Staff Attorney

Staff Attorney

The Staff Attorney provides trauma-informed legal representation, advice, and advocacy to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. The role focuses on empowering survivors, promoting safety and stability, and advancing survivors' rights through direct legal services, collaboration with multidisciplinary partners, and community-centered advocacy. Direct legal representation primarily involves family law and related legal issues.

All YWCA York employees are expected to commit to fostering a diverse, equitable inclusive, and mission-aligned workplace culture that supports the YWCA's values of eliminating racism and empowering women.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide civil legal representation (CLR) to clients of YWCA York's victim services programs, including, but not limited to, matters involving protection from abuse orders, divorce, custody, and support.
• Maintain confidential materials and information for all clients.
• Work in conjunction with the Legal Advocacy Director and the agency's Legal Advocates to meet clients' legal needs and provide consultation to Legal Advocates and clients as needed.
• Work with the Legal Advocacy Director to prioritize referrals to the program.
• Attend training as appropriate to fulfill grant requirements, including Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence (PCADV) and Respect Together (Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape/PCAR) advocate training, as well as Continuing Legal Education (CLE) training to maintain licensure.
• Maintain statistics for reporting requirements as needed
• Attend CLR Grant meetings at PCADV.
• Remain current and maintain thorough knowledge of all legislation that may affect victims of crime and/or the department.
• Maintain cooperative working relationships with community agencies, including but not limited to: York County Bar Association, Domestic Relations, the county court system, and the District Attorney's Victim/Witness Program.
• Attend YWCA York-sponsored and community special events as requested.
• Adhere to YWCA York's conduct and service standards per funding agencies such as PCAR, PCADV, Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD).
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
• Admission to the state bar of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
• Active attorney's license with no pending disciplinary actions

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated experience working with survivors of trauma, or a strong commitment to survivor advocacy.
• Substantive knowledge of Family Law
• Knowledge of or willingness to learn laws and systems impacting survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking
• Ability to manage a caseload independently while working collaboratively within a team
• Strong interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills
• High level of discretion, confidentiality, and cultural competency
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines

YWCA York Requirements

• Must support the YWCA mission to eliminate racism and empower women
• Clearances required: PA Criminal Background Check, Child Abuse Clearance, FBI Fingerprinting (or waiver affidavit)
• Completion of Mandated Reporter Training within 90 days of hire
• Reliable transportation and ability to travel to program sites as needed

Work Environment & Physical Demands

• This position operates in a professional environment
• May require driving in inclement weather
• Must be able to remain in a stationary position for extended periods
• Occasionally may need to lift supplies up to 20 pounds

Compensation & Benefits

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience
• Medical, dental, vision, and retirement plan options
• Paid time off, paid holidays, and family-friendly workplace practices
• Professional development and training opportunities

YWCA York is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). We celebrate diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and seek employees who represent the clients and community we serve. Therefore, we strongly encourage women, people of color, multilingual individuals, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply.