Attorney Representation for Dependent Children and Youth in Benton, Franklin & Yakima Counties

Full Job Description

The Office of Civil Legal Aid (OCLA) is an independent agency in the judicial branch of state government. OCLA administers the statewide Children’s Representation Program (CRP).

The CRP underwrites and oversees the delivery of effective, standards-based and equity-informed representation for children and youth for whom attorneys are appointed under state law.

Requirements

The CRP is seeking an exceptional contract attorney with a passion for equity and justice for children and youth involved in the child welfare system to accept appointments made under RCW 13.34.212(3) to provide legal representation for children 8-17 subject to dependency proceedings; 0-17 subject to both termination and dependency proceedings; and youth 18 to 21 participating in the extended foster care program in Benton, Franklin, & Yakima Counties.

This is a full-time, 50% FTE contracting opportunity available immediately.

Compensation: The base compensation rate for a full-time equivalent contract is $210,000 annually. A 50% FTE is compensated at $105,000 annually.

Contracted compensation is intended to cover a contracted attorney’s salary as well as any applicable business operating expenses (e.g. office rent, supplies, support staff, insurance, licensing fees).

Caseload: Full-time equivalent contracts consist of a maximum caseload of 45 dependency clients and up to 15 additional collateral cases related to the underlying dependency (e.g.

termination proceedings) for a total maximum of 60 cases. The maximum caseload for a 50% FTE contract is 22 clients and up to 30 cases.

Support: CRP-contracted attorneys have access to funds for expert services as well as access to technical support from CRP staff. The CRP also coordinates and hosts a number of CLEs annually to ensure contractors can meet contractual training requirements.

Travel: Attorneys for children and youth must have regular in-person contact with their clients and attend any meeting or proceeding in-person where their client is also physically present.

Contractors are eligible for reimbursement for mileage, lodging, and incidental expenses incurred during the course of qualifying case-related travel.

Qualifications

Required

• Licensed member in good standing of the Washington State Bar Association.
• Ability and willingness to meet OCLA’s Children’s Representation Program Standards for

Attorney, including:

• Participation in OCLA’s case activity and outcome tracking requirements and use of OCLA’s Case Activity, Reporting and Oversight System (CAROS).
• Completion of OCLA CRP’s web-based foundational training series.
• Participation in eight (8) hours of child welfare-related trainings and CLEs on an annual basis, including two (2) hours of training related specifically to issues of equity in the child welfare system.
• Maintaining professional liability insurance.
• Submitting to semi-annual reviews by CRP staff as part of the CRP’s oversight function.
• Engaging in regular consultation with CRP Managing Attorneys on issues relating to the provision of contracted legal representation.

• Demonstrated commitment to providing standards-based, culturally sensitive, and equity-informed representation to children and youth.
• Ability to employ effective, trauma-informed communication with children and youth consistent with their developmental ability to understand.
• Demonstrated commitment to investigating and raising issues relating to structural inequities and systemic biases that are prejudicial to the child or youth, in consultation with the child or youth.
• Demonstrated interest and commitment to public interest law, especially child welfare law, or experience practicing public interest law, especially child welfare law
• For attorneys with no or limited experience in dependency law, willingness to actively participate in regional Communities of Practice and the CRP Attorney Mentorship program.

Additional Information

Applications will be accepted until positions are filled. To apply, please email the following information

to crp@ocla.wa.gov with the county or counties of interest in the subject line. Complete applications

include all the following application materials:

• Counties of interest (Benton, Franklin, Yakima)
• Letter of interest which includes the following details:
  • Each of your qualifications as per above;
  • The nature of your current practice, including caseload capacity
  • Experience, if any, representing children and youth in the child welfare system; and
  • History of demonstrated commitment to principles of equity and social justice and willingness to support the commitments outlined in The Washington State Supreme Court’s June 4, 2020 Statement to the Legal Community
• Resume
• Three professional references to include at least one former employer or direct supervisor, if applicable
• Redacted, self-authored legal writing sample.

OCLA reserves the right to amend this application procedure and/or to refrain from contracting with any or all applicants. This procedure does not obligate the State of Washington or OCLA to contract for the services specified.