Family Defense Practice Custody Supervising Attorney

The Bronx Defenders (BxD) – an innovative, progressive, holistic indigent defense office in the South Bronx – seeks a passionate attorney with a commitment to public defense to join our Family Defense Practice.

The Bronx Defenders is a public defender non-profit that is radically transforming how low-income people in the Bronx are represented in the legal system, and, in doing so, is transforming the system itself. BxD seeks thoughtful, creative, energetic individuals with a strong commitment to social justice to join our dynamic and diverse staff. Our staff of over 400 includes interdisciplinary teams made up of criminal, civil, immigration, and family defense attorneys, as well as social workers, benefits specialists, legal advocates, parent advocates, investigators, and team administrators, who collaborate to provide holistic advocacy to address the causes and consequences of legal system involvement. Through this integrated team-based structure, we have developed a groundbreaking, nationally-recognized model of representation called holistic defense that achieves better outcomes for the people we defend. 

Each year, we defend more than 20,000 low-income Bronx residents in criminal, civil, family, and immigration cases, and reach thousands more through our community intake, youth mentoring, and outreach programs. Through impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community organizing, we push for systemic change at the local, state, and national levels. We take what we learn from the people we represent and communities we work with and launch innovative initiatives designed to bring about real and lasting change.

Family Defense Practice

The Bronx Defenders’ Family Defense Practice (FDP) provides legal representation and social work support to parents charged with child abuse and neglect who are at risk of losing custody of their children. Our Family Defense Practice is at the forefront of a movement to provide holistic representation to parents in the Bronx while creating long-term solutions for the reunification and stability of families. Family Defense Practice Attorneys primarily litigate abuse and neglect cases, but occasionally appear in concurrent matters including custody, visitation, and termination of parental rights.

Responsibilities

Reporting to the Managing Director of the Family Defense Practice, the Custody Supervising Attorney will represent a reduced caseload of clients while providing direct supervision to attorneys at various levels of experience and assisting in the litigation of Family Court Articles 5, 6 and 8 cases including matters of custody, visitation, family offense, guardianship and paternity. Supervisors will be responsible for acting as a liaison between court staff, judges, clerks, 18-b attorneys, The Legal Aid Society, Family Court Legal Services and BxD attorneys while assisting with Family Defense Practice programming, development and training.

Direct Representation

• Represent a reduced number of clients in Bronx Family Court in custody, visitation, paternity, guardianship and family offense petitions stemming from either Article 10 filings or internal referrals from other practice areas
• Supervise and staff a reduced number of intake shifts
• Model best practices with the court, clients, colleagues, and adversaries
• Assist parents in accessing appropriate resources and services to restore or maintain custodial rights 

Direct Supervision

• Supervise 2-5 Family Defense Practice attorneys
• Schedule individual supervision on a regular basis with supervisees to evaluate workload, monitor referrals, and conference cases
• Conference cases with supervisees regularly to determine litigation strategies and ensure high-quality representation with the goal of reunifying families as quickly as possible
• Evaluate supervisees’ referrals for holistic representation and provide feedback on how to ensure effective client-centered collaboration
• Review written work of attorneys, including signing off on all written work until the attorney is admitted to the Bar if they are not yet admitted
• Observe supervisees’ in-court advocacy and provide timely and constructive feedback
• Assist with and review litigation preparation
• Co-counsel and supervise litigation where necessary
• Monitor caseloads to ensure equitable distribution among supervisees
• Oversee case management and data entry to ensure cases and corresponding files are kept up to date and accurate
• Assist in arranging coverage of cases
• Approve time-off requests and timesheets
• Evaluate case and calendar management, direct representation, and relationships with the judiciary and adversaries in the courthouse
• Encourage and evaluate supervisees’ collaboration and support of their colleagues through practices like case conferencing and coverage
• Encourage and support the professional development of supervisees
• Provide equitable, culturally conscious supervision and support marginalized supervisees in navigating experiences of oppression in their work
• Support supervisees in meeting the expectations of their job responsibilities and notify the Deputy Director when additional support is necessary
• Evaluate performance and provide constructive feedback to supervisees, aiding them in their professional development and growth in the role

Serve as a Liaison in the Courthouse

• Be available as a point of contact for the judiciary and adversaries
• Represent the interests of and advocate on behalf of supervisees and the people we represent with the judiciary and adversaries

Communicate and Collaborate with Supervisors, Team Leaders and Managing Directors

• Participate in Family Defense Practice supervisor meetings
• Work with other supervising attorneys and the Managing Director to coordinate and assist with adequate supervision coverage of staff attorneys, including in-court supervision

Training and Development

• Develop ongoing trainings and mentorship for attorneys, interns, and advocates, providing ongoing feedback and evaluation, and ensuring effective collaboration between all members of the legal team
• Collaborate with the Training Directors in FDP to implement cross-practice training relevant to scope of work for new staff, advocates and interns
• Assist in the development of best practices, new trainings, projects and initiatives in the Family Defense Practice
• Facilitate internal and external trainings, including trainings for BxD advocates, attorneys, interns, and external partners
• Maintain a system to track the outcomes achieved in cases
• Maintain in-house resources including, but not limited to, research articles, expert lists, sample court orders and stipulations, model motions, reply briefs and other materials related to custody, visitation, paternity, guardianship and family offense cases
• Advance holistic advocacy on the team and in the office through fielding internal referrals across the office
• Demonstrate a commitment to anti-oppression work in the practice and office

Qualifications

To be eligible, applicant must have: 

• Ability to practice in New York or ability to practice pro hac vice until they are admitted to the New York State Bar Association
• Minimum of three years of experience as an attorney in family law or related field

Applicants must demonstrate:

• Commitment to holistic, client-centered representation and working collaboratively in interdisciplinary teams
• Understanding of how systemic oppression affects marginalized communities and their experience in the family regulation and criminal legal system
• Experience working in and with racially, ethnically and socioeconomically marginalized communities
• Ability to effectively and respectfully communicate, collaborate and connect with people with various backgrounds, identities and experiences
• Ability to work well independently as well as collaboratively within an interdisciplinary team of lawyers and non-lawyers 
• Effective research, writing and courtroom advocacy skills
• Commitment to fierce advocacy and willingness to strategically challenge authority in defense of the people we represent
• Strong analytical skills and capacity to employ non-legal resources in cases
• Supervisory and mentoring skills, including:
  • Interest in and commitment to developing and mentoring supervisees
  • Ability to provide intentional and constructive feedback
  • Flexibility in balancing needs of supervisees against their own caseload
• Ability to thoughtfully navigate conflict between supervisees and the people we represent, colleagues, adversaries, and court actors
• Ability to multitask, maintain order and meet deadlines in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment
• Meticulous attention to detail
• Ability to think critically and creatively in fast-paced settings, finding innovative solutions to unique obstacles
• Ability to receive constructive feedback, demonstrate introspection, and shift behavior accordingly
• Ability to exercise excellent judgment, discretion, and confidentiality with sensitive matters
• Commitment to raising one’s cultural consciousness and challenging oppressive practices on an interpersonal and institutional level

Preferred, but not required:

• Spanish language proficiency
• Supervisory experience

This is a hybrid position that will require at least 21 hours/week of in-person work, subject to union terms.

Salary is commensurate with experience. For candidates with 3-10 years of directly relevant experience, the salary range for this position would be approximately $96,400-121,240 or $10,000 above the attorney salary scale. Full-time employees are also eligible for a comprehensive benefits package including but not limited to medical, dental and vision coverage; a 403(b) plan with employer contribution; and a generous vacation, sick leave, and parental leave policy. More specific information about salary and benefits will be provided when and if an offer is extended.

Approximately 70% of The Bronx Defenders' staff, including attorneys and non-attorneys, are represented by UAW Local 2325 - Association of Legal Aid Attorneys (AFL-CIO). This position is not within the bargaining unit.

This position is exempt. By law, non-exempt employees are compensated hourly based on their annual rate and therefore are entitled to over-time, whereas exempt employees are not.