The DC Volunteer Lawyers Project is Seeking Applicants for a Managing Attorney for the Domestic Violence Division
The mission of the DC Volunteer Lawyers Project (DCVLP) is to increase the pool of trained pro bono lawyers donating their services to low-income families in the District and supporting these lawyers with the necessary resources to provide high-quality representation. The DCVLP’s primary goal is to recruit, train and support these attorneys so they can help local women and families achieve stability and security.
Position Description:
The Managing Attorney for the Domestic Violence Practice reports to the DCVLP Management Team (Co-Executive Directors and Managing Director).
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Oversees all aspects of the Domestic Violence practice area
- Designs and implements training programs for volunteers preparing to take CPO cases, and Divorce and Custody cases representing victims of domestic violence
- Serves as primary contact for DCVLP’s partner organization, Survivors and Advocates For Empowerment (SAFE), regarding intake and referral of CPO cases
- Represents DCVLP in practitioner, task force, and other regular and special meetings of local legal services providers and keeps Management Team and volunteers apprised of relevant information arising from such meeting through memoranda, weekly update and other communications as needed
Minimum Qualifications:
- A J.D. degree from an accredited law school
- Active D.C. Bar membership or ability to become an active D.C. Bar member prior to first day of employment
- Three or more years of relevant work experience, preferably with a legal services organization that provides legal services to survivors of domestic violence
- Experience managing volunteers in a legal setting also is desirable
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Fluency in Spanish is a plus
- Excellent organizational skills, ability to manage multiple priorities at once, and ability to work independently
- Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to develop good working relationships with volunteers, staff, partner organizations and members of local legal services and domestic violence coalitions
- Ability to meet deadlines and work well with minimal supervision
- Competence in MS Word, MS Excel and online legal research tools and willingness to become competent using DCVLP’s case management system and online pleadings library
- Ability to handle and maintain confidential and sensitive information in accordance with attorney-client privilege requirements and accepted standards for domestic violence service providers
- Monitors changes to judicial process and legal precedent that are relevant to the Domestic Violence Practice and ensures that changes are communicated to attorney volunteers and additional information and/or training is developed as appropriate
- Assists Management Team with recruitment of attorney volunteers, including participation in meetings and conferences for this purpose
- Assists Management Team with special projects (including on-going communications efforts and responses to specific media inquiries) as necessary
To Apply:
Please send cover letter, resume and writing sample to Claudia Gwilliam.
The application deadline is October 11, 2012.
For additional information, please visit the website.