SUMMARY:

Legal Counsel for Youth and Children (LCYC) seeks multiple passionate, collaborative, and innovative attorneys, committed to social justice and anti-racism, to provide holistic legal services to dependent youth and children. Each attorney would carry a caseload in either Pierce or Thurston County. Applicants must be a member of the Washington State Bar Association by Fall 2024 or qualify for admission by motion from another state under Washington State Court Rule APR 3(c)(1).

LCYC is expanding its dependency practice to align with the expansion of the Office of Civil Legal Aid’s (OCLA) Child Representation Program throughout the State as a result of House Bill 1219 (2021), guaranteeing the right to counsel to all children and youth in dependency proceedings over the age of 8. We aim to hire a cohort of dedicated dependency attorneys, offering significant training, support, and supervision that currently does not exist in Washington State. LCYC is committed to providing holistic legal services that include best practices and at a minimum, meet the Child Representation Standards of Practice.

These positions are based in either Pierce or Thurston County. LCYC is a virtual non-profit. The attorney will work from home and meet with clients in the community, schools, homes, and at court. Attorneys must be able to travel within the county they are working in. The attorney will appear in court as required and attend various meetings, such as Family Team Decision Making meetings. As part of our holistic advocacy, the attorney may also provide legal advice and advocacy on a range of civil legal issues such as orders of protection, housing access, eviction prevention, record-sealing, legal financial obligations, name and gender marker changes, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, and public benefits. Applicants do not need existing expertise in all civil legal areas, but they do need to arrive at LCYC with a commitment to continual learning.

Working in collaboration with youth and community providers, the attorney will help identify and influence systemic barriers to youth access to justice. Additionally, the attorney will engage in ongoing trainings and conversation as LCYC advance’s its journey in becoming an anti-racist organization.

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 LGBTQ+ 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 salaried position that requires a willingness to work some evenings and weekends, as well as occasional travel within the state. LCYC full-time salaried 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 full-time salaried employees to achieve better individual balance between work and home.

The salary range for the position is $80,000-$110,000, 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, Paid Sick and Safe Time, medical, dental, life and disability insurance, 403(b) plan, and paid home office needs such as cell phone, laptop computer, 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:

· At least one year of youth representation or dependency experience as a public defender, assistant attorney general, or private practitioner; or experience handling family law litigation or complex litigation, is strongly preferred. However, new law school graduates will be considered.

· Applicants must be licensed to practice law and in good standing in Washington State by Fall of 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.

· Demonstrated interest and ability in working with youth and families of diverse racial, cultural, socio-economic 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, adjusting to the needs of youth, community, and organization.

· Committed to continual learning and responsive to feedback.

· Applicants must be able to be physically present within Pierce or Thurston County on a regular basis, since this position requires in-person visits to clients and the courthouse,

· Must have access to reliable transportation to be able to regularly travel throughout Pierce or Thurston County as needed and occasionally to other parts of Washington State.

· Fluency in Spanish is highly valued.

JOB DUTIES:

· Provide holistic representation to youth in dependency, termination, guardianship, and extended foster care cases adhering to the state-wide Standards for Representation of Children and Youth in Dependency Cases (Updated 2022).

· Depending on the applicant’s qualifications, they may also be assigned to represent youth in juvenile defense cases, At-Risk Youth, Child In Need of Services, & Truancy cases, and minor guardianships.

· 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 education, orders of protection, housing access, eviction prevention, record-sealing, legal financial obligations, name and gender marker changes, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, 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; examine and cross-examine witnesses; conduct hearings and trials.

· Participate in regular case staffings with an LCYC Supervising Attorney.

· Participate in LCYC’s dependency onboarding training, as well as trainings offered by OCLA to continually improve the advocacy provided to the youth LCYC serves.

· Participate in regular team meetings, all staff monthly meetings, and a bi-annual retreat with all LCYC staff.

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

· Track time and pertinent case data from intakes and closing in LCYC’s case management system.

· Regularly participate in all staff meetings, 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. LCYC 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 or Thurston Counties. 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, juvenile court, youth and family immigration, and youth homelessness.

LCYC provides community-based, holistic legal advocacy to expand access to justice for young people in Washington. 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 anti-racism 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 S. Annie Chung (they/she) at annie@lcycwa.org. Please specify in the Subject Line whether you are applying for Pierce and/or Thurston County.

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?

These positions will be left open until filled. Applications will be reviewed upon receipt. Start date may be flexible, and may depend in part on the successful applicant’s need for training prior to case contracts beginning.