Staff Attorney – Dove, Inc. (Deadline: December 11, 2015)

DOVE, Inc. (Domestic Violence Ended) was founded in 1978 by the Quincy Mayor’s Commission on Women and a group of committed community volunteers. Since 1978, DOVE has grown from one crisis hotline to a comprehensive multi-services organization. DOVE provides a range of services for adults who have been abused – physically and sexually as well as emotionally and financially. These services include: crisis intervention; safety assessment and planning; supportive counseling, advocacy, and case management; emergency shelter; legal services; educational and support groups; and community outreach and education. DOVE is the only domestic violence shelter and community-based service provider based in Norfolk County, and also serves the greater South Shore.

The Legal Advocacy Program has been in existence since DOVE’s inception.

Mission Statement

DOVE is committed to partnering with diverse communities, families, and individuals impacted by domestic violence. We promote hope, healing, safety, and social change by providing a broad range of preventive and responsive services.

Job Purpose:

The Staff Attorney is responsible for providing pro se assistance, brief advice and services, referrals, and limited assistance representation to clients of DOVE’s community-based services and other victims of domestic violence seeking legal assistance. She/he/they is also responsible for assisting the LAP Manager in outreach to and relationship-building with the legal community, facilitating legal trainings, and contributing to grant writing and reporting.

Reporting responsibilities: The Staff Attorney reports to the LAP Manager.

Job Responsibilities:

• Provide legal representation to victims of domestic violence in 209A extension hearings.

• Provide limited assisted representation to victims of domestic violence in emergency family law hearings, including divorce, custody, visitation, and child support.

• Provide pro se assistance, including meeting with clients to assist in filing complaints, motions, and other court paperwork needed for family law cases.

• Provide brief advice and services, including safety planning, to callers on the legal helpline.

• Participate in DOVE’s community lawyering projects at the Norfolk Probate and Family Court and Quincy District Court.

• Staff DOVE’s Legal Helpline.

• Help identify pro bono or reduced-fee legal representation in family law matters and/or restraining order cases.

• Conduct outreach to the legal community by attending meetings and roundtables with legal professionals, including the Domestic & Sexual Violence Council, Family Law Task Force, and the Legal Advocacy Roundtable.

 

 

 

Required Skills & Abilities:

• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including group facilitation.
• Strong organizational and computer skills.
• Ability to work independently and to effectively multitask.
• A strong work ethic and sense of initiative. Someone who leads by example and can work effectively and collaboratively in a creative and resourceful non-profit setting.
• Positive approach, can-do attitude, flexibility, sense of humor, and grace under pressure.
• Ability to model and uphold appropriate professional boundaries in work with clients, co-workers, supervisor, and community.
• Bilingual (Mandarin, Cantonese, Spanish or Portuguese and English) preferred.
• Demonstrated ability and desire to work with diverse populations including, but not limited to, non-English speaking families and the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered) community and to learn about and actively use multicultural awareness and understanding in daily work.
• Valid MA driver’s license, reliable transportation, and willingness to travel within DOVE’s service area required.
• Must be committed to DOVE’s mission to ending violence and oppression and to promoting social change.
• Must provide documentation of 35 hours of domestic violence training upon hire, or complete DOVE’s 35-hour Domestic Violence training within 1^st year of hire.

 

 

 

• Education & Experience:

• J.D. and licensed to practice in Massachusetts.

• At least three (3) years of providing legal advocacy services to survivors of domestic violence.

 

CORI check required upon offer of hire.

Work Schedule: Full-time exempt position, generally weekdays. The LAP Staff Attorney will be required to work at other times periodically (occasional evening, weekend, and very occasional holiday hours) to conduct presentations or groups, facilitate meetings and/or attend trainings.

Benefits include paid time off (vacation, personal, sick, holiday) and insurance coverage (Health/Dental, Short-Term Disability, and Life/ADD), consistent with personnel policy.

This position is supported by and dependent on grant funds.

To apply, send Cover Letter specifically for this position and Resume to:

• Christy Rodriguez, Esq., Legal Advocacy Program Manager, DOVE Inc.     applytodove@gmail.com
• Applications will be accepted until 5:00pm Friday, December 11, 2015.

Applications or resumes without a cover letter will not be accepted.