Job Opening: Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts

Education Attorney for Medical-Legal Partnership

The Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts (“CLCM”) is seeking a full-time staff attorney to provide educational legal assistance and related advocacy services to indigent and disabled children and youth served by a community health center in north Suffolk County. Founded in 1977 and based in Lynn, the CLCM is a legal advocacy and resource center that provides a range of legal services to children, from newborns to 22 years, in education, child welfare, immigration, mental health and related substantive areas. It seeks to ensure access to justice and maximize opportunity for its clients, many of whom confront challenges in public schools and/or are caught up in the state’s human service systems.

General Responsibilities of MLP Education Attorney:

The successful candidate will (1) conduct intakes on and investigate education-based referrals by medical staff and area residents of a local Community Health Center (2) represent children with disabilities in special education disputes, including advocating at Team meetings and in litigation before the Bureau of Special Education Appeals to ensure delivery of appropriate services, and/or combat disparate treatment and unjust discipline; (3) represent students in school exclusion and other discipline matters; and, (4) conduct advocacy around enrollment, ELL, homelessness/McKinney-Vento, and other education issues confronting youth referred by the Community Health Center. The attorney also will engage in various non-case related activities including community outreach; training parents, attorneys, school and service providers on legal issues affecting children; task force/committee participation; and systems reform/policy work.

She/he will work with staff from CLCM’s project office in Boston (EdLaw), as well as staff of numerous youth-serving programs in the northeast region and Greater Boston.

Qualifications:

Admitted to the Massachusetts Bar or licensed to practice law in Massachusetts

Spanish language proficiency strongly preferred

Familiarity with state and federal education and special education laws & regulations

Strong organizational, communication and leadership skills

Experience working with urban school and state human service systems

Commitment to the legal needs of low income children, including immigrant populations

Ability to work well with others in medical, educational and legal settings

Salary and benefits are competitive with legal services scales. To apply, send or e-mail a cover letter, resume and references to: Jay McManus, Children’s Law Center of MA, 298 Union Street, Lynn, MA 01901 or j.mcmanus@clcm.org.  No phone calls, please.  CLCM is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity in the workplace and encourages all applicants, regardless of age, race, national origin, religion, gender, disability or sexual orientation to apply.