CASA Attorney

Brightside Child and Family Advocacy • Savannah, GA

7d • Hybrid

About The Position

Savannah CASA, a program of Brightside Child & Family Advocacy, seeks an attorney for a newly created legal role supporting trained volunteer advocates and Advocacy Coordinators serving children with open dependency cases in Chatham County. The attorney will advise volunteers and coordinators across the full caseload, accept appointments on cases requiring substantive legal action, and help establish Savannah CASA’s legal function. The engagement is approximately 28–29 hours per week, non-exclusive, and intended to complement an existing legal practice.

The role combines legal advice and case staffing with full representation on an appointed caseload capped at 40 open matters in the first year. It also includes volunteer training, development of written protocols and policies, and building systems for the legal function. The position is based in Savannah, Georgia, with regular attendance at Chatham County Juvenile Court; remote drafting and advisory work are welcome.

This is an independent contractor engagement on an annual, renewable basis aligned with Brightside’s October–September fiscal year. Rates are $135 per hour for in-court time, $95 per hour for other case-related work, and $80 per hour for training, policy, and program development. Projected gross annual contract fees are approximately $143,000 at about 29 hours per week. The contractor is responsible for malpractice coverage, bar dues, continuing legal education, and self-employment tax. Invoices are paid within 30 days of approval, regardless of court reimbursement, and a monthly mobile phone stipend is available.

Requirements

• Admission to the State Bar of Georgia in good standing, or eligibility for admission.
• At least three years in practice, with some juvenile, dependency, family, or education law experience.
• Own professional liability coverage at an agreed minimum.
• Capacity for approximately 28–30 hours per week, including regular presence in Chatham County Juvenile Court.
• Willingness to complete background screening.
• Commitment to professionalism, discretion, and confidentiality.
• Ability to explain legal concepts clearly to non-lawyer volunteers while making them feel supported.
• Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Office and Google Workspace, and comfort learning new software.
• Exceptional organization, time management, and communication skills.
• Ability to remain calm, helpful, and focused in a dynamic, fast-paced nonprofit setting.
• Genuine reachability for volunteers seeking advice and an interest in building a meaningful legal function.

Responsibilities

• Meet regularly with Advocacy Coordinators in scheduled case staffings to review and resolve legal issues across the caseload.
• Advise on records access, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status opportunities, and stalled permanency plans.
• Help volunteers draft letters and requests when they are denied records or services to which they are entitled.
• Accept appointments on a defined caseload capped at 40 open matters in the first year and carry those cases through motions, hearings, discovery, and appeals.
• Represent children in matters involving termination of parental rights, contested permanency hearings, allegations of abuse or neglect in placement, and time-sensitive Special Immigrant Juvenile Status findings.
• Address unresolved issues involving education rights, interstate placement, psychotropic medication consent, sibling separation, and older-youth benefits disputes.
• Maintain contemporaneous time records; Savannah CASA handles court billing.
• Deliver legal training for volunteers, including specialty court training and quarterly continuing education.
• Draft written protocols and policies to answer common questions consistently.
• Help design systems for the legal function, with the greatest development effort expected in the first year.
• Promote a positive workplace culture through kindness, helpfulness, clear communication, and solutions that support efficiency and harmony across teams.

Benefits

• Prompt payment within 30 days of an approved monthly invoice, regardless of when the court reimburses Brightside.
• Paid advisory work available from the start of the engagement.
• Monthly mobile phone stipend available.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed