Corridor Program Managing Attorney

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.

Responsibilities and Duties

This is a full-time managing attorney position for DAC’s innovative program, Corridor. Corridor is a collaborative endeavor with Santa Clara County’s Adult Probation designed to help parents with criminal justice system involvement break the cycle of criminal justice and child welfare system involvement. Corridor clients may have open dependency court cases or may be at risk of entry into the child welfare system. As part of an attorney-led interdisciplinary team, the Corridor Managing Attorney works closely with the Corridor team, comprised of an attorney, two social workers and three mentor parents to provide holistic support that meets each client’s unique circumstances.

The Corridor team provides the following core services: (1) zealous, interdisciplinary representation to criminal justice-involved parents at all stages of a juvenile dependency case to promote family preservation and timely reunification; (2) Know Your Rights to educate the community about child welfare system involvement, (3) support to clients in navigating the criminal justice system; and (4) limited scope representation to parents who are at risk of having their children removed and assist with family stabilization to address specific areas of vulnerability such as housing instability, substance use disorder, mental health, and/or domestic violence issues. If a formal petition is filed in dependency court, the Corridor attorney will represent the parent throughout the entirety of their legal case.

In addition, Corridor program responsibilities include weekly case staffings with the interdisciplinary Corridor team, networking and outreach to local community-based organizations, and ongoing data collection for purposes of evaluating and sustaining the program. An understanding of the unique barriers and challenges faced by parents with criminal justice system involvement is needed to support clients with either an open dependency case or those who are at risk of entering the formal child welfare system.

The primary responsibilities of the Corridor Managing Attorney include:

• Working closely with the interdisciplinary team and supervising the Corridor staff attorney;

• Facilitating staffing of all Corridor prevention and open cases in collaboration with the team;

• Developing Know Your Rights materials;

• Acting as the liaison with the Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS) and Adult Probation;

• Coordinating outreach efforts and building networks with community partners;

• Working with executive management to ensure all programmatic needs are met, including data collection, budget oversight, and team protocol.

In addition, the managing attorney will take on a limited caseload of clients as appropriate, and as required by the needs of the program.

Desired Qualifications

• Member in good standing of the State Bar of California

• High degree of professionalism and strong commitment to social justice;

• Experience working with and advocating for marginalized communities on issues such as housing, family law, criminal defense law, mental health, domestic violence, public benefits, immigration and child welfare system involvement;

• Ability to work collaboratively and lead an interdisciplinary team that includes social workers and parents with lived child welfare experience;

• Ability to work compassionately and respectfully with clients in crisis;

• Ability to network and build partnerships with community-based organizations

• Trained in cultural competency, motivational interviewing and trauma informed service delivery

• Familiarity with data entry and reporting preferred

• Management experience preferred

• Bilingual skills preferred

Salary/Benefits

Salary Range: $108,000 - $115,000 annually, commensurate with experience. Medical, dental, and vision coverage available. Generous PTO.

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.

Application Process

Please submit your cover letter and resume via the "Apply Now" button below.

In your cover letter, please include the following information:
1. Why are you interested in working in the position you are applying and at DAC specifically?
2. 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?

Staff Attorney

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.

Responsibilities and Duties

The staff attorney will be responsible for a full caseload representing parents and some children at all stages of the juvenile dependency process. The position requires extensive in-person court appearances and daily client contact. Representation includes client interviews, providing ongoing assessments of the merits of cases, conferring with social workers, opposing counsel, and other service providers, appearing at all court hearings, preparing witnesses for trial, participating in mediations and presenting clients’ cases to the court during uncontested hearings and bench trials. The attorney will also participate in frequent trainings to build legal knowledge, strengthen courtroom skills, and develop a deeper understanding of relevant systemic and social issues.

Desired Qualifications

• Member in good standing of the State Bar of California

• Knowledge and experience of juvenile dependency law preferred

• Experience in courtroom advocacy preferred

• Ability to work compassionately and respectfully with clients in crisis

• High degree of professionalism

• Ability to interact respectfully with judicial officers and adhere to the court’s schedule

• Demonstrated commitment to public interest issues

• Ability to flourish in a high-energy environment

• Ability to multi-task and be a productive team player

• Excellent verbal, interpersonal, writing, interviewing, and organizational skills

• Bilingual skills preferred

• Ability to work collaboratively as part of an interdisciplinary team of social workers and mentor parents

Salary/Benefits

$85,500 to $90,500 depending upon experience. Medical, dental, and vision coverage available. Generous PTO

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.

Application Process

Please submit your cover letter and resume via the "Apply Now" button below.

In your cover letter, please include the following information: 1. Why are you interested in working in the position you are applying and at DAC specifically? 2. 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?