Staff Attorney

Youth Empowerment And Trial Strategies AttorneyThe Office of the Child's Representative (OCR) 's mission is to give children and youth a voice in Colorado legal proceedings through high-quality legal representation that protects and promotes their safety, interests, and rights.Justice, opportunity, and healthy families for all court-involved children and youth.OCR cultivates an environment of respect, honesty, and equity. We value the diverse experiences and expertise of the children we serve, our attorneys, and our staff. We invest time to reflect and connect, focus on strengths, value feedback, and recognize success. We stand for justice and support each other in our mission to empower children.OCR is an independent agency within the State of Colorado Judicial Branch that supports and oversees attorney guardians ad litem (GAL), child's legal representatives (CLR), and counsel for youth throughout the state.The Youth Empowerment and Trial Strategies Attorney will advance children's rights and promote equity and justice for children and youth in all OCR case types. They will ensure excellence in representation and engage in policy advocacy at the state and local level.Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:Oversee and support OCR contract attorneys and staff for all twelve of OCR's case types as Liaison with Judicial DistrictsServe as primary point of contact for OCR attorneys on all legal and practice issuesServe as primary point of contact for court personnel and other professionals in the Judicial DistrictInvestigate complaintsAssess sufficiency of pool of attorneysIdentify performance concerns and training needsMonitor compliance with relevant attorney performance standards, case filings and billing activitySupport OCR attorneys and staff through the development and implementation of youth engagement and empowerment protocols and initiativesMonitor state and federal trends.Implement strategies to increase youth attendance and participation in hearings and other processesServe as content lead for OCR's youth center, ensuring that page contains up-to-date and relevant materialsEngage stakeholders to promote youth engagement/empowerment through increased participation and voice.Identify shortcomings and recommend changes to current practice regarding youth engagement, empowerment, and rights.Develop, implement, and advance legal and other strategies for advancing children's and youth's interests and rights at the trial levelIdentify opportunities and implement strategies to advance the rights of children and youth through attorneys' case strategy, courtroom litigation, motions practice, and out of court advocacyTrack CDHS rulemaking activities related to GAL/CFY trial level advocacy, update and involve staff and contractors as indicatedServe as key staff attorney/content lead on OCR's trial skills training and develop and deliver training for attorneys on relevant issuesKeep apprised of effective advocacy practices nationally and in Colorado, communicate research and resources with program staffCoordinate OCR's Second Chair program and other trial level litigation supportsManage OCR's Litigation Toolkit to ensure relevance, accuracy, and access to its hundreds of pleadings and litigation toolsCollaborate with OCR's Appellate and Legal Strategies Attorney in assessing need for updates and new materialsServe as one of OCR's key content contributors to OCR's litigation toolkitIdentify appropriate staff and contractor specialists for litigation tools as applicable, assign drafting and updates, coordinate content creation and revision efforts.Serve as content lead for Colorado's FYTP page.Provide updated resources/ training as indicatedAnalyze trends, practices, and practice issues to inform effective case/client advocacy by OCR attorneys and systemic/policy advocacy by OCRProvide litigation support on FYTP cases and support other staff attorneys providing such supportAdvocate for statewide preservation and access to the programSupport OCR's case assignment and screening process by informing development of protocols, problem-solving questions that arise, and updating, as necessary, OCR's FYTP outreach materialsPrepare fact sheets, litigation support materials, and other written materials as needed, with a specific emphasis on supporting litigation skills and advancing the rights, interests, and engagement of children/youth.Brief writing in consultation with the Deputy and Executive Director.Develop and deliver training for attorneys, case consultants, and other professionals, advise Training Director on OCR's overall training program and training priorities.Assist staff on written projects as necessary.Actively participate in assigned committees to advocate for youth voice, justice for youth, and the needs and interests of attorneys representing youth consistent with OCR's mission, mandates, and strategic priorities.Maintain documentation of relevant committee work and OCR's participation.Update other staff as necessary to support OCR's policy and programs work.Assist OCR staff, including the Director, as needed.Be helpful and supportive to staff.Work constructively with others towards the OCR's mission, vision, and values.Assume responsibility for additional tasks as necessary.The successful candidate must:Be an attorney licensed in the state of Colorado, with an active license in good standing.Have 3 years of work-related experience as a practicing attorney, preferably in juvenile law and/or as a GAL/CFY.The successful candidate must have strong legal knowledge and advocacy skills, excellent organization and project management abilities, strong written and oral communication skills, exceptional leadership, and a passion for advancing justice and youth rights. The successful candidate must be creative, self-motivated, and able to work in a decentralized environment without close supervision.The Office of the Child's Representative is committed to providing an environment free from discrimination and harassment based on race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or pregnancy. The OCR is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse work force. The OCR invites all applicants to include in their cover letter a statement about how your unique background and/or experiences might contribute to the diversity, cultural vitality and perspective of GAL, CFY and CLR practice.Application packet must include the following:Cover letterResume (Please note that per C.R.S. 8-2-121 Job Application Fairness Act, you may redact information that identifies age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution.)Minimum of three professional referencesA writing sample demonstrating your aptitude for advocating for the rights of children and youth at the trial levelIn a separate document, please provide a written response to the following prompts:Please describe your trial skills and experience relevant to this position.What do you think are the two most pressing issues impacting children and youth in OCR's cases?Email the application packet to View email address on click.appcast.io by the closing date. Applications will not be considered that are late, contain documents that are illegible, incomplete or are in a file format we cannot open or read (PDF preferred, Microsoft Word is acceptable). Be sure your application materials specifically address your experience and qualifications for the position described in this document. Successful applicants will be contacted to schedule a virtual or in-person interview. Applications received after the closing date/time will not be considered.