Counsel I- Northern Legal

Commonwealth of Massachusetts • Lawrence, MA

1d

About The Position

The Department of Children and Families (DCF) is seeking a dynamic, service-minded legal professional to fill the role of Counsel I. The selected candidate must be a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association and will represent DCF in Juvenile and Probate Court, in custody, termination of parental rights, guardianship, and adoption cases. The Department of Children and Families (DCF) is committed to upholding the fundamental mission of protecting children from abuse and neglect to ensure they are able to grow and thrive in a safe and nurturing environment. DCF’s vision is that all children have the right to grow up in a nurturing home, free from abuse and neglect, with access to food, shelter, clothing, health care, and education. DCF works toward establishing the safety, permanency, and well-being of the Commonwealth's children by: stabilizing and preserving families; providing quality temporary alternative care when necessary, safely reunifying families; and when necessary and appropriate, creating new families through kinship, guardianship or adoption.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree
• Admission to the Massachusetts Bar
• Some experience in legal research, legal writing, and legal procedures and processes.
• Member of the Massachusetts Bar Association

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated commitment to the core practice values: 1) child-driven, 2) family-centered, 3) community-focused, 4) strength-based, 5) committed to diversity/cultural competency, and, 6) committed to continuous learning.

Responsibilities

• Interpret laws, court decisions, opinions, rules, and regulations applicable to the agency.
• Prepare and litigate custody, termination of parental rights, and guardianship court cases.
• Prepare petitions, affidavits, memorandum of law, discovery motions, findings of fact, and other legal documents for agency court-involved cases.
• Prepare opinions and advise clinical agency staff on legal procedures and requirements for agency cases that are pending in the courts.
• Conduct training of agency staff on legal issues pertaining to agency work, litigation processes, changes to law, regulation, or policy, or other topics as needed.
• Assist in preparing appellate briefs, orders, opinions, rules, and regulations related to the administration and enforcement of laws within the jurisdiction of the agency.

Benefits

• Comprehensive Benefits
• Outstanding suite of employee benefits that add to the overall value of your compensation package.
• Work experience that supports you, your loved ones, and your future.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree