), drop-in center(s), and school(s). Intake times may fall outside of usual business hours. Attorneys also process phone and e-mail intakes for new referrals.

• Draft and file appropriate pleadings in different matters as needed in multiple courts. Must be able to litigate and represent clients zealously.

• Provide youth with legal advice, referrals, mediation, and in-court representation as needed on a variety of legal matters including, but not limited to, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, dependencies, minor guardianships, CHINS/ARY, orders of protection, emancipations, truancies, navigating child welfare systems, record-sealing, legal financial obligations, education, name and gender marker changes, and public benefits.

• Investigate each case; analyze facts in light of relevant legal considerations; conduct legal research; prepare litigation strategy; prepare legal memoranda, motions and briefs, and argue specific legal motions and pleadings; litigate evidentiary hearings; examine and cross-examine witnesses.

• Partner with local community service providers, school staff, shelter staff, court staff, young people, Supervising Attorney and LCYC Director of Legal Services on the direct delivery of services and continual improvement of the service model and its local adaptation.

• Present trainings for community providers, school staff, shelter staff, court staff, service providers and/or youth.

• Participate in weekly team meetings, general staff monthly meetings, and bi-annual retreats with all LCYC staff.

• Staff cases, problem solve, and identify trends and systemic barriers as an active member of LCYC.

• Participate in trainings to continually improve the advocacy provided to the youth LCYC serves.

• Timely track hours, expenses, and pertinent case data from intakes and closing in LCYC’s online case management system. Timely calendar court dates and appointments and upload case documents into case management system.

• Regularly participate in trainings, identity group conversations, and project specific workgroups on equity and systemic racism.

LCYC’s services are community based. We meet youth in locations where they feel safe and can easily access. We will continue to adapt our policies in line with public health recommendations and our legal responsibilities to young people we represent. The attorney is expected to provide services in Pierce County. All LCYC staff are required to provide proof of vaccination for COVID-19 and pass a background check.

ABOUT LCYC:

LCYC protects the interests and safety of youth in Washington by advancing their legal rights. We accomplish our mission through direct legal representation, strong community partnerships, and systemic advocacy. We have four program areas: child welfare, immigrant youth and families, youth defense and youth homelessness.

LCYC provides community-based, holistic legal advocacy to expand access to justice for young people in Washington state. LCYC was created and continues to evolve in response to the community’s needs. We meet youth where they are—geographically, developmentally, emotionally, culturally, and linguistically.

We collaborate with the youth, family members, educators, service providers, and other community partners to ensure that the legal and non-legal needs of the youth are met.

LCYC empowers youth by helping them understand and engage in complex legal systems that impact their lives and their families. We help youth understand and assess legal issues, options, potential consequences, and opportunities, before the youth determines the path forward.

LCYC is a team of supportive, creative, risk-taking, and flexible attorneys seeking to disrupt the status quo. We are committed to continual learning. An essential part of that learning must be centered on antiracism within ourselves, our organization, and the systems we encounter as advocates for young people.

We are willing to fail forward, make mistakes and learn, and embrace change. We believe humor and teamwork are critical to doing this sometimes incredibly difficult work.

TO APPLY:

Please submit a letter of interest, resume, brief writing sample, and list of three references to Annie Chung (they/them/she/her) via email at annie@lcycwa.org.

For your application to be considered, please include a response to the following question in your cover letter: How do you think your personal background or experiences, professional or otherwise, have prepared you to contribute to our commitment to anti-racism and equity internally and externally?

This position will be left open until filled. Applications will be reviewed upon receipt. We hope to hire as soon as possible. This position will be left open until filled

This is a full-time, overtime exempt, salaried position that requires a willingness to work some evenings and weekends, as well as regular travel throughout Pierce County and occasional travel within Washington State. LCYC exempt employees have some flexibility in setting their schedules each week.

This flexibility allows staff to adapt the timing of their work week with the scheduling needs of representing youth. This flexibility also allows employees to achieve better individual balance between work and home.