Family Preservation Project Attorney – SCCLS Brockton Office
South Coastal Counties Legal Services, Inc. (SCCLS), is the leading legal services program in Southeastern Massachusetts providing free civil legal assistance to eligible low-income clients with about 100 staff across four locations. Our core mission is to achieve justice for clients through community based advocacy. We prioritize legal services in domestic relations, housing, benefits, elder law, employment, education, consumer and immigration issues. Under new leadership, the organization is undergoing a period of growth and innovation.
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This position is in our brand new Brockton office. This office is located in downtown Brockton, close to our community partners. It is organized to perform high level legal work based on a holistic, trauma informed model. Staff specialize but also receive training in a broad range of issues. This model works to advance equity for our clients individually as well as in the systems that touch their lives. Brockton is one of the most diverse cities in New England, with a rich history and vibrant community as well as a high poverty rate. The office is steps from the commuter rail and enjoys easy access by car from both the Metro Boston area and Southeastern Massachusetts. This is a hybrid position.
Duties Include: This attorney will be part of an interdisciplinary team including a social worker, parent partner, along with other attorneys, paralegal and support staff in the Brockton office. The Family Preservation Project is a statewide project that works with families involved with the state child welfare agency, the Department of Children and Families (DCF). The goal of the Family Preservation Project is to ensure families get the help they need to address areas of concern to DCF so DCF does not remove children from the home. This project works to keep children safe with their families and to avoid emotional trauma caused by removal. The attorney will work with the family in the DCF process, which could include Fair Hearings and grievance procedures to address findings of abuse or neglect, other family law matters, and related education matters. The attorney will collaborate with other advocates in the organization on other legal issues and is also expected to collaborate with a statewide group of advocates working on this project.
Qualifications:
- Admitted to the Massachusetts bar or admitted elsewhere and able to practice under Mass SJC Rule 3.04
- Prior experience working on child welfare matters and one or more other poverty-law practice areas
- Experience working with vulnerable populations required, including those who have experienced poverty, domestic violence, disabilities, including substance use disorder, discrimination or being unhoused
- Excellent oral and written skills; creativity in meeting the needs of clients and communities
- Attention to detail and ability to triage, show flexible thinking and multi-task
- Ability to work independently and also in collaboration; commitment to ongoing learning and growth
- Commitment to equity in all forms and ability to engage effectively with people from diverse cultures, opinions and values, including staff, volunteers, and community members. Experience working with or connection to communities served by SCCLS Brockton, which include Haitian, Cape Verdean, Brazilian communities
- Fluency in a second language which reflects our client communities (Spanish, Portuguese, Cape Verdean Creole, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, Khmer) preferred
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS: SCCLS offers competitive compensation based on comparable public interest salaries and commensurate with experience with a salary scale starting at $72,500 a year. Multi-lingual annual increment to base salary may be added for demonstrated language skills (written, oral, or both). Generous benefits and leave.
APPLY: Submit letter of interest and resume by email to: LThelin@sccls.org with Subject Line: Brockton Family Preservation Project Attorney
SCCLS is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we welcome applicants from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences. We strive to foster a healthy, inclusive environment where all staff, clients, and community members are valued, empowered and recognized, especially individuals who come from marginalized communities that are often under resourced, underserved, and underrepresented.
South Coastal Counties Legal Services is funded by individuals, corporations, municipalities, foundations, and the following partners:
SCCLS is a 501(c)(3), not for profit agency. All funds received by SCCLS are spent in accordance with the Legal Services Corporation Act of 1974, as amended 1977, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2996 et. seq., its implementing regulations, 45 C.F.R. § 1600 et. seq., and other applicable law.
