Director, Family Law Program
Ascend Justice
full-time
Posted on:
Location Type: Hybrid
Location: Illinois • 🇺🇸 United States
Visit company websiteSalary
💰 $83,655 - $92,655 per year
Job Level
Lead
About the role
- Provide high-quality representation for survivors of gender-based violence seeking remedies in Domestic Relations Division.
- Manage a case load of ongoing Domestic Relations cases, including effective representation of clients in contested hearings.
- Perform intake functions, interviewing potential clients to evaluate cases for representation.
- Maintain client files, noting all deadlines, communications, and other relevant information.
- Coordinate with the agency’s Client Support Coordinator and other colleagues to ensure that the client receives seamless, holistic services.
- Deliver services according to principles of trauma-informed care.
- Responsible for oversight and management of the delivery of family legal services.
- Monitor attorney caseloads with an eye toward equity, maximizing agency capacity and staff retention.
- Schedule and run case acceptance meetings.
- Supervise assigned staff. Conduct supervision and evaluations.
- Conduct necessary disciplinary, terminations, and other personnel actions in accordance with personnel policies.
- Provide ongoing mentoring, including strategic growth for assigned staff, and monitor individual work plans.
- Ensure high quality of client services through attorney training and supervision.
- Responsible for ensuring that attorneys are in compliance with applicable licensing requirements and ethical duties to clients, including ongoing training to maintain high levels of expertise in their respective subject matter.
- Develop and monitor metrics for success with the Managing Director.
- Ensure that program attorneys stay abreast of changes in law and procedures and disseminate information to staff as necessary.
- Draft position descriptions and participate in hiring with the Managing Director.
- Manage case acceptance process for family law clients, including timely notification of case acceptance decisions and appropriate division of case-handling responsibilities among family law attorneys.
- Develop training materials and opportunities for staff attorneys, volunteers and interns.
- Review and hire legal and undergraduate interns with the Director of Pro Bono Services.
- Manage and oversee intern assignments and supervision.
- Design and disseminate periodic reports related to project metrics, including but not limited to case acceptance, case outcomes, and client demographics.
- Maintain the Program’s docket, including cases accepted and under consideration for representation.
- Ensure that client intake and case-handling processes capture all data required for funders and for internal assessments.
- Actively participate in required staff meetings, trainings.
Requirements
- JD and license to practice law required.
- Minimum of two years of supervisory experience, with proven ability to develop goals and metrics for direct reports and ensure accountability
- Minimum of seven years of practice of family law.
- Experience serving victims of domestic violence preferred.
- 40-hour trained, licensed to practice law in Illinois.
- Strong self-motivation and ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines in a hectic work environment.
- Ability to work effectively with key partners to develop and implement program goals.
- Innovative thinker capable of diplomatic communications with diverse stakeholders.
- Spanish language proficiency, including the ability to interview and represent clients with limited or no-English speaking abilities, is preferred
- Ability to develop and implement short and long-term litigation strategies
- Familiarity with principles of trauma-informed care and willingness to complete additional training
- Demonstrated ability to work with diverse populations
- Knowledge of or experience with working with survivors of gender-based or intimate partner violence
- Ability to communicate effectively with people in crisis
- Strong attention to detail
- Excellent communication and time management skills
- Sense of humor.
Benefits
- FSA Health, Dependent Care, and Commute Plans
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Training & development
Applicant Tracking System Keywords
Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.
Hard skills
JDlicense to practice lawfamily lawlitigation strategiestrauma-informed carecase managementclient intakesupervisory experiencemetrics developmentlegal training
Soft skills
self-motivationtime managementcommunicationattention to detaildiplomatic communicationability to work with diverse populationsmentoringstrategic growthability to manage multiple taskssense of humor
Certifications
40-hour trainedlicensed to practice law in Illinois