Description:

Main Purpose Of Job
The Better Together Early Family Advocacy Program utilizes a multidisciplinary team to support parents who are being investigated by the Department of Social Services (DSS) and are at risk of having their children separated from them and placed in foster care. Better Together aims to prevent family separation and ensure that children are not unnecessarily placed in the foster system. The team consists of a lawyer, social worker, and parent advocate who will provide distinct services relevant to their area of expertise that respond to the issues identified for the individual client. The lawyer's advocacy will include advising parents of their rights and responsibilities in terms of responding to DSS and meeting their children's needs, assisting parents in making custodial arrangements for their children with family members, taking actions to protect against domestic violence, resolving criminal warrants, and assisting with removing legal impediments to keeping custody of their children The position will also include providing legal representation in administrative hearings and in some emergency Child In Need of Assistance (CINA) hearings if a petition is filed in Circuit Court.

By providing these services early in the investigation, parents will be better equipped to successfully resolve concerns arising during the investigation, avoid having a CINA petition filed against them, and prevent family separation. This project is funded by a grant from the Maryland Judiciary, Foster Care Court Improvement Program, and the Casey Family Programs and is expected to run through December 2024. This position will be located in Baltimore City, Maryland.

Position Duties:
Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

Protect clients' Constitutional rights to raise and rear their children by providing prepetition legal services to parents when they come into contact with DSS, informing clients as to their rights and responsibilities, and advocating for them as they navigate their involvement with DSS before a court petition is filed.
Engage in prepetition legal advocacy and radical early defense strategies to avoid family separation and foster care.
Organize and participate in community outreach to disseminate information about the Better Together Program.
Assign legal externs to obtain, organize, and review records and documents relevant to the issues sought to be resolved to avoid a CINA petition from being filed.
If a CINA petition is filed, appear at the initial shelter care hearing to assist or brief the assigned APD in circumstances where appropriate, or prepare a transfer memo to the assigned shelter attorney.
If a CINA petition is filed, prepare a transfer memorandum and case file to be given to the assigned APD so APD can prepare for the shelter care hearing or non-emergency hearing.
Develop and maintain client relationships over the extended pendency of the case.
Collaborate with PDD social workers, criminal defense attorneys, parent advocates, immigration attorneys, and others as part of a multidisciplinary defense team.
Maintain records and data to enable OPD to track the outcome of cases.
Ensure clients are consistently heard and respected.
Engage with clients who are experiencing challenges and legal/societal/intellectual barriers in a nonjudgmental and empathetic manner.
Effectively and compassionately communicate with clients, colleagues, and service providers to ensure optimal outcomes for clients.
Continuously seek professional and personal development through training, continuing legal education, and trial skills courses.
Supervise law school interns.

Core Competencies & Requirements:

Demonstrated commitment to serving marginalized communities.
Dedicated to dismantling racist, prejudiced, unfair systems.
Ability to work independently and autonomously.
Compassion and empathy.
Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively with people with different backgrounds and experiences.
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, diverse, team-oriented environment.
Ability to use technology to telework and participate in virtual court hearings and meetings as necessary.
Strong organizational, legal, and administrative skills necessary to handle a high caseload with short deadlines.
Prior experience in litigation including CINA/TPR, Criminal, Civil, Juvenile, or Family Law (experience may include internships, law school clinical programs, or any other relevant experience).
Strong communication and client advocacy skills.
Active membership in good standing in the Maryland Bar or Bar of another state. Individuals who are members of the Bar of another State must be admitted to the Maryland Bar within 18 months of the start date.

?Minimum Qualifications:
Assistant Public Defender I
Education: A Juris Doctorate degree or equivalent degree from an accredited school of law.
Experience: None

Notes:

Candidates shall be an Attorney and admitted to practice law in the State by the Court of Appeals of Maryland, at the time of appointment.
The above requirements are set by the Office of the Public Defender in accordance with Criminal Procedure Article, Section 16-203 of the Annotated Code of Maryland.
Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in general attorney classification or general attorney specialty codes in the legal and kindred group field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience and education.

Assistant Public Defender II
Education: A Juris Doctorate degree or equivalent degree from an accredited school of law.
Experience: Experience as a practicing Attorney.

Notes:

Candidates shall be an Attorney and admitted to practice law in the State by the Court of Appeals of Maryland, at the time of appointment.
The above requirements are set by the Office of the Public Defender in accordance with Criminal Procedure Article, Section 16-203 of the Annotated Code of Maryland.
Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in general attorney classification or general attorney specialty codes in the legal and kindred group field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience and education.

Assistant Public Defender III
Education: A Juris Doctorate degree or equivalent degree from an accredited school of law.
Experience: Experience as a practicing Attorney.

Notes:

Candidates shall be an Attorney and admitted to practice law in the State by the Court of Appeals of Maryland, at the time of appointment.
The above requirements are set by the Office of the Public Defender in accordance with Criminal Procedure Article, Section 16-203 of the Annotated Code of Maryland.
Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in general attorney classification or general attorney specialty codes in the legal and kindred group field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience and education.